Tag questions are short questions added to the end of a statement, turning it into a question. According to the reference provided, a tag question is a small question that is attached, or "tagged", to the end of a sentence. They are a common feature of spoken English and are used to confirm information, seek agreement, or invite conversation.
How Tag Questions Work
Tag questions consist of an auxiliary verb (or a form of "be") and a pronoun that refers to the subject of the main clause. The polarity of the tag question (whether it's positive or negative) depends on the polarity of the main clause.
Basic Rules:
- Positive statement, negative tag: She is a doctor, isn't she?
- Negative statement, positive tag: They aren't coming, are they?
Examples:
| Statement | Tag Question |
|---|---|
| You are coming, | aren't you? |
| She isn't going, | is she? |
| He can swim, | can't he? |
| They won't be late, | will they? |
| You came by train, | didn't you? |
| We should leave, | shouldn't we? |
Uses of Tag Questions:
Tag questions serve several purposes in communication:
- Seeking Confirmation: When the speaker is relatively sure of the answer and wants confirmation. Example: "It's a beautiful day, isn't it?"
- Seeking Agreement: When the speaker wants the listener to agree with them. Example: "That movie was amazing, wasn't it?"
- Genuine Question: When the speaker is unsure of the answer and genuinely seeking information. The intonation of the tag question usually rises in this case. Example: "He said he was coming, didn't he?" (said with rising intonation).
- Invitations/Requests: Making a request sound less direct. Example: "Help me with this, will you?"
Special Cases
There are certain cases that have slightly different rules:
- "I am" statements: The tag uses "aren't I?" Example: I am right, aren't I?
- "Let's" statements: The tag uses "shall we?" Example: Let's go to the park, shall we?
- Imperative sentences: The tag is often "will you?" Example: Close the door, will you?
