Tag Question Special Cases
Negative adverbs
The adverbs never, rarely, seldom, hardly, barely and scarcely have a negative sense. Even though they may be in a positive statement, the feeling of the statement is negative. We treat statements with these words like negative statements, so the question tag is normally positive. Look at these examples:
| positive statement treated as negative statement | positive tag |
|---|---|
| He never came again, | did he? |
| She can rarely come these days, | can she? |
| You hardly ever came late, | did you? |
| I barely know you, | do I? |
| You would scarcely expect her to know that, | would you? |
Intonation
We can change the meaning of a tag question with the musical pitch of our voice. With rising intonation, it sounds like a real question. But if our intonation falls, it sounds more like a statement that doesn't require a real answer:
| intonation | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| You don't know where my wallet is, | do you? | / rising | real question |
| It's a beautiful view, | isn't it? | \ falling | not a real question |
Imperatives
Sometimes we use question tags with imperatives (invitations, orders), but the sentence remains an imperative and does not require a direct answer. We use won't for invitations. We use can, can't, will, would for orders.
| imperative + question tag | notes |
|---|---|
| Take a seat, won't you? | polite invitation |
| Help me, can you? | quite friendly |
| Help me, can't you? | quite friendly (some irritation?) |
| Close the door, would you? | quite polite |
| Do it now, will you. | less polite |
| Don't forget, will you. | with negative imperatives only will is possible |
Same-way tag questions
Although the basic structure of tag questions is positive-negative or negative-positive, it is sometimes possible to use a positive-positive or negative-negative structure. We use same-way tag questions to express interest, surprise, anger etc, and not to make real questions.
Look at these positive-positive tag questions:
- So you're having a baby, are you? That's wonderful!
- She wants to marry him, does she? Some chance!
- So you think that's funny, do you? Think again.
Negative-negative tag questions usually sound rather hostile:
- So you don't like my looks, don't you? (British English)
Asking for information or help
Notice that we often use tag questions to ask for information or help, starting with a negative statement. This is quite a friendly/polite way of making a request. For example, instead of saying "Where is the police station?" (not very polite), or "Do you know where the police station is?" (slightly more polite), we could say: "You wouldn't know where the police station is, would you?" Here are some more examples:
- You don't know of any good jobs, do you?
- You couldn't help me with my homework, could you?
- You haven't got $10 to lend me, have you?
Some more special cases
| example | notes |
|---|---|
| I am right, aren't I? | aren't I (not amn't I) |
| You have to go, don't you? | you (do) have to go... |
| I have been answering, haven't I? | use first auxiliary |
| Nothing came in the post, did it? | treat statements with nothing, nobody etc like negative statements |
| Let's go, shall we? | let's = let us |
| He'd better do it, hadn't he? | he had better (no auxiliary) |
Mixed Examples of Tag Questions
Here is a list of examples of tag questions in different contexts. Notice that some are "normal" and others seem to break all the rules:
- But you don't really love her, do you?
- This'll work, won't it?
- Oh you think so, do you?
- Well, I couldn't help it, could I?
- But you'll tell me if she calls, won't you?
- We'd never have known, would we?
- Oh you do, do you?
- The weather's bad, isn't it?
- You won't be late, will you?
- Nobody knows, do they?
- You never come on time, do you?
- You couldn't help me, could you?
- You think you're clever, do you?
- So you don't think I can do it, don't you? (British English)
- Shut up, will you!
- She can hardly love him after all that, can she?
- Nothing will happen, will it?
Few / a few in Tag Questions
Few means almost none => implying negativity => Did they.
A few means, little but there is some => Didn't they.
Few people knew the way, did they?A few people knew the way, didn't they?
