[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"grammar-page-en-complex-question-tags":3,"grammar-exercises-by-page-019b849e-e672-746c-8234-cff9809464cb":24},{"id":4,"title":5,"slug":6,"content":7,"language":8,"level":9,"displayOrder":10,"grammarTopics":11,"createdAt":18,"updatedAt":19,"generatorCategories":20,"readyImages":22,"ogImageUrl":23},"019b849e-e672-746c-8234-cff9809464cb","Complex Question Tags","complex-question-tags","Speakers often turn **statements** into **short questions at the end**. These are called **question tags**. They are used to:\n\n* **check** information\n* **confirm** what we believe is true\n* invite **agreement**\n* keep **conversations** polite and natural\n\nYou may already recognize simple examples like:\n**→** “You’re tired, aren’t you?”\n\nIn this lesson, you will learn how question tags work **more deeply**.\n\n## 1\\. What is a question tag?\n\nA question tag is a **short question added to the end of a statement**.\n\n**Statement + question tag**\n\nThe speaker usually:\n\n* thinks the statement is true\n* wants confirmation or agreement\n\nExample:\n\n* “She lives nearby, doesn’t she?”\n\nThe statement gives **information**.\nThe **tag** asks the listener to **confirm it**.\n\n## 2\\. The basic rule\n\nQuestion tags follow one key rule:\n\n**Positive statement → negative tag**\n\n**Negative statement → positive tag**\n\nThe tag also repeats the subject as a pronoun (you\u002Fhe\u002Fshe\u002Fit\u002Fwe\u002Fthey).\n\nA statement is negative if it contains **not\u002Fn’t** or another negative word (e.g., **never, nobody, nothing**).\n\nThe verb in the tag:\n\n* matches the **auxiliary verb** in the statement\n* uses the **same tense**\n\nThis rule still applies across different **tenses**.\n\n**Present Simple**\n\nUse **do \u002F does** in the tag.\n\nExamples:\n\n* “You like coffee, don’t you?”\n* “She works here, doesn’t she?”\n\n**Past Simple**\n\nUse **did** in the tag.\n\nExamples:\n\n* “You finished the report, didn’t you?”\n* “They arrived late, didn’t they?”\n\n**Present Continuous**\n\nUse **am \u002F is \u002F are** in the tag.\n\nExamples:\n\n* “You’re coming with us, aren’t you?”\n* “She’s working late, isn’t she?”\n\n**Past Simple with *be***\n\nUse **was \u002F were** in the tag.\n\nExamples:\n\n* “They were late again, weren’t they?”\n* “He was upset yesterday, wasn’t he?”\n\n**Present Perfect**\n\nUse **have \u002F has** in the tag.\n\nExamples:\n\n* “He hasn’t finished yet, has he?”\n* “They’ve already left, haven’t they?”\n\n## 3\\. Question tags with different verb types\n\nFirst, find the auxiliary in the statement. If there is none, use **do\u002Fdoes\u002Fdid**. Then match the tense.\n\n### a) With auxiliary verbs (be, have, will, can, etc.)\n\nUse the same auxiliary in the tag.\n\nExamples:\n\n* “She is working late, isn’t she?”\n* “They have finished already, haven’t they?”\n* “You can drive, can’t you?”\n* “He won’t be late, will he?”\n\n### b) With main verbs (present or past simple)\n\nIf there is **no auxiliary** in the statement, use **do \u002F does \u002F did** in the tag.\n\nExamples:\n\n* “You like coffee, don’t you?”\n* “She works here, doesn’t she?”\n* “They arrived early, didn’t they?”\n\n## 4\\. Question tags with negative meaning words\n\nIf the statement contains a negative-meaning word (never, hardly, rarely, no one, nobody, nothing), treat it as negative and use a positive tag.\n\nExamples:\n\n* “You’ve never been to Japan, have you?”\n* “She hardly speaks in class, does she?”\n\nEven though the sentence has no “not”, the meaning is negative.\n\n## 5\\. Question tags with “everyone”\\, “someone”\\, “nobody”\n\nWhen the subject is:\n\n* everyone\n* someone\n* no one\n* nobody\n\nThe **tag uses “they”**, not he or she.\n\nExamples:\n\n* “Everyone understands the task, don’t they?”\n* “Someone left their bag here, didn’t they?”\n* “Nobody was hurt, were they?”\n\n## 6\\. Question tags with imperatives \\(commands and requests\\)\n\nWhen a sentence gives a command or request, question tags are used to sound **polite or friendly**.\n\n### a) Positive imperatives\n\nUse:\n\n* *will you?*\n* *won’t you?*\n* *can you?*\n* *could you?*\n\nCommon polite tags after positive imperatives:\n\n* will you? (neutral)\n* could you? (more polite)\n* can you? (informal)\n* won’t you? (less common; can sound insistent)\n\nExamples:\n\n* “Close the door, will you?”\n* “Help me for a moment, can you?”\n\n### b) Negative imperatives\n\nUse:\n\n* *will you?*\n\nExamples:\n\n* “Don’t forget your keys, will you?”\n* “Don’t be late, will you?”\n\nThese tags soften the command.\n\n## 7\\. Question tags with “I think \u002F I believe \u002F I suppose”\n\nWhen 'I think \u002F I suppose \u002F I guess' is just an opinion phrase, the tag usually matches the main information after it.\n\n* I think she’s right, isn’t she?\n\nA common special case:\n\n* I don’t think he’s coming, is he? (Tag refers to 'he’s coming'.)\n\n## 8\\. Common mistakes to avoid\n\n* Using the wrong auxiliary\n    x “She went home, didn’t she went?”\n    ✓ “She went home, didn’t she?”\n* Forgetting negative meaning words\n    x “He never calls, doesn’t he?”\n    ✓ “He never calls, does he?”\n* Using *he\u002Fshe* instead of *they*\n    x “Everyone is ready, isn’t everyone?”\n    ✓ “Everyone is ready, aren’t they?”\n\n## 9\\. Intonation\n\nQuestion tags are not just grammar — they are **spoken discourse tools**.\n\nUse rising intonation when you are not sure and you really want an answer. Use falling intonation when you think the statement is true and you expect agreement.\n\n**Falling intonation** → speaker expects agreement\n\n* “It’s cold today, isn’t it?”\n\n    (I think it’s true.)\n\n**Rising intonation** → speaker is unsure and really asks\n\n* “You met her before, didn’t you?”\n\n    (I’m not sure.)\n\n## 10\\. Key points to remember\n\n* Question tags check information or invite agreement\n* The tag uses the **same auxiliary** and **opposite polarity**\n* Sentences with negative meaning words take **positive tags**\n* “Everyone \u002F someone \u002F nobody” → use **they**\n* Imperatives use tags to sound polite","en","B1",63,[12],{"id":13,"name":5,"level":9,"language":8,"isCompleted":14,"completionPercentage":15,"totalExercises":16,"completedExercises":15,"vocabularyLists":17},"019aef22-b5a0-7c98-81a7-d44354b5e949",false,0,2,[],"2026-01-03T16:09:24+00:00","2026-07-14T17:37:46+00:00",[21],"grammar_exercise_questions_question_forms",[],"\u002Fuploads\u002Fimages\u002Fog_019b849e-e672-746c-8234-cff9809464cb.jpg?v=1784050666",[25,32],{"@id":26,"@type":27,"id":28,"grammarPage":29,"title":30,"instructions":31,"displayOrder":15,"isCompleted":14},"\u002Fapi\u002Fgrammar_exercises\u002F019d5349-4bd9-7922-a7db-cc629a1cbe4b","GrammarExercise","019d5349-4bd9-7922-a7db-cc629a1cbe4b","\u002Fapi\u002Fgrammar_pages\u002F019b849e-e672-746c-8234-cff9809464cb","Complex Question Tags - Daily Conversations","This is a fill-in-the-blank exercise. Click on each blank and choose the correct answer from the dropdown. Some sentences may have more than one blank, so make sure you complete all of them.",{"@id":33,"@type":27,"id":34,"grammarPage":29,"title":35,"instructions":31,"displayOrder":36,"isCompleted":14},"\u002Fapi\u002Fgrammar_exercises\u002F019d5349-4bda-735f-96ba-f9fd1628bac1","019d5349-4bda-735f-96ba-f9fd1628bac1","Complex Question Tags - Work Situations",1]