What a Question Tag Is
When you add a little question at the end of your statement, it is called a “question tag”. We use these question tags often for two main reasons:
To ask someone to confirm something that we think is true
To emphasize something, usually because it's surprising or impressive (in this case, it's a rhetorical question that the other person isn't supposed to answer)
An example of a question tag is when you say: “he’s going to join us” and then you add the question “isn’t he?” at the end of the statement:
He’s going to join us, isn’t he?
The problem is that you cannot always use the “be” verb for a question tag. In fact, your question tag will depend on what kind of statement you are making. If you change the statement to “He can join us” then your question tag will need to change to match the statement:
He can join us, can’t he?
The main point to understand is that your question tag will depend on how you structure your statement.
How to Create a Question Tag
The most common types of statements you will make are the following:
Only the “be” verb: “they are here”
Present simple: “she likes chocolate”
Present continuous: “they’re waiting for us”
Past simple: “you told him about it”
Present perfect: “he has seen that movie”
Modals: “it will happen tomorrow”
The best way to think of how to create your question tag is to think of how you would ask these statements above as questions:
Only the be verb: “are they here?”
Present simple: “does she like chocolate?”
Present continuous: “are they waiting for us?”
Past simple: “did you tell him about it?”
Present perfect: “has he seen the movie?
Modals: “will it happen tomorrow?”
Practice #1: Change the following statements into normal questions (see answers at the end of this lesson to find out if you're correct):
It’s really cheap. = Is it really cheap?
The game starts at 7pm. =
It’s getting colder outside. =
You got your hair cut. =
They have already left =
A trip to the beach would be fun =
Now to create a tag question, you move this question form, such as "is it getting colder outside" from the beginning of the question to the end of a statement: it is getting colder, isn't it? The main thing to remember about question tags is that if you ask a positive statement, your question tag needs to be in negative form:
Only the be verb: “they’re here, aren’t they?”
Present simple: “she likes chocolate, doesn’t she?”
Present continuous: “they’re waiting for us, aren’t they?”
Past simple: “you told him about it, didn’t you?”
Present perfect: “he has seen that movie, hasn’t he?”
Modals: “it will happen tomorrow, won’t it?”
Practice #2: Change the questions below, from Practice #1, into statements with tag questions (see answers at the end of this lesson to find out if you are correct):
Is it really cheap? = It’s really cheap, isn’t it?
Does the game start at 7pm?
Is it getting colder outside?
Did you get your hair cut?
Have they already left?
Would a trip to the beach be fun?
Asking Someone for Confirmation
When you want someone to confirm something is true (and you already think it’s true), you can use a question tag. When you say this question tag, it should be clear that it is a question by using an upward intonation in your voice. This is similar to how we say “right” at the end of a question to get the person’s feedback for confirmation:
He’s her son, right? = He’s her son, isn’t he?
They know each other, right? = They know each other, don’t they?
Your husband has done it before, right? = Your husband has done it before, hasn’t he?
Emphasizing Something that Impresses or Surprises You
When you want the other person to know that something is impressive or surprising to you, you can add a question tag, but in this case, your intonation on the question tag should go down so that it sounds more like a statement, not a question:
She can sing very well, can’t she? (but it sounds more like a statement: “can’t she.”)
The movie was scary, wasn’t it? (but it sounds like “wasn’t it.”)
Our plan worked well, didn’t it? (but it sounds like “didn’t it.”)
Making a Negative Statement
If you want to make your original statement negative, then the question tag needs to be positive – the question tag is always the opposite of the statement.
She can’t sing very well, can she?
The movie wasn’t scary, was it?
Our plan didn’t work, did it?
Practice #3: Add a positive question tag to the negative statements below (see answers at the end of this lesson to find out if you are correct):
They won’t be able to come…….
He doesn’t know about it….
It’s not expensive…
She hasn’t seen it before….
A Sample Dialogue:
Person A: Are you coming to the meeting today?
Person B: Yes, it’s at 2pm, isn’t it?
Person A: Right.
Person B: We don’t have to bring anything, do we?
Person A: Not that I know of. She didn’t send out an agenda, did she? I haven’t received anything.
Person B: Me neither. It’s not very well organized, is it?
Person A: No, it’s not. I still don’t even know what we’re going to discuss.
Person B: Well, it can’t be worse than the last one, can it? Two hours talking about nothing! Oh, wait, you weren’t there, were you? Lucky you!
Person A: Yes, I missed that one. John fell asleep, didn’t he?
Person B: Yeah, that’s right! I had to wake him up before the boss noticed.
Person A: That’s so funny. I remember him telling me that.
Practice #4: Create a statement with a question tag for 1 - 11 below. Use the noun or pronoun in the brackets as the subject for your sentence (see answers at the end of this lesson to find out if you are correct):
Your friend (you) has lost weight: “you’ve lost weight, haven’t you?”
A client (he) forgot about his appointment today: _______________________________
Your neighbor (she) moved out: _______________________________
The movie (it) has a shocking ending: _______________________________
The museum (it) is open tomorrow: _________________________________
Your partner’s parents (they) are visiting this weekend: ________________________________
The store (the store) sells children’s clothes: _________________________
The test (the test) was difficult: _______________________
The bus (the bus) will depart on time: ______________________
Your order (the order) hasn’t arrived yet: ______________________
The guests (the guests) didn’t like the food: _____________________
Answers
Practice #1:
Is it really cheap?
Does the game start at 7pm?
Is it getting colder outside?
Did you get your hair cut?
Have they already left?
Would a trip to the beach be fun?
Practice #2:
It's cheap, isn't it?
The game starts at 7pm, doesn't it?
It's getting colder outside isn't it?
You got your hair cut, didn't you?
They've already left, haven't they?
A trip to the beach would be fun, wouldn't it?
Practice #3:
They won’t be able to come, will they?
He doesn’t know about it, does he?
It’s not expensive, is it?
She hasn’t seen it before, has she?
Practice #4:
You've lost weight, haven't you?
He forgot about his appointment today, didn't he?
She moved out, didn't she?
It has a shocking ending, doesn't it?
It's open tomorrow, isn't it?
They're visiting this weekend, aren't they?
The store sells children's clothes, doesn't it?
The test was difficult, wasn't it?
The bus will depart on time, won't it?
The order hasn't arrived, has it?
The guests didn't like the food, did they?