question tags

question tags, isn't it, aren't you, don't you, didn't you, tag questions, right

A question tag is a short question at the end of a sentence, as in , ? It asks the other person to agree.

AI-generated

Structure

[positive sentence], + [negative auxiliary] + [pronoun]?

[negative sentence], + [positive auxiliary] + [pronoun]?

Description

A question tag turns a sentence into a question. You use it when you think you know the answer and want the other person to agree, or to start a conversation.

Positive and negative

A positive sentence takes a negative tag. A negative sentence takes a positive tag.

Which auxiliary

The tag uses the same auxiliary as the sentence (be, have, can, will…). If the sentence has none, use do, does or did. The pronoun matches the subject.

Two forms are special: I am takes aren't I, and Let's takes shall we.

Answering

Answer about the facts, not about the tag: yes if it is true, no if it is not.

Common mistakes

× You like coffee, isn't it? → You like coffee, don't you?
× She's a nurse, isn't it? → She's a nurse, isn't she?
× You aren't busy, aren't you? → You aren't busy, are you?
× He went home, doesn't he? → He went home, didn't he?

Examples

, ?

present simple or continuous

should