Overview
A question tag is a short question added to the end of a statement. It turns a statement into a question, usually to confirm information or invite agreement.
It's a beautiful day, isn't it? You speak French, don't you?
Question tags are extremely common in spoken English and make your speech sound more natural and conversational.
The Golden Rule
Positive statement → negative tag. Negative statement → positive tag.
| Statement | Tag | Full Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Positive: You are a student | → negative: aren't you? | You're a student, aren't you? |
| Negative: She isn't coming | → positive: is she? | She isn't coming, is she? |
| Positive: They can swim | → negative: can't they? | They can swim, can't they? |
| Negative: He doesn't like coffee | → positive: does he? | He doesn't like coffee, does he? |
How to Form Question Tags
Step 1: Identify the auxiliary verb in the statement
The tag uses the same auxiliary (or modal) as the main statement:
| Statement | Auxiliary | Tag |
|---|---|---|
| She is working. | is | isn't she? |
| They have finished. | have | haven't they? |
| He can drive. | can | can't he? |
| You will come. | will | won't you? |
| She was sleeping. | was | wasn't she? |
| They should know. | should | shouldn't they? |
| He would agree. | would | wouldn't he? |
Step 2: If there's no auxiliary, use do/does/did
For present simple and past simple statements without an auxiliary:
| Statement | Tag |
|---|---|
| You like coffee. | don't you? |
| She works here. | doesn't she? |
| They went home. | didn't they? |
| He plays tennis. | doesn't he? |
| We arrived late. | didn't we? |
Step 3: Use the correct subject pronoun
The tag always uses a pronoun, not the full noun:
- Your mother is coming, isn't she?
- The children are playing, aren't they?
- Tom and Sarah got married, didn't they?
Question Tags with "Be"
| Statement | Tag |
|---|---|
| I am late, | aren't I? (special case — NOT "amn't I") |
| You are ready, | aren't you? |
| He is a teacher, | isn't he? |
| We were right, | weren't we? |
| She wasn't happy, | was she? |
| They aren't here, | are they? |
Note: "I am" takes "aren't I?" in the tag — "amn't I?" does not exist in standard English. However, the positive tag is normal: "I'm not late, am I?"
Question Tags with Modal Verbs
| Statement | Tag |
|---|---|
| You can help, | can't you? |
| She could come, | couldn't she? |
| He will be there, | won't he? |
| They would agree, | wouldn't they? |
| We should leave, | shouldn't we? |
| You must be tired, | mustn't you? |
| She might know, | mightn't she? (rare — often avoided) |
In practice, tags with "might" and "may" are uncommon. People rephrase: "She might know, right?" or "She might know, do you think?"
Question Tags with Perfect Tenses
| Statement | Tag |
|---|---|
| You have been to Paris, | haven't you? |
| She has finished, | hasn't she? |
| They had left, | hadn't they? |
| He hasn't replied, | has he? |
Intonation: Two Different Meanings
The intonation of the tag changes the meaning:
Falling intonation ↘ (you expect agreement)
It's cold today, isn't it? ↘ (You're quite sure it's cold. You expect "Yes, it is.")
Rising intonation ↗ (genuine question)
You locked the door, didn't you? ↗ (You're not sure. You really want to know.)
In writing, both use a question mark. In speech, the difference is crucial.
Special Cases
Imperatives
| Imperative | Tag |
|---|---|
| Open the window, | will you? / would you? / can you? |
| Don't be late, | will you? |
| Let's go, | shall we? |
| Let me help, | will you? / may I? |
"Let's" always takes "shall we?" — this is a fixed pattern.
"There is / There are"
Use there as the subject in the tag:
- There's a problem, isn't there?
- There aren't any seats, are there?
- There was an accident, wasn't there?
Sentences with "nothing, nobody, never, hardly, rarely"
These words make the statement negative, so the tag is positive:
- Nothing happened, did it?
- Nobody called, did they?
- She never complains, does she?
- He hardly ever speaks, does he?
- They rarely visit, do they?
Notice: "nobody" and "everybody" take they in the tag: "Everyone is ready, aren't they?"
"I think / I believe / I suppose" + clause
The tag matches the second clause, not "I think":
- I think she's coming, isn't she? (NOT
don't I?) - I don't think he knows, does he? (NOT
do I?) - I believe you've met before, haven't you?
"This / That"
- This is yours, isn't it?
- That was fun, wasn't it?
Same-Way Tags (Positive + Positive)
Occasionally, both the statement and tag are positive. This expresses surprise, sarcasm, or a request for new information:
- Oh, so you're a doctor, are you? (surprise or challenge)
- You think that's funny, do you? (sarcasm)
These are less common and have a specific conversational tone.
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Using the wrong auxiliary
- Wrong:
She likes tea, isn't she? - Correct: She likes tea, doesn't she? (no auxiliary in statement → use do/does/did)
Mistake 2: Both parts positive or both negative
- Wrong:
You are tired, are you?(in normal usage) - Correct: You are tired, aren't you?
Mistake 3: Wrong subject pronoun
- Wrong:
Your parents are nice, isn't it? - Correct: Your parents are nice, aren't they?
Mistake 4: "I am" tag
- Wrong:
I'm right, amn't I? - Correct: I'm right, aren't I?
Mistake 5: Negative words need positive tags
- Wrong:
Nobody came, didn't they? - Correct: Nobody came, did they?
Mistake 6: "Let's" takes "shall we"
- Wrong:
Let's go, don't we? - Correct: Let's go, shall we?
Quick Reference
| Statement Type | Tag Type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Positive + auxiliary | Negative auxiliary + pronoun | He is nice, isn't he? |
| Negative + auxiliary | Positive auxiliary + pronoun | She can't swim, can she? |
| Positive, no auxiliary | don't/doesn't/didn't + pronoun | You like it, don't you? |
| Negative, no auxiliary | do/does/did + pronoun | He doesn't smoke, does he? |
| Imperative | will you / would you | Close the door, will you? |
| Let's | shall we | Let's eat, shall we? |
Practice Tips
- Add tags to statements: Take any simple sentence and add a question tag. "The weather is nice" → "The weather is nice, isn't it?"
- Practise with a partner: One person makes a statement, the other adds the tag.
- Listen to British English: Question tags are especially common in British conversation. BBC shows and interviews are excellent practice.
- Focus on intonation: Record yourself saying tags with falling and rising intonation. Notice how the meaning changes.
- Write a dialogue: Create a conversation between two people who use question tags naturally to confirm information.