Question Tags & Short Answers

Intermediate · Questions & Negatives

A question tag is a mini-question added to the end of a statement to check or confirm information: "You're coming, aren't you?" They are extremely common in spoken English.

The rule of opposites is simple: a positive statement takes a negative tag, and a negative statement takes a positive tag. Short answers (Yes, I do / No, she isn't) let you reply without repeating everything.

How to build it

Positive statement, + negative tag? · Negative statement, + positive tag?

Rules & examples

1. Positive statement → negative tag; negative statement → positive tag.

   The tag is the opposite of the sentence.

   • You're coming, aren't you?
   • He doesn't smoke, does he?
2. The tag repeats the auxiliary (or uses do/does/did).

   Use the same helping verb that the sentence would use.

   • She can drive, can't she?
   • They went, didn't they?
3. Short answers: Yes/No + subject + auxiliary.

   Avoids repeating the whole verb phrase.

   • Do you like it? — Yes, I do.
   • Is she here? — No, she isn't.
4. Agreeing: "So do I" (positive) / "Neither do I" (negative).

   A neat way to say "me too" that matches the verb.

   • I love pizza. — So do I.
   • I don't smoke. — Neither do I.

Tips to remember

• The tag must match the subject and verb: "You are tired, aren't you?" (not "isn't it?").
• "I am" has an irregular tag: "I'm late, aren't I?"

Common mistakes

• ✗ You're tired, isn't it? → ✓ You're tired, aren't you? — The tag must match the subject ("you") and verb ("are").