TAG QUESTIONS

Tag questions are short questions at the end of sentences and are used to confirm information in the main part of the sentence or ask for agreement with the main part of the sentence.

Tag questions are most often used in spoken English.

We put a comma before the tag question.

If the main part of the sentence is positive, the tag question is negative.

You’re hungry, aren’t you?

John texted you, didn’t he?

If the main part of the sentence is negative, the tag question is affirmative.

You’re not hungry, are you?

John didn’t text you, did he?

If the main sentence uses an auxiliary verb (be, have, do) or a modal verb (should, could, will, etc.) the same auxiliary verb or modal verb is used in the tag question.

Amy is going to be late, isn’t she?

We shouldn’t go in there, should we?

If the main sentence doesn’t use an auxiliary verb or modal verb, then we use do for the tag question.

They painted the house, didn’t they?

He walks to school, doesn’t he?

We use the same tense for the main part of the sentence and the tag question.

If we really want to know the answer to a tag question, we put rising intonation on the tag question.

If we are looking for agreement, we put falling intonation on the tag question.

To answer tag questions, don’t worry about whether the tag question is negative or affirmative. Just answer the base question.

You’re hungry, aren’t you? – Are you hungry? – Yes, I am.

You aren’t hungry, are you? – Are you hungry? – Yes, I am.

The answer stays the same whether the tag question is negative or affirmative.

Tag question conversation questions

  1. You have a job, don’t you?
  2. You’ve been abroad, haven’t you?
  3. You haven’t been to Disney World, have you?
  4. You can speak three languages, can’t you?
  5. You’re not going to work this weekend, are you?
  6. You’ll go on vacation soon, won’t you?
  7. You don’t like pizza, do you?
  8. You haven’t been to Mongolia, have you?
  9. You play a lot of mobile games, don’t you?
  10. You got enough sleep last night, didn’t you?
  11. You’re going to see a movie this weekend, aren’t you?
  12. You’re not tired today, are you?
  13. Your birthday isn’t this month, is it?
  14. You don’t like cats, do you?
  15. You’ve eaten insects before, haven’t you?
  16. You play football, don’t you?
  17. You can’t play basketball, can you?
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