Tag Questions in English: Rules, Examples, and Answers

Tag questions, also called question tags, are short questions added to statements. We use them to check information, invite agreement, or react to something someone has said.

For example:

• You’re coming tomorrow, aren’t you?
• She doesn’t drive, does she?
• They’ve already left, haven’t they?

The words in the tag matter, but so does the way the question is spoken. The same tag can sound confident or uncertain depending on the speaker’s tone.

What Are Tag Questions?

A tag question has two parts: a statement followed by a short question.

Your sister lives in Bristol, doesn’t she?

Your sister lives in Bristol is the statement. Doesn’t she? is the tag.

The speaker believes the information may be correct and wants confirmation.

Compare:

Is the restaurant closed today?

The restaurant is closed today, isn’t it?

The first simply asks whether the restaurant is closed. The second suggests that the speaker already thinks it is closed and wants someone to confirm that.

How to Form Tag Questions

Most ordinary tag questions follow two patterns:

• Positive statement + negative tag
• Negative statement + positive tag

The tag normally uses an auxiliary or modal verb and a pronoun that matches the subject.

Choosing the Correct Auxiliary Verb

If the statement already contains an auxiliary or modal verb, use that verb in the tag.

The children are sleeping, aren’t they?

Marcus has finished the report, hasn’t he?

When the statement uses the simple present or simple past without an auxiliary, use do, does, or did.

Nina enjoys gardening, doesn’t she?

Your neighbours moved last week, didn’t they?

Sometimes a contraction makes the choice less obvious.

She’s ready, isn’t she?

She’s finished the report, hasn’t she?

In the first sentence, she’s means she is. In the second, it means she has.

The verb have needs a closer look.

With possessive have, British English also allows forms such as She has a spare key, hasn’t she? The doesn’t she? form is widely used and works in both British and American English.

With have, check whether it’s the main verb, part of have got, or an auxiliary in a perfect tense. The usual tag can differ between these patterns.

Choosing the Correct Pronoun

The tag uses a pronoun that refers back to the subject.

Your parents are visiting, aren’t they?

Daniel can cook, can’t he?

The printer isn’t working, is it?

Some subjects don’t match their tag pronouns as you might expect.

Words such as everybody, everyone, and somebody commonly take they in the tag.

Everyone has received the message, haven’t they?

Somebody left their coat here, didn’t they?

With nothing, we normally use it:

Nothing has changed, has it?

And with there is or there are, the tag uses there:

There’s enough space, isn’t there?

There aren’t any seats left, are there?

A Practical Way to Choose the Tag

For the usual positive-negative and negative-positive patterns, check three things:

1. Is the statement positive or negative? A positive statement normally takes a negative tag, and a negative statement takes a positive tag.
2. Which auxiliary or tense does it use? Repeat the auxiliary or modal. If there isn’t one, use the appropriate form of do.
3. Which pronoun matches the subject? Use that pronoun in the tag.

For example:

Your brother called yesterday, _______?

The statement is positive, called is in the simple past, and your brother becomes he.

So the correct tag is:

Your brother called yesterday, didn’t he?

This method covers the standard opposite-polarity tags. Suggestions, commands, and some conversational tags follow different patterns.

Tag Questions with Negative Words

A statement can have negative meaning even without not or n’t.

Words such as never, nobody, nothing, hardly, and rarely usually make the statement negative for tag-question formation.

She never eats breakfast, does she?

Nobody answered the door, did they?

He hardly speaks during meetings, does he?

Compare:

She often arrives early, doesn’t she?

She rarely arrives early, does she?

Often leaves the statement positive, while rarely gives it negative meaning.

Another example combines negative meaning with auxiliary and pronoun choice:

Nobody has replied, have they?

The statement has negative meaning because of nobody. The tag uses have from the present perfect construction and they to refer to the people involved.

Special Tag Question Forms

Some common constructions use tags that don’t follow the usual positive-negative pattern.

I’m … Aren’t I?

With a positive statement beginning I’m, the usual tag is aren’t I?

I’m on the guest list, aren’t I?

I’m supposed to bring the tickets, aren’t I?

Amn’t I? occurs in some regional varieties, but aren’t I? is the usual form in standard English.

For a negative statement, we can use am I?

I’m not interrupting, am I?

Let’s … Shall We?

Suggestions beginning with let’s commonly use shall we?

Let’s take a break, shall we?

Let’s check the address before we leave, shall we?

Here, the speaker is inviting agreement with a suggestion rather than checking whether a statement is true.

Imperatives with Tags

Commands, requests, and invitations can take tags too.

Close the window, will you?

Come in and sit down, won’t you?

Don’t forget your umbrella, will you?

The tag doesn’t simply reverse the statement’s positive or negative form.

Tone matters here. Close the window, will you? may be an ordinary request or sound impatient. Come in and sit down, won’t you? can sound welcoming.

Adding a tag doesn’t automatically make a request polite.

How Tag Questions Change Meaning in Conversation

The same tag question can sound quite different depending on what the speaker already believes.

A speaker might expect agreement or be genuinely unsure. In speech, intonation helps the listener recognize the difference.

Rising and Falling Intonation

Consider the sentence:

You’re coming tomorrow, aren’t you?

Falling intonation: expecting confirmation

Maya and Ravi agreed yesterday that Ravi would attend a family dinner. Maya is confirming their plan.

Maya: You’re coming tomorrow, aren’t you? ↓

Ravi: Yes, I’ll be there by seven.

Maya expects Ravi to confirm something she already believes.

Rising intonation: checking uncertain information

Maya heard that Ravi might be coming, but she isn’t sure.

Maya: You’re coming tomorrow, aren’t you? ↑

Ravi: I’m not sure yet. I’ll know this evening.

This time, Maya is genuinely checking.

The arrows show whether the speaker’s voice generally falls or rises on the tag. Falling intonation often suggests an expectation of agreement, while rising intonation usually indicates greater uncertainty.

These aren’t absolute rules. Context, emphasis, and the speaker’s attitude also affect the meaning.

When Both the Statement and Tag Are Positive

Most ordinary tag questions use opposite forms:

It’s getting late, isn’t it?

But some conversational tags use positive forms in both parts:

Oh, you’ve bought a bicycle, have you?

So, you’re moving to London, are you?

These are often reactions to information rather than ordinary requests for confirmation.

For example:

A: I bought a bicycle yesterday.

B: Oh, you’ve bought a bicycle, have you?

Depending on B’s tone, the response might express interest, surprise, or even scepticism.

It’s useful to recognize this pattern when listening to English conversations. For ordinary confirmation questions, the usual positive-negative and negative-positive patterns remain the best starting point.

How to Answer Tag Questions

Answer a tag question according to what is actually true, even when the statement is negative.

Consider:

You’ve seen this film before, haven’t you?

If you’ve seen it:

Yes, I have.

If you haven’t:

No, I haven’t.

Now compare:

You haven’t paid the fee, have you?

If you have paid:

Yes, I have. I paid it yesterday.

If you haven’t paid:

No, I haven’t. I’ll pay it tomorrow.

Even with a negative statement, answer according to what is true. Yes, I have confirms that the payment happened. No, I haven’t confirms that it didn’t.

When an answer could be misunderstood, add a little information.

You don’t live near the station, do you?

Yes, I do. It’s only a five-minute walk.

For more about matching auxiliaries in positive and negative short answers, see Yes/No Questions in English.

Practice: Tag Questions and Answers

These exercises test how to form tags, recognize errors, and understand what speakers mean.

Exercise 1: Complete the Tag Questions

Fill in each blank with the correct tag.

1. Your sister works at the hospital, _______?
2. They haven’t left yet, _______?
3. Oliver can drive, _______?
4. The children were excited, _______?
5. Everybody knows the answer, _______?
6. I’m next in line, _______?
7. Let’s order something to eat, _______?
8. Nobody noticed the mistake, _______?
9. She’s got a spare key, _______?
10. The train arrived late, _______?

Exercise 2: Find and Correct the Error

Each sentence contains one incorrect tag. Rewrite it correctly.

1. She doesn’t like coffee, doesn’t she?
2. Your friends are coming, isn’t it?
3. He never checks his messages, doesn’t he?
4. I’m on the right platform, isn’t I?
5. They visited the museum yesterday, don’t they?
6. Nothing happened, didn’t they?
7. Let’s meet at the café, will we?
8. She’s already eaten, isn’t she?

Exercise 3: Meaning and Responses

Read each situation and choose the best answer.

1. Your friend asks, You haven’t booked the tickets, have you? You booked them this morning.

A. No, I haven’t.
B. Yes, I have. I booked them this morning.
C. Yes, I haven’t.

2. Someone says, You live near the university, don’t you? You live on the other side of town.

A. Yes, I do.
B. No, I don’t. I live across town.
C. No, I do.

3. A colleague asks, The meeting starts at two, doesn’t it? You know it starts at three.

A. Yes, it does.
B. No, it doesn’t. It starts at three.
C. No, it does.

4. A speaker says, You’re joining us tomorrow, aren’t you? with clearly rising intonation.

What does the intonation most likely suggest?

A. The speaker is certain and expects no reply.
B. The speaker is checking because they aren’t completely sure.
C. The speaker is giving a command.

5. Someone hears that a friend has bought a bicycle and responds, Oh, you’ve bought a bicycle, have you?

What is the best explanation?

A. The sentence is incorrect because both parts are positive.
B. It’s a same-polarity tag that may express interest or surprise.
C. It’s a negative tag question.

6. A colleague says, Nobody has replied, have they?

Why is the tag have they?

A. Nobody has negative meaning, and the tag uses the present perfect auxiliary with they.
B. Every sentence with has must end in have they.
C. The statement is positive, so the tag must be negative.

Answers and Explanations

Exercise 1

1. doesn’t she? Positive simple-present statement; use doesn’t.
2. have they? Negative present-perfect statement; use have.
3. can’t he? The modal can becomes can’t.
4. weren’t they? The statement uses were.
5. don’t they? Everybody commonly takes they, with simple-present do-support.
6. aren’t I? The usual tag after positive I’m.
7. shall we? The common tag after let’s.
8. did they? Nobody gives the statement negative meaning, and noticed is simple past.
9. hasn’t she? Has is part of the has got construction.
10. didn’t it? Positive simple-past statement; use didn’t.

Exercise 2

1. She doesn’t like coffee, does she? A negative statement takes a positive tag.
2. Your friends are coming, aren’t they? The tag pronoun must refer to your friends.
3. He never checks his messages, does he? Never gives the statement negative meaning.
4. I’m on the right platform, aren’t I? Aren’t I? is the usual standard-English form.
5. They visited the museum yesterday, didn’t they? Use did for simple past.
6. Nothing happened, did it? Nothing is negative in meaning and takes it.
7. Let’s meet at the café, shall we? The usual tag after let’s is shall we?
8. She’s already eaten, hasn’t she? Here, she’s means she has.

Exercise 3

1. B. Yes, I have. I booked them this morning. The tickets have been booked.
2. B. No, I don’t. I live across town. The statement about where you live is incorrect.
3. B. No, it doesn’t. It starts at three. The meeting doesn’t start at two.
4. B. The speaker is checking because they aren’t completely sure. Rising intonation commonly signals uncertainty or a genuine request for confirmation.
5. B. It’s a same-polarity tag that may express interest or surprise. Positive-positive tags can be used to react to new information.
6. A. Nobody has negative meaning, and the tag uses the present perfect auxiliary with they. The negative meaning calls for a positive tag, and they refers back to nobody.

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