B1–B2 Grammar Speaking

Question Tags in English

Question tags are the short questions we add to the end of a statement — It's cold, isn't it?, You don't smoke, do you? They help us check information or invite agreement, and getting them right makes your spoken English sound natural.

A question tag (also called a tag question) is a short question attached to the end of a statement. We use them constantly in conversation to confirm something, check that we are right, or invite the listener to agree: You're coming tonight, aren't you? Mastering them is essential for natural-sounding spoken English at B1–B2 level.

The basic principle is simple: the tag uses an auxiliary verb and a pronoun, and it reverses the polarity of the statement. A positive statement takes a negative tag, and a negative statement takes a positive tag.

The Two Golden Rules

Statement Tag Example
Positive Negative She is a doctor, isn't she?
Negative Positive She isn't a doctor, is she?

This pattern is called reversed polarity: if the statement is affirmative, the tag is negative, and vice versa. The negative tag is almost always contracted (isn't, don't, won't), not written in full.

Choosing the Right Auxiliary

The tag must agree with the verb in the statement. The rules depend on what kind of verb the statement uses.

1. Statement contains an auxiliary or modal

Repeat the same auxiliary or modal verb in the tag:

2. Statement contains the verb ‘be’

Use a form of be in the tag:

3. Statement is in the present or past simple (no auxiliary)

Use do, does or did:

Verb in statement Tag auxiliary Example
am / is / are / was / weresame form of beYou are tired, aren't you?
present simpledo / doesShe sings well, doesn't she?
past simpledidThey left early, didn't they?
present/past perfecthave / has / hadYou've eaten, haven't you?
will / wouldwill / wouldHe'll help, won't he?
can / could / should / mustsame modalWe can go, can't we?

Pronoun rule: The tag always uses a pronoun, never a noun. So The film was good, wasn't it? (not wasn't the film). Match the pronoun to the subject: Tom → he, the children → they, this → it.

Special Cases

Several common situations break the simple pattern. These are worth memorising because learners frequently get them wrong.

Statement Correct tag Note
I am late, aren't I? There is no amn't I; we say aren't I
Let's go, shall we? Suggestions with let's take shall we
Open the window, will you? / won't you? / can you? Imperatives take will/won't/can you
Don't be late, will you? Negative imperatives take will you
There's a problem, isn't there? There is repeated, not it
Nobody called, did they? Negative words (nobody, nothing, never) take a positive tag
Everyone left, didn't they? Everyone / somebody / no one take the pronoun they
This is yours, isn't it? This / that become it in the tag

Hidden negatives: Words like never, hardly, seldom, rarely, nobody, nothing and few make a sentence negative in meaning, so they take a positive tag: He never calls, does he?; You've hardly eaten anything, have you?

Intonation: Rising vs Falling

How you say a question tag changes its meaning. The same words can be a real question or just a request for agreement, depending on the tune of your voice.

Intonation Meaning Example
Falling ↓ You are sure and just want agreement; it is not a real question It's a lovely day, isn't it? ↓
Rising ↑ You are not sure and genuinely want an answer You locked the door, didn't you? ↑

Most question tags in friendly conversation use falling intonation, because the speaker is simply inviting the listener to agree. Use rising intonation only when you really don't know the answer and want the other person to confirm it.

Same-Polarity Tags

Occasionally, native speakers use a positive statement with a positive tag. This is not for checking facts but for expressing reactions such as interest, surprise, sarcasm or drawing a conclusion: So you're the new manager, are you? These same-polarity tags are common in spoken English but are an advanced feature — for clear, correct communication, stick to the reversed-polarity rule.

Answering Question Tags

Answer the meaning of the statement, not the tag. If the statement is true, say yes (or agree); if it is false, say no:

Practice Exercises

Grammar Quiz

Choose the correct question tag for each statement.

Cloze Dropdown

Select the right auxiliary and pronoun to complete each tag.

Complete the Sentence

Type the correct tag, including special cases like aren't I.

Matching Pairs

Match each statement with its correct question tag.

Unjumble

Reorder words to form statements with correct tags.

Flash Cards

Drill auxiliary agreement and the special tag cases.

Sound More Natural in English

LexFizz has 30 free interactive exercises — no sign-up needed. Start practising question tags today.

Browse All Exercises →

Explore related grammar topics:

All Grammar Topics Modal Verbs Reported Speech Conditionals Passive Voice

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a question tag in English?
A question tag (or tag question) is a short question added to the end of a statement to check information or invite agreement, such as It's cold, isn't it? or You don't smoke, do you? The tag consists of an auxiliary verb plus a pronoun, and it usually reverses the polarity of the statement: a positive statement takes a negative tag and vice versa.
How do I choose the right auxiliary for a question tag?
Match the verb in the statement. If the statement has an auxiliary or modal (have, will, can, should), repeat it in the tag. If it uses be, use the same form of be. If it is present or past simple with no auxiliary, use do, does or did: You like tea, don't you?; She left, didn't she?
Why is the tag for ‘I am’ ‘aren't I?’
Logically, the negative of I am should be amn't I, but this form does not exist in standard English. Instead, English uses aren't I? as the conventional negative tag: I'm late, aren't I? In very formal English you might hear am I not?, but in everyday speech aren't I is the standard choice.
What is the question tag for ‘Let's’?
Suggestions beginning with Let's take the tag shall we?: Let's go to the beach, shall we? This is an exception to the normal rules because let's is a suggestion rather than a statement. It does not follow the reversed-polarity pattern.
What tag do I use with imperatives?
Imperatives (commands and requests) usually take will you?, won't you? or can you?: Open the window, will you?; Sit down, won't you? (more polite, inviting). Negative imperatives take will you?: Don't be late, will you? The choice of tag affects how polite or insistent the request sounds.
Why does ‘Nobody called’ take a positive tag?
Words such as nobody, nothing, never, hardly, seldom and rarely make a sentence negative in meaning even without not. Because the statement is already negative, the tag becomes positive: Nobody called, did they?; He never listens, does he? Note that with nobody, everybody and somebody, the tag pronoun is they.
What does rising versus falling intonation mean in question tags?
Falling intonation (↓) means you are confident and simply want the listener to agree — it is not a real question: Lovely weather, isn't it? ↓ Rising intonation (↑) means you are genuinely unsure and want a real answer: You locked the door, didn't you? ↑ Most friendly tags use falling intonation.
What is the tag for sentences starting with ‘There’?
When a sentence begins with there is / there are, the word there is repeated in the tag instead of a pronoun: There's a problem, isn't there?; There were lots of people, weren't there? This is a common point of confusion, because learners often expect it rather than there.
How do I answer a negative question tag?
Answer the meaning of the statement, not the tag. If the underlying fact is true, agree; if it is false, disagree. For “You don't drive, do you?”, answer “No, I don't” if you really don't drive, or “Yes, I do” if you actually do. English ties yes to the affirmative fact and no to the negative fact, regardless of how the question was phrased.
Can a positive statement have a positive tag?
Yes, but this is an advanced spoken feature. Same-polarity tags (positive statement + positive tag) express reactions such as interest, surprise, sarcasm or drawing a conclusion: So you're the new manager, are you? They are common in casual speech but are not used to check facts. For clear, standard English, follow the reversed-polarity rule: positive statement, negative tag.