Question Tags in English: Rules, Examples and Answers

Have you ever said something like ‘You’re coming, aren’t you?’ without thinking twice? These small additions are called tag questions, and they play a big role in making your English sound natural and conversational.

A tag question makes a statement interactive. Instead of just giving information, you invite the listener to agree, disagree, or confirm. Learning tag questions not only improves your grammar but also helps you sound natural, polite, and confident in English conversations.

What is a Tag Question?

A tag question is a short question added at the end of a statement. It is made using an auxiliary (helping) verb or a modal verb plus a subject pronoun. The purpose is to confirm, check, or seek agreement.

Examples:

• You are from Delhi, aren’t you?

• She doesn’t like ice cream, does she?

• They can sing, can’t they?

In each sentence, the tag at the end is the question tag.

Why Do We Use Question Tags?

Tag questions are not just a grammar exercise. They serve specific communication purposes:

• To confirm information: “You finished the project, didn’t you?”

• To engage the listener: “It’s a nice day, isn’t it?”

• To show politeness: “You’ll help me, won’t you?”

• To express surprise or doubt: “He can dance, can’t he?”

In other words, tag questions make conversations smoother and more natural.

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Question Tag Rules

To use question tags correctly, you must follow some key rules.

1. Positive Statement → Negative Tag

When the statement is positive, the question tag is negative.

• She is a teacher, isn’t she?

• You can swim, can’t you?

2. Negative Statement → Positive Tag

When the statement is negative, the question tag is positive.

• He isn’t at home, is he?

• They don’t eat meat, do they?

3. Match the Auxiliary or Modal Verb

The auxiliary or modal verb in the statement must match the one in the tag.

• You will help me, won’t you?

• She can drive, can’t she?

4. Use of Do/Does/Did

If there is no auxiliary verb, use do/does/did.

• He plays cricket, doesn’t he?

• They liked the movie, didn’t they?

5. Use Pronouns in Tags

Always use pronouns, not nouns.

• John is your friend, isn’t he?

• The students are ready, aren’t they?

6. Intonation in Question Tags

• Rising tone: when you are uncertain and genuinely ask.

• Falling tone: when you expect confirmation.

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Types of Tag Questions

There are different ways tag questions are used in English:

1. Confirmative Tags

Used to confirm information.

• You are coming, aren’t you?

2. Negative-Positive Tags

When the main sentence is negative.

• She doesn’t know you, does she?

3. Imperative Tags

To soften commands or requests.

• Open the window, will you?

• Let’s go for a walk, shall we?

4. Sarcastic Tags

Sometimes used to express disbelief or sarcasm.

• Oh, you know everything, don’t you?

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Question Tags Examples in Daily Life

Here are some common question tags examples:

• It’s cold today, isn’t it?

• She can’t dance, can she?

• You’re tired, aren’t you?

• They weren’t here yesterday, were they?

• He speaks English, doesn’t he?

Question Tags with Answers

Let’s look at a few question tags with answers to practice:

1. You are happy, aren’t you? – Yes, I am.

2. She isn’t your sister, is she? – No, she isn’t.

3. They can run fast, can’t they? – Yes, they can.

4. It won’t rain today, will it? – No, it won’t.

5. He doesn’t eat meat, does he? – No, he doesn’t.

20 Question Tag Questions with Answers

Here’s a list of 20 question tag examples with answers for practice:

1. He is your brother, isn’t he? – Yes, he is.

2. You aren’t busy, are you? – No, I’m not.

3. They will arrive soon, won’t they? – Yes, they will.

4. She doesn’t like sweets, does she? – No, she doesn’t.

5. We should start early, shouldn’t we? – Yes, we should.

6. It isn’t late, is it? – No, it isn’t.

7. He can ride a bike, can’t he? – Yes, he can.

8. She wasn’t upset, was she? – No, she wasn’t.

9. You don’t smoke, do you? – No, I don’t.

10. They are studying, aren’t they? – Yes, they are.

11. She sings well, doesn’t she? – Yes, she does.

12. He wasn’t angry, was he? – No, he wasn’t.

13. We have met before, haven’t we? – Yes, we have.

14. She will call later, won’t she? – Yes, she will.

15. It hasn’t snowed, has it? – No, it hasn’t.

16. They had left early, hadn’t they? – Yes, they had.

17. He won’t forget, will he? – No, he won’t.

18. She speaks French, doesn’t she? – Yes, she does.

19. You can’t swim, can you? – No, I can’t.

20. They aren’t ready, are they? – No, they aren’t.

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Question Tags Rules Table

Here’s a quick reference table for question tag rules:

Exercises on Tag Questions

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks

1. He is your friend, ______?

2. They won the match, ______?

3. You can’t drive, ______?

4. She wasn’t late, ______?

5. We are ready, ______?

Answers: isn’t he? didn’t they? can you? was she? aren’t we?

Exercise 2: Correct the errors

1. She is coming, isn’t it?

2. They plays football, don’t they?

3. He didn’t study, did he not?

4. We can do it, isn’t it?

Corrected:

1. She is coming, isn’t she?

2. They play football, don’t they?

3. He didn’t study, did he?

4. We can do it, can’t we?

Common Mistakes in Tag Questions

• Wrong pronouns

  • Incorrect: John is tall, isn’t John?

  • Correct: John is tall, isn’t he?

• Wrong auxiliary verbs

  • Incorrect: He likes tea, isn’t he?

  • Correct: He likes tea, doesn’t he?

• Repeating nouns

  • Incorrect: The girls are ready, aren’t the girls?

  • Correct: The girls are ready, aren’t they?

Why Learn Tag Questions?

Learning tag questions helps in:

• Improving fluency in English.

• Making conversations interactive.

• Sounding natural and confident.

• Building strong grammar skills.

PlanetSpark English Grammar Course

At PlanetSpark, we know grammar should be learned through practice and interaction, not just memorization. That’s why our English Grammar Course is designed for learners to master concepts like tag questions, subject-predicate, tenses, and sentence structures with engaging lessons.

Features of the Course

• Live Interactive Classes with expert mentors.

• Fun Quizzes and Activities for practical learning.

• Comprehensive Curriculum covering all grammar topics.

• Confidence Building through speaking and writing practice.

Why Choose PlanetSpark?

• Expert-designed curriculum.

• Real-life application of grammar.

• Regular assessments and feedback.

• Boosts both accuracy and fluency.

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