Question tags

Asking questions

1. Question tags

Question tags are short phrases added to the end of a statement to make it a question. They are used to check that someone agrees with, to get information, an answer, confirm an opinion or thought...
IMG UNIT 25-01
Pierce Brosnan is Irish, isn't he?
IMG UNIT 25-02
This shirt doesn't fit me, does it?

2. Characteristics and uses of questions tags

  • Question tags are formed taking into account the verb tense of the statement of reference.
  • When the statement of reference is affirmative, the question tag is negative; when the statement of reference is negative, the question tag is affirmative.
  • They are placed at the end of the sentence, preceded by a comma and followed by a question mark.
  • Question tags are formed by an auxiliary or modal verb, followed by a personal subject pronoun, according to the verb tense and the subject of the statement of reference.

Below, we detail different verb tenses with their corresponding question tags.

Verb tense Positive sentence Negative sentence
To be present Summer is the best season, isn't it? We aren't late, are we?
Present simple He loves skiing, doesn't he? I don't need this, do I?
Present continuous They are still sleeping, aren't they? She is not being serious, is she?
To be past Mary was worried, wasn't she? They weren't at home, were they?
Past simple You cut yourself, didn't you? He didn't get hurt, did he?
Past continuous Your parents were painting, weren't they? It wasn't raining this morning, was it?
Present perfect You have locked the door, haven't you? He hasn't written this essay, has he?
Past perfect You had already been here, hadn't you? We hadn't eaten snails before, had we?
Future will I'll do well, won't I? They won't get angry, will they?
Future Going to You are going to buy a flat, aren't you? She is not going to come, is she?
Modals I should give up smoking, shouldn't I? She couldn't send the parcel, could she?

When the statement of reference is in present simple or past simple affirmative, no auxiliary verb is used. However, we must remember that in the question tag we will use don't/doesn't in the present and didn't in the past.

3. Special cases

We must take into account some special cases:

  • With affirmative imperatives, we have different options to make the question tag. When the imperative is negative, the option is always will you.
    Sentence Question tag Uso
    Close the door, won't you? Polite
    would you? Very polite
    could you? Neutral
    will you? Neutral
    can you? Informal
    IMG UNIT 25-03
    Help me with the bags, would you?
    IMG UNIT 25-04
    Don't interrupt, will you?
  • When the imperative is with the particle let's, the question tag is shall we?
    IMG UNIT 25-05
    Let's dance, shall we?
    IMG UNIT 25-06
    Let's go for a ride, shall we?
  • When we have an affirmative sentence in the present tense with the verb to be and the personal pronoun I, although formally the question tag would be am I not?, the most commonly used is aren't I?
    IMG UNIT 25-07
    I'm quite stubborn, aren't I?
    IMG UNIT 25-08
    I'm holding the map upside down, aren't I?
  • When we use the semi modal verb have to, the question tag depends on the verb tense used in the statement of reference.
    IMG UNIT 25-09
    They had to cancel the match, didn't they?
    IMG UNIT 25-10
    We don't have to wear costumes, do we?

4. Comments

COMMENTS Examples
In sentences with a positive verb but with a word with a negative meaning (never, nothing, nobody...), the question tag will be positive. She never agrees on anything, does she?
If the subject of the sentence is this or that, the pronoun of the question tag will be it. If the subject is these or those, the pronoun will be they. That's you sister, isn't it?
When the subject is someone, anyone..., the personal pronoun of the question tag will be they. If it's something, anything..., the pronoun will be it. Someone will fix that, won't they?
In sentences with there + to be, the question tag will not take any personal pronoun, but will take the particle there. There aren't any pears, are there?

Remember!

Question tags are short questions that are placed at the end of a sentence to get information, an answer, confirm an opinion or thought...
Verb tense Positive sentence Negative sentence
TO BE PRESENT Aren't / isn't + pronoun Am / are / is + pronoun
You are a doctor. She is a doctor, isn't she? They aren't doctors, are they?
PRESENT SIMPLE Don't / doesn't + pronoun Do / does + pronoun
He does judo. He does judo, doesn't he? He doesn't do judo, does he?
PRESENT CONTINUOUS Aren't / isn't + pronoun Am / are / is + pronoun
She is living in New York. She is living in New York, isn't she? She isn't living New York, is she?
TO BE PAST Wasn't / weren't + pronoun Was / were + pronoun
It was his birthday yesterday. It was his birthday yesterday, wasn't it? It wasn't his birthday yesterday, was it?
PAST SIMPLE Didn't + pronoun Did + pronoun
They bought a new car last week. They bought a new car last week, didn't they? They didn't buy a new car last week, did they?
PAST CONTINUOUS Wasn't / weren't + pronoun Was / were + pronoun
He was waiting at the bus stop. He was waiting at the bus stop, wasn't he? He wasn't waiting at the bus stop, was he?
PRESENT PERFECT Haven't / hasn't + pronoun Have / has + pronoun
They have lived here for seven years. They have lived here for seven years, haven't they? They haven't lived here for seven years, have they?
PAST PERFECT Hadn't + pronoun Had + pronoun
She had given him the gift. She had given him the gift, hadn't she? She hadn't given him the gift, had she?
FUTURE WILL Won't + pronoun Will + pronoun
He will be here tomorrow. He will be here tomorrow, won't he? He won't be here tomorrow, will he?
FUTURE GOING TO Aren't / isn't + pronoun Am / are / is + pronoun
We are going to have a party. We are going to have a party, aren't we? We aren't going to have a party, are we?
MODALS Modal negative + pronoun Modal positive + pronoun

I can read this letter.

I should answer the letter

I can read this letter, can't I?
I should answer the letter, shouldn't I?
I can't read this letter, can I?
I shouldn't answer the letter, should I?