Question Tags: Do You? Isn't It?
Form question tags with the correct auxiliary and pronoun, and use intonation to check information or invite agreement.
Learning Objective
Question Tags: Do You? Isn't It?
Build accurate positive and negative tags and understand how intonation affects their communicative purpose.
Clear Explanation
A statement normally takes a tag with opposite polarity. The tag repeats the statement's auxiliary or uses do, and its subject is usually a pronoun.
Form and Structure
positive statement, negative auxiliary + pronoun?; negative statement, positive auxiliary + pronoun?
“You work here, don't you?”
Special patterns include I'm late, aren't I? and imperatives such as Open the door, will you? These do not follow every part of the basic polarity rule.
Meaning and Use
Choose the auxiliary
Repeat be, have, or a modal; use do for a present- or past-simple lexical verb.
“He arrived, didn't he?”
Match the subject
Replace the statement subject with the appropriate pronoun in the tag.
“The lights are on, aren't they?”
Intonation and purpose
Rising intonation often checks uncertain information; falling intonation more often seeks agreement.
“You met her, didn't you?”
Common Errors and Meaning Traps
She is ready, doesn't she?
She is ready, isn't she?
Repeat the auxiliary be from the statement.
They did not call, didn't they?
They did not call, did they?
A negative statement normally takes a positive tag.
Ravi works here, doesn't Ravi?
Ravi works here, doesn't he?
Use a pronoun as the tag subject.
Guided Practice
Use the grammar in context
“She hasn't left, has she?”
“They can help, can't they?”
Add tags to six statements, then mark whether rising or falling intonation best fits each intended meaning.
Quick Recap
A statement normally takes a tag with opposite polarity. The tag repeats the statement's auxiliary or uses do, and its subject is usually a pronoun.
Repeat be, have, or a modal; use do for a present- or past-simple lexical verb.
Special patterns include I'm late, aren't I? and imperatives such as Open the door, will you? These do not follow every part of the basic polarity rule.
Repeat the auxiliary be from the statement.
Independent Mastery Check
Complete these four checks before taking the quiz. If one feels difficult, return to the matching section and try again.
Explain the core rule in your own words without looking back at the lesson.
Find the target form in “You work here, don't you?” and explain what it communicates in this context.
Explain why “She is ready, isn't she?” is the recommended revision for “She is ready, doesn't she?”.
Add tags to six statements, then mark whether rising or falling intonation best fits each intended meaning.
Continue at B1-B2 Level
Aim for at least 5 out of 6 in the quiz below. For every missed answer, read the explanation, return to the relevant section, and try the quiz again.
Which statement best explains Question Tags: Do You? Isn't It??
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