Question tags

A question tag is a short question at the end of a sentence: ⟦It's cold, isn't it?⟧ We use tags to check something we think is true, or to invite the listener to agree.

Key facts

  • A positive sentence takes a negative tag: ⟦You're hungry, aren't you?⟧ A negative sentence takes a positive tag: ⟦She isn't here, is she?⟧
  • Use the same helping verb as the sentence: ⟦You can swim, can't you?⟧ ⟦They have finished, haven't they?⟧ ⟦He will come, won't he?⟧
  • With no helping verb, use ⟦do⟧, ⟦does⟧ or ⟦did⟧: ⟦She likes tea, doesn't she?⟧ ⟦They went home, didn't they?⟧
  • The tag uses a pronoun for the subject: ⟦Your brother plays chess, doesn't he?⟧ ⟦The film was good, wasn't it?⟧
  • Special cases: ⟦I'm late, aren't I?⟧ ⟦Let's go, shall we?⟧ ⟦Nobody called, did they?⟧ (⟦nobody⟧ is negative) ⟦There's a problem, isn't there?⟧

Worked examples

Example 1

Add the tag: ⟦They live in Dubai, ___?⟧

  1. There is no helping verb, and ⟦live⟧ is present simple, so use ⟦do⟧.
  2. The sentence is positive, so the tag is negative: ⟦don't they⟧.

Answer: ⟦don't they⟧

Example 2

Add the tag: ⟦He hasn't called, ___?⟧

  1. The helping verb is ⟦has⟧, and the sentence is negative.
  2. So the tag is positive: ⟦has he⟧.

Answer: ⟦has he⟧

Example 3

Add the tag: ⟦I'm right, ___?⟧

  1. ⟦am not I⟧ is not used.
  2. The tag for ⟦I am⟧ is ⟦aren't I⟧.

Answer: ⟦aren't I⟧