A question tag is a short question at the end of a statement.
For example
You are a student, aren't you?
Aren't you? is a question tag.
You are creating a yes/no question at the end of your statement.
In general, question tags are used when asking for agreement or confirmation
but we will see more about that in a moment.
When using question tags, a positive statement is followed by a negative question tag.
You are a student, aren't you?
YOU ARE is positive, so the question tag needs to be negative... aren't you?
Notice how there is a comma at the end of the first statement...
You are a student... comma.
The question tag is formed by an auxiliary, a modal verb or a form of the verb to be.
In this case, it is a form of the verb TO BE.
After this comes the subject pronoun, in this case YOU.
A negative statement is followed by a positive question tag.
Mary isn't a teacher, is she?
MARY ISN'T is negative, so the question tag needs to be positive... is she?
Mary isn't a teacher, is she?
Notice how we don't repeat the noun Mary in the question tag.
We use the subject pronoun SHE to avoid repetition.
A subject pronoun is used to replace the subject
in the statement if it appears as a noun or a noun phrase.
Intonation is the rise and fall of the voice in speaking.
Question tags can have a rising intonation or falling intonation.
Let's look at the meaning of both.
Rising intonation
John doesn't speak Spanish, does he?
If the intonation of the question goes up,
it means you're not sure and you want to know the answer.
John doesn't speak Spanish, does he?
My voice went up at the end ... DOES HE? because I'm not sure whether he speaks Spanish or not.
Falling intonation
John doesn't speak Spanish, does he?
The intonation of the question tag goes down.
It means you're checking or confirming information that we are sure of.
It can also mean you're making conversation.
John doesn't speak Spanish, does he?
My voice went down at the end ... DOES HE?
because I am sure he doesn't speak Spanish, but it would be great if you could confirm this with me
or I just want you to agree with me.
Let's look at using question tags and different tenses.
We will start with negative question tags.
Remember, if we have a positive statement, the question tag is negative.
We will start with the verb TO BE.
Here are 4 positive statements.
Can you tell us what the negative question tag would be for each one?
If the verb TO BE in this statement is in the present tense,
then it also needs to be in the present tense in the question tag.
Also, if the verb TO BE in a statement is in the past tense
then it also needs to be in the past tense in the question tag.
You are a student, aren't you?
He is very busy, isn't he?
She was happy, wasn't she?
They were surprised, weren't they?
Be careful. There is an exception when the subject is I followed by AM in the positive statement.
For example: I am late.
The negative question tag is irregular and you say AREN'T.
I am late, aren't I?
We do not say "am I?"
No, it probably sounds strange to you but that is what we do in English.
I am late, aren't I?
Let's look at using question tags with auxiliary verbs and modal verbs.
Remember, if we have a positive statement, the question tag is negative.
What is the question tag for each one?
You have studied all week, haven't you?
You had arrived before we left, hadn't you?
You will pass the exam, won't you?
You can speak two languages, can't you?
You could do it for me, couldn't you?
We must be patient, mustn't we?
You should go now, shouldn't you?
You would like a new job, wouldn't you?
That was easy, wasn't it?
What do we do with normal verbs that are not TO BE or modal verbs or auxiliary verbs?
What do we do?
For example
You speak English.
This is a positive statement.
What would a negative question tag be?
When the verb in the statement is in the present tense, we form the question tag with DON'T or DOESN'T.
You speak English, don't you?
He speaks Spanish, doesn't he?
And when the verb in the statement is in the past tense, we form the question tab with DIDN'T.
She studied for the test, didn't she?
We use DIDN'T because studied is the past tense of study.
Let's try some more examples.
What would the negative question tag be for these statements?
They need a dictionary, don't they?
John lived in Japan, didn't he?
Mary wants a new car, doesn't she?
Now we're going to look at positive question tags.
If we have a negative statement, the question tag is positive.
We will start with the verb TO BE.
Here are 4 negative statements.
Can you tell us what the positive question tag would be for each one?
Remember, if the verb TO BE in the statement is in the simple present,
then the question tag also needs to be in the present tense.
If the verb TO BE in a statement is in the simple past tense,
then the question tag also needs to be in the past tense.
Let's begin...
You aren't a teacher, are you?
He isn't crazy, is he?
She wasn't relaxed, was she?
They weren't late, were they?
The same applies to negative statements with auxiliary verbs and modal verbs.
Here are some examples.
Can you tell us what the positive question tag would be for each one?
You haven't been here all week, have you?
You hadn't done it before then, had you?
You won't fail the exam, will you?
You can't drive a car, can you?
You couldn't do it for me, could you?
We mustn't say anything, must we?
You shouldn't be so busy, should you?
You wouldn't stop me, would you?
When a statement has DON'T, DOESN'T or DIDN'T in it,
you just remove the negative end part of apostrophe T to make it a positive question tag.
You don't speak French, do you?
She doesn't speak Italian, does she?
He didn't study for the test, did he?
Statements using negative words such as barely, hardly, neither, no, nobody, none, nothing and seldom,
these are treated as negative statements.
If those words appear in this statement, then the question tag will be positive.
For example
Nobody went to the meeting.
This statement contains the word NOBODY
so it is a negative statement that needs a positive question tag.
Nobody went to the meeting, did they?
Another example
Nothing is ready, is it?
The word NOTHING makes it negative so we need a positive question tag... IS IT?
Be careful with the following question tags.
I am early, aren't I?
We saw this before.
Let's go to the beach, shall we?
When a statement begins with LET'S, the question tag is SHALL WE?
There aren't any spiders in the bedroom, are there?
Notice how we use THERE ARE in the question tag.
This is Paul's pen, isn't it?
We don't say "ISN'T THIS?"
No, we say ISN'T IT?
Don't forget, will you?
With negative imperatives, we normally use WILL YOU as the question tag.
This was easy, wasn't it?
Give us more examples of question tags in the comments.
Have an awesome day!