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Question tags QUESTION TAGS USING AUXILIARY VERBS

For most verbs other
than “be,” a present PRESENT SIMPLE QUESTION TAG
In spoken English, small questions are often added to the ends See also: simple statement
of sentences. These are called question tags, and they are most Present simple 1 Past simple 7 is followed by a
often used to invite someone to agree. Types of verbs 49 Modal verbs 56 question tag with
“do” or “does.”

QUESTION TAGS USING “BE”
PAST SIMPLE QUESTION TAG
The simplest question tags STATEMENT QUESTION TAG
use the verb “be” with A past simple statement
a pronoun matching the is followed by a question
subject of the sentence. tag with “did.”

AUXILIARY MAIN
VERB VERB QUESTION TAG
A statement with
FURTHER EXAMPLES For statements with “I,” “aren’t I?” is used an auxiliary verb
in the negative question tag, not “amn’t I?”
is followed by a
question tag with the
same auxiliary verb.
Auxiliary verb Main verb Question tag
describes the action. uses the same
auxiliary verb.

Statements with modal
verbs such as “could,” MODAL VERB QUESTION TAG
TIP “would,” and “should”
Question tags are followed by
HOW TO FORM are mostly used question tags that use
in informal
A positive statement is followed by a negative question tag, situations. the same modal verb.
and a negative statement is followed by a positive question tag.

POSITIVE STATEMENT NEGATIVE QUESTION TAG
INTONATION WITH QUESTION TAGS
If the intonation goes up
at the end of the question
tag, it is a question
Verb is positive. Question tag uses negative form of verb.
requiring an answer.
NEGATIVE STATEMENT POSITIVE QUESTION TAG

If the intonation goes down
at the end of a question tag,
the speaker is just inviting
Verb is negative. Question tag uses positive form of verb. the listener to agree.

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