Question tags – aren’t you? don’t you?

Exercises

Explanation

Question tags are very common in spoken English because they help make speech more interactive, friendly, and natural.

How to Form a Question Tag

A question tag consists of two parts:

1. A main statement (positive or negative)

2. A short question at the end

The short question usually contains:

• an auxiliary or modal verb (do, does, did, is, are, was, were, have, can, should, will, etc.)

• and a pronoun that matches the subject of the main clause.

Example:
You studied hard, didn’t you?
She isn’t coming, is she?

Rule 1: Positive Sentence → Negative Tag

If the main sentence is positive, the tag must be negative. This pattern shows that the speaker expects the listener to agree.

You’re learning English, aren’t you?
She can play the guitar, can’t she?
They have finished their project, haven’t they?
We should leave soon, shouldn’t we?
He’s coming tonight, isn’t he?

Rule 2: Negative Sentence → Positive Tag

If the main sentence is negative, the tag is positive. This shows the speaker expects agreement or simply wants to confirm something.

You don’t like spicy food, do you?
Sarah isn’t coming today, is she?
They won’t be late, will they?
We didn’t meet before, did we?
He can’t drive a car, can he?

Tip: Match the Verb in the Tag

The verb in the tag must match the auxiliary or modal verb in the main sentence. If there is no auxiliary verb in the statement, use do / does / did in the tag.

She was at home, wasn’t she?
They will call you, won’t they?
You don’t drink coffee, do you?
He can dance well, can’t he?
We met last week, didn’t we?

Use Pronouns in Tags

Always use pronouns, not nouns, in the question tag.

Your brother is kind, isn’t he?
Your brother is kind, isn’t your brother?

When Do We Use Question Tags?

We use question tags to make our communication sound more natural, friendly, or polite. They help to involve the listener and confirm shared understanding.

• To confirm information:
  You work in a hospital, don’t you?

• To make conversation friendly:
  It’s a lovely evening, isn’t it?

• To check or verify something:
  You haven’t met my cousin yet, have you?

Special Notes and Exceptions

Some expressions follow special rules:

• After Let’s, use shall we?
  → Let’s take a break, shall we?

• After I’m, use aren’t I? (not am I not?)
  → I’m late again, aren’t I?

• After nothing, nobody, no one, use a positive tag, because the main sentence already has a negative meaning:
  → Nobody called, did they?
  → Nothing happened, did it?

Summary Table

Final Tip

Using question tags helps your English sound more natural and polite, especially in conversation. They show interest, empathy, and confidence in communication. It’s quite easy to learn, isn’t it?