简体中文
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 | |
|---|---|
| Of course, but a pressure cooker is an extraordinary utensil, isn't it? | 当然，但是压力锅并不是普通的厨房用具，不是吗？ |
| How amazing it is, isn't it? | 好神奇呀，不是吗？ |
| Yes, I am, it's easy to spot an Australian accent, isn't it? | 是的。我是，澳大利亚口音很容易被认出，是吗？ |
| It's not for ships to approach, is it? | 它并不是为了船只停泊的，是吗? |
| I haven't seen her since the argument, have you? | 争论之后我还没见过她，你见到她了吗？ |
| You didn't print out that recipe in the year 2017, did you? | 你不是在2017年打印的食谱，对吗？ |
| I guess the front left burner is the biggest, isn't it? | 我想左下方的这个是最大的，不是吗？ |
| But I see what you mean, that's interesting, isn't it? | 但是我明白你的意思了，这很有有趣，不是吗？ |
| And bugs are not on the menu, are they? | 而且菜单上也没有虫子，有吗？ |
| Why is it? I hope you are not homophobic, are you? | 为什么？我希望你不恐同，你是吗？ |
| We don't need a spoon, do we? | 我们不需要勺子，是吧？ |
| But it seems you don't really want to, do you? | 但是似乎你不想那么做，不是吗？ |
| Excuse me! But you said if we pay 100 more each... didn't you? | 抱歉！但是你说如果我们每人多付100，不是吗？ |
| Oh, he is such a nice friend, isn't he? | 哦，他真是一位不错的朋友，不是吗？ |
| You are a weird man, aren't you? | 你真是一个怪人，不是吗？ |
| Because you didn't tell me you had an apron before, did you? | 因为你之前没有告诉我你有一件围裙，不是吗？ |
