Preparation: Question Tags
We use question tags to make a statement into a question, especially when we expect someone to agree or disagree with that statement. Look at these examples to see how question tags are used:
- You don’t like him, do you?
- You are going on holiday next week, aren’t you?
- You started at the company 10 years ago, didn’t you?
We often use question tags when we are talking. They are not so often used in written English.
Here is how question tags are formed:
Simple present
Positive | Negative |
I have to do this, don’t I? | I don’t have to do this, do I? |
You speak Chinese, don’t you? | You don’t speak Chinese, do you? |
He (she / it) likes milk, doesn’t he (she / it)? | He (she / it) doesn’t like milk, does he (she / it)? |
We hate this, don’t we? | We don’t hate this, do we? |
They live in a big house, don’t they? | They don’t live in a big house, do they? |
Present continuous
Positive | Negative |
I’m having a bad day, aren’t I? | I’m not having a bad day, am I? |
You are wearing a new scarf, aren’t you? | You aren’t wearing a new scarf, are you? |
He (she / it) is working really well, isn’t he (she / it)? | He (she / it) isn’t working well, is he (she / it)? |
We are doing a good job, aren’t we? | We aren’t doing a good job, are we? |
They are working better now, aren’t they? | They aren’t working better now, are they? |
This form is also used for the “going to” future. For example:
- She is going to arrive on time, isn’t she?
Simple past
Positive | Negative |
I had a bad day, didn’t I? | I didn’t have a bad day, did I? |
You wore a new scarf, didn’t you? | You didn’t wear a new scarf, did you? |
He (she / it) worked really well, didn’t he (she / it)? | He (she / it) didn’t work well, did he (she / it)? |
We did a good job, didn’t we? | We didn’t do a good job, did we? |
They worked well last year, didn’t they? | They didn’t work well last year, did they? |
Present Perfect
Positive | Negative |
I have had a bad day, haven’t I? | I haven’t had a bad day, have I? |
You’ve drunk too much coffee, haven’t you? | You haven’t drunk too much coffee, have you? |
He (she / it) has worked really hard, hasn’t he (she / it)? | He (she / it) hasn’t worked very hard, has he (she / it)? |
We have done a good job, haven’t we? | We haven’t done a good job, have we? |
They have done better this year, haven’t they? | They haven’t worked any better, have they? |
The will future
Positive | Negative |
I will have to go, won’t I? | I won’t have to go, will I? |
You will have to leave, won’t you? | You won’t leave, will you? |
He (she / it) will improve, won’t he (she / it)? | He (she / it) won’t improve, will he (she / it)? |
We will have lunch, won’t we? | We won’t have lunch, will we? |
They will succeed, won’t they? | They won’t succeed, will they? |
Modal verbs
Positive | Negative |
I would be better, wouldn’t I? | I wouldn’t be better, would I? |
You might have to leave, mightn’t you? | You shouldn’t have to leave, should you? |
He (she / it) could improve, couldn’t he (she / it)? | He (she / it) couldn’t improve, could he (she / it)? |
We can have lunch, can’t we? | We can’t have lunch, can we? |
They must succeed, mustn’t they? | They mustn’t go in there, must they? |
Question tags to express surprise or interest
We also use question tags to express surprise or interest when making small talk. You can see from the first two examples below that we respond to a positive statement with a positive question tag and a negative statement with a negative question tag.
- Person A: I’m going on holiday next week.
- Person B: Are you!
- Person A: I met Kevin yesterday.
- Person B: Did you!
- Person A: I didn’t like the restaurant.
- Person B: Didn’t you!