Question Tags— B1 Grammar Exercises

You make a statement and you want the listener to confirm it: It's a beautiful day, isn't it? That short tag at the end (isn't it?) is a question tag. English uses them constantly to check information, invite agreement, or soften a flat statement into a conversation.

The basic rule is mechanical: a positive statement takes a negative tag, and a negative statement takes a positive tag. The harder parts are choosing the right auxiliary verb when the main sentence doesn't have one, and handling a handful of irregular cases that don't follow the pattern.

The basic rule

The tag is built from an auxiliary verb plus a pronoun matching the subject. Negative tags are always contracted (isn't, don't, haven't), never written in full.

Statement	Tag
You are a teacher,	aren't you?
She isn't coming,	is she?
They have finished,	haven't they?
He won't mind,	will he?
We can't leave yet,	can we?

Which auxiliary do I use?

The tag uses the same auxiliary verb as the main statement.

• She is tired, isn't she?
• They have arrived, haven't they?
• You will help, won't you?
• He should apologise, shouldn't he?

If the statement has no auxiliary (that is, it uses the present simple or past simple with a main verb), you supply do, does, or did.

Statement (no auxiliary)	Tag
You like coffee,	don't you?
She works in Berlin,	doesn't she?
They arrived late,	didn't they?
He doesn't smoke,	does he?
We didn't book a table,	did we?

The verb be is its own auxiliary, even when no other helping verb is present.

• It is cold, isn't it? (not: doesn't it?)
• They were at the meeting, weren't they?

Special cases

I am → aren't I?

The expected tag for I am would be amn't I, but English doesn't use it. The standard tag is aren't I?

• I'm next, aren't I?
• I'm right about this, aren't I?
• I'm late, amn't I?

For the negative (I'm not), the tag is the regular am I?

• I'm not late, am I?

Let's → shall we?

Suggestions starting with let's take the tag shall we?

• Let's go to the cinema, shall we?
• Let's order a pizza, shall we?

Imperatives → will you / won't you?

Imperative sentences (commands and requests) take will you? or won't you? The choice changes the feel: won't you? is warmer and more inviting; will you? can sound polite or impatient depending on tone.

• Open the window, will you?
• Pass me the salt, will you?
• Have some cake, won't you? (friendly invitation)

Negative imperatives take will you?

• Don't tell anyone, will you?

There is / there are → isn't there / aren't there?

When the subject is there, the tag keeps there as the subject, not it or they.

• There's a problem, isn't there?
• There were lots of people, weren't there?
• There's a problem, isn't it?

Nobody, no one, nothing

Words like nobody, no one, and nothing are negative in meaning, so they take a positive tag. For people, the tag pronoun is they, not he or she.

• Nobody knows the answer, do they?
• No one called, did they?
• Nothing's happening, is it?

The same they rule applies to indefinite subjects like somebody and everyone:

• Somebody left their bag, didn't they?
• Everyone enjoyed the party, didn't they?

This / that → it; these / those → they

The pronoun in the tag changes form: this/that become it, and these/those become they.

• This is your bag, isn't it?
• Those are expensive, aren't they?

Intonation: the meaning depends on how you say it

This is where question tags do something most other questions don't. The same words can mean two completely different things depending on whether your voice rises or falls at the end.

Compare:

• It's a lovely day, isn't it? ↘ falling, small talk, expecting agreement
• You're coming tonight, aren't you? ↗ rising, checking, not sure

Same words, different meaning. The falling tone is closer to a comment; the rising tone is closer to a real question.

Why use question tags?

Three main reasons:

• To check information. You're not sure and you want confirmation.
  The meeting is at three, isn't it?
• To invite agreement. You're making small talk or expecting the other person to agree.
  That film was terrible, wasn't it?
• To soften a statement. A flat statement can sound abrupt; a tag turns it into a conversation.
  You forgot to lock the door, didn't you? (softer than just "You forgot to lock the door.")

Common mistakes

Wrong	Right	Why
She is tired, is she?	She is tired, isn't she?	Positive statement needs a negative tag.
You like pizza, aren't you?	You like pizza, don't you?	No auxiliary in the statement → use do/does/did in the tag.
I'm late, amn't I?	I'm late, aren't I?	The standard tag for I am is aren't I.
There's a problem, isn't it?	There's a problem, isn't there?	Keep there as the subject of the tag.
Let's go, will we?	Let's go, shall we?	Let's always takes shall we?
Nobody called, didn't they?	Nobody called, did they?	Nobody is negative in meaning → positive tag.
She doesn't smoke, doesn't she?	She doesn't smoke, does she?	Negative statement needs a positive tag.

Quick summary

Related topics

• Reported Speech: Questions: how to report a question someone asked.
• Modal Verbs: can, could, should: modal forms used as auxiliaries in question tags.
• Verb to be: review the forms of be, which acts as its own auxiliary in tags.