Question tags (advanced)

B1 Intermediate

Question tags are short questions added to the end of statements to confirm information or seek agreement. Advanced forms include tags for imperatives, indefinite pronouns, and irregular subjects like 'I am'.

Overview

Question tags typically follow the rule of opposite polarity: a positive statement takes a negative tag, and a negative statement takes a positive tag. Advanced usage involves specific rules for irregular verbs, commands, and sentences starting with negative adverbs like seldom or hardly.

Irregular and Advanced Forms

Statement + comma + auxiliary/modal + pronoun + ?

While most tags use the auxiliary verb from the main clause, certain structures require specific substitutions. For example, I am becomes aren't I, and Let's becomes shall we.

Special Subject and Verb Cases

Note that when using nothing as a subject, the tag uses the pronoun it. When using nobody or anybody, the tag uses they.

Statement Type	Tag Form	Example
I am...	aren't I?	I'm late, aren't I?
Imperatives (Requests)	will you / won't you?	Close the door, will you?
Let's...	shall we?	Let's go, shall we?
Indefinite pronouns (somebody, everyone)	they	Everyone is here, aren't they?
Negative adverbs (never, rarely)	positive tag	She never eats meat, does she?

Examples

Common mistakes

I am right, am not I?
I am right, aren't I?
'Am not I' is archaic; 'aren't I' is the standard tag for 'I am'.
He hardly ever works, doesn't he?
He hardly ever works, does he?
Words like 'hardly', 'seldom', and 'never' make the sentence negative, so the tag must be positive.

Practice

Complete the sentence: 'Let's take a break, _______?'
Show answer
shall we
Answer:shall we
Why:The standard tag for suggestions starting with 'Let's' is 'shall we'.
Complete the sentence: 'Somebody left their umbrella, _______?'
Show answer
didn't they
Answer:didn't they
Why:Indefinite pronouns like 'somebody' take the plural pronoun 'they' in the question tag.
Complete the sentence: 'You rarely go to the gym, _______?'
Show answer
do you
Answer:do you
Why:'Rarely' is a negative adverb, so the sentence requires a positive tag.