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In English, a tag question is a statement followed by a mini-question. The whole sentence is a "tag question", and the mini-question at the end is called a "question tag". We use question tags at the end of statements to check that something is true.
They mean something like: "Am I right?" or "Do you agree?"
They are very common in English.
Example tag questions :
Your name's Mary, isn't it?
They're getting married in July, aren't they?
You'd like to go to the theatre, wouldn't you?
Fred sat his exams last week, didn't he?
It's not going to rain this afternoon, is it?
You've been to London, haven't you?
She likes playing tennis, doesn't she?
Notice that in English we often use tag questions to ask for information or help, starting with a negative statement. This is quite a friendly/polite way of making a request.
Example questions :
Direct question : "Where is the police station?" (not very polite)
Indirect question : "Do you know where the police station is?" (slightly more polite)
Negative tag question : "You wouldn't know where the police station is, would you?" (very polite)
In English we can change the meaning of a tag question with the sound of our voice. With rising intonation, it sounds like a real question. But if our intonation falls, it sounds more like a statement that doesn't require a real answer.
How do we answer a tag question? Often, we just say Yes or No. Sometimes we may repeat the tag and reverse it (..., do they? Yes, they do).
Notes for use of question tags :
Be very careful about answering tag questions. In some languages, an opposite system of answering is used, and non-native English speakers sometimes answer in the wrong way. This can lead to a lot of confusion! In some languages, people answer a question like "It's not raining, is it?" with "Yes" (meaning "Yes, I agree with you"). This is the wrong answer in English! In English we would reply to that question with "No" or "No, it isn't" to agree that it isn't raining.
| Question tag example sentences | |
|---|---|
| Why is it? I hope you are not homophobic, are you? | ¿Por qué? Espero que no seas homofóbico, ¿o sí lo eres? |
| But I see what you mean, that's interesting, isn't it? | Pero ya veo a qué te refieres, es interesante, ¿no? |
| You didn't print out that recipe in the year 2017, did you? | ¿No has impreso la receta en el año 2017, verdad? |
| Of course, but a pressure cooker is an extraordinary utensil, isn't it? | Claro, pero una olla a presión es un utensilio extraordinario, ¿no? |
| How amazing it is, isn't it? | Es increíble, ¿verdad? |
| It's not for ships to approach, is it? | No es para que se acerquen los barcos, ¿no? |
| But it seems you don't really want to, do you? | Pero parece que en realidad no quieres hacerlo, ¿o sí? |
| We don't need a spoon, do we? | No necesitamos una cuchara, ¿no? |
| I haven't seen her since the argument, have you? | No la he visto desde la discusión, ¿tú sí? |
| Excuse me! But you said if we pay 100 more each... didn't you? | ¡Disculpa! Pero dijiste si pagamos 100 más cada uno... ¿o no? |
| Oh, he is such a nice friend, isn't he? | Oh, es un buen amigo, ¿no? |
| Yes, I am, it's easy to spot an Australian accent, isn't it? | Sí, lo soy, es fácil reconocer el acento australiano, ¿verdad? |
| And bugs are not on the menu, are they? | Y los insectos no están en el menú, ¿o sí? |
| You are a weird man, aren't you? | Eres un hombre muy raro, ¿verdad? |
| Because you didn't tell me you had an apron before, did you? | Porque no me dijiste que tenías un delantal antes, ¿no? |
| I guess the front left burner is the biggest, isn't it? | Supongo que el de abajo a la izquierda es el más grande, ¿no? |
