Intermediate · B1–B2
Tag Questions
Tag questions are short questions added to the end of a statement. They are used to check information, seek agreement, or keep conversation going.
How tag questions work
A tag question consists of an auxiliary verb + pronoun added to the end of a statement. The key rule: if the statement is positive, the tag is negative — and vice versa.
| Statement | Tag | Full example |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | Negative | She is coming, isn't she? |
| Negative | Positive | He isn't here, is he? |
Forming tag questions
The tag uses the same auxiliary as the main sentence. If there is no auxiliary, use do/does/did.
| Main clause | Tag |
|---|---|
| She is a teacher, | isn't she? |
| They have finished, | haven't they? |
| He can swim, | can't he? |
| You work here, | don't you? |
| She likes coffee, | doesn't she? |
| They went home, | didn't they? |
| It will be cold, | won't it? |
Special cases
- I am late, → aren't I? (not amn't I)
- Let's go, → shall we?
- Don't do that, → will you?
- Negative words (never, nobody, nothing) make the statement negative → tag is positive: She never complains, does she?
In conversation
It's a lovely day, isn't it?
You haven't met her, have you?
We need to leave soon, don't we?
Intonation matters: Falling intonation on the tag = you expect agreement. Rising intonation = you are genuinely asking.