What Are Question Tags?

Question tags are short questions added to the end of a statement. They are commonly used in spoken English to confirm information or to encourage a reply.

The Basic Rules

Question tags follow a simple "positive-negative" or "negative-positive" structure.

Rule	Example
Positive Statement → Negative Tag	She is a teacher, isn't she?
Negative Statement → Positive Tag	He isn't at home, is he?

How to Form Question Tags

1. With Auxiliary Verbs

If the main statement has an auxiliary verb (be, have, will, can, etc.), use the same verb in the tag.

Statement	Tag
You <strong>can</strong> swim...	...can't you?
She <strong>has</strong> eaten...	...hasn't she?
They <strong>were</strong> late...	...weren't they?

2. Without Auxiliary Verbs (Simple Present/Past)

If there is no auxiliary verb, use a form of "do" in the tag.

Statement	Tag
You <strong>play</strong> guitar...	...don't you?
He <strong>works</strong> hard...	...doesn't he?
She <strong>went</strong> to school...	...didn't she?

Special Cases

Case	Example
Imperative Sentences	Close the door, will you?
"Let's" Sentences	Let's go for a walk, shall we?
"I am" Statements	I am your friend, aren't I?
Negative Words (Nothing, Nobody)	Nothing is wrong, is it?

Common Mistake

Always use a pronoun (he, she, it, they) in the question tag, not a name.
Incorrect: The children are playing, aren't the children?
Correct: The children are playing, aren't they?