Question tags (basic)

Rules

• Rule 1: positive ↔ negative

  A positive sentence gets a negative tag, and a negative sentence gets a positive tag. The tag always uses a pronoun (Ali → he, the dogs → they, this → it).

  Pattern: positive sentence, negative tag? · negative sentence, positive tag?

  Example: Ali is tall, isn't he?

  Example: Ali isn't tall, is he?

• Rule 2: be (am / is / are / was / were)

  If the sentence has be, the tag uses the same be. For I am the negative tag is special: aren't I.

  Pattern: is → isn't? · are → aren't? · was → wasn't? · were → weren't?

  Example: The kittens are cute, aren't they?

  Example: You were sick, weren't you?

• Rule 3: present simple → do / does

  If the sentence has a main verb (like, play, works), the tag uses do / does. For he / she / it we use doesn't / does.

  Pattern: I / you / we / they → don't? · he / she / it → doesn't?

  Example: You speak English, don't you?

  Example: Your cat sleeps a lot, doesn't it?

• Rule 4: past simple → did

  In the past simple (went, played, saw) the tag uses did: positive sentence → didn't, negative sentence → did.

  Pattern: positive → didn't …? · negative → did …?

  Example: You saw the fireworks, didn't you?

  Example: She didn't call, did she?

Common mistakes

• He isn't at home, isn't he? → He isn't at home, is he?

  Negative sentence → positive tag.

• Ali went home, didn't Ali? → Ali went home, didn't he?

  A tag uses a pronoun, not a name.

• I'm late, am not I? → I'm late, aren't I?

  For I am the negative tag is special: aren't I.