QUESTION TAG

a. Jack can come, can’t he?

b. Fred can’t come, can he?

A tag question is a question at the end of a sentence. Speakers use tag question chiefly to make sure their information is correct or to seek agreement.

AFFIRMATIVE SENTENCE + NEGATIVE TAG AFFIRMATIVE ANSWER EXPECTED

Mary is here, isn’t she? Yes, she is.

You like tea, don’t you? Yes, I do.

They have left, haven’t they? Yes, they have.

NEGATIVE SENTENCE + AFFIRMATIVE TAG NEGATIVE ANSWER EXPECTED

Mary isn’t here, is she? No, she isn’t.

You don’t like tea, do you? No, I don’t.

They haven’t left, have they? No, they haven’t.

c. This/that is your book, isn’t it?

These/those are yours, aren’t they?

The tag pronoun for this/that = it

The tag pronoun for these/those = they

d. There is a meeting tonight, isn’t there?

In sentence with there + be, there is used in the tag.

e. Everything is okay, isn’t it?

f. Everyone took the test, didn’t they?

Personal pronouns are used to refer to indenfinite pronouns. They is usually used in a tag to refer to everyone, everybody, someone, somebody, no one, no body.

g. Nothing is wrong, is it?

h. Nobody called on the phone, did they?

i. You’ve never been there, have you?

Sentences with negative words take affirmative tags.

j. I am supposed to be here, am I not?

k. I am supposed to be here, aren’t I?

In (j): am I not? Is formal English.

In (k): aren’t I? is common in spoken English.

Note : a tag question may be spoken:

(1) With a rising intonation if the speaker is truly seeking to ascertain that his/her information, idea, belief is correct (e.g. Ann lives in an apartment, doesn’t she?) or

(2) With a falling intonation if the speaker is expressing an idea with which s/he is almost certain the listener will agree (e.g. it’s a nice day today, isn’t it?)

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