A: Hey boss, can I go home for the day?
B: But you haven't done your job yet, have you?
A: No.
B: Then the answer is no. Finish your job and then you can go.
A: Okay.
Question tags are mini questions we add to the end of a sentence. There are negative and positive question tags:
You're from Japan, aren't you?
You didn't understand, did you?
In question tags, we repeat the auxiliary verb, but change it from positive to negative or vice-versa:
- You've seen that movie, haven't you?
- Jane can't speak French, can she?
- We fixed that Mustang last year, didn't we?
- Peter and Sue'll get here soon, won't they?
- You like peppers, don't you?
For "I am...," there is a special usage of the question tag, "...aren't I:"
- I am working tomorrow, aren't I?
- I am sitting here, aren't I?
But for "I'm not...." the question tag is "...am I:"
- I'm not a bad person, am I?
- I'm not allowed to take pictures, am I?
If the main verb of the sentence is be, there is no auxiliary verb. Simply change be from positive to negative or vice-versa:
He's from Brazil, isn't he?
I'm wrong, aren't I?
The game's finished, isn't it?
If the sentence is in the Present Simple or Past Simple tenses, there are no auxiliary verbs in the part of the sentence before the question tag. In these sentences, we need to use do, does, or did in the question tags:
Greg loves cars, doesn't he?
You came to school early this morning, didn't you?
He wanted to try Korean food, didn't he?
I look good in this dress, don't I?
Note the meaning of yes and no when replying to a negative sentence:
She isn't here already, is she?
- Yes. (She is already here.)
- No. (She isn't here.)
You haven't been to Africa, have you?
- Yes. (I have been to Africa.)
- No. (I haven't been to Africa.)
Michael can't swim very well, can he?
- Yes. (He can swim well.)
- No. (He can't swim very well.)
Usage
The meaning of a question tag depends on the intonation used when saying it:
Rising Intonation
If you use a rising intonation in the question tag, the meaning is you are not sure and are checking with the listener.
- You haven't eaten breakfast yet, have you?
- He's from China, isn't he?
- She likes sushi, doesn't she?
Falling Intonation
If you use a falling intonation, the speaker is not checking at all. This meaning is "talk to me," or "agree with me." This is a very popular way of making conversation.
- The weather is terrible today, isn't it?
- The children aren't sleeping, are they?
- You have something to say, don't you?
Exercise
Open the exercise to begin the activity. Follow the instructions in the document.