“You’re coming tomorrow, aren’t you?” adds a short question to a statement. The tag can check information, invite agreement, or soften what the speaker says.
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To build a standard question tag, check the statement’s positive or negative meaning, choose the correct auxiliary verb, and replace the subject with the appropriate pronoun. Intonation then helps communicate whether you expect agreement or really need an answer.
The usual positive and negative pattern
A positive statement usually takes a negative tag, while a negative statement usually takes a positive tag. This is the starting pattern for ordinary confirmation questions.
| Statement | Tag | Why |
|---|---|---|
| She is ready, | isn’t she? | Repeat be and change polarity. |
| They haven’t left, | have they? | Repeat the auxiliary have. |
| You can swim, | can’t you? | Repeat the modal can. |
| He works here, | doesn’t he? | Use does for a present-simple main verb. |
| They arrived early, | didn’t they? | Use did for a past-simple main verb. |
Do not choose an auxiliary from the subject alone. “She has left” takes hasn’t she?, while “She leaves early” takes doesn’t she? because the verb structures differ.
Choosing the subject pronoun
Use a pronoun that matches the subject: “The train is late, isn’t it?” A phrase such as your parents becomes they: “Your parents live nearby, don’t they?”
With there is and there are, retain there in the tag: “There’s a café here, isn’t there?” This is different from replacing an ordinary noun with it or they.
Nobody, everyone, and nothing
Words such as nobody, no one, never, and hardly make a statement negative in meaning. They normally take a positive tag: “She never drives, does she?”
Use they for an indefinite person in examples such as “Nobody called, did they?” and “Everyone is ready, aren’t they?” Use it for a thing: “Nothing happened, did it?”
A few special patterns
| Opening | Usual tag | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I am… | aren’t I? | I’m next, aren’t I? |
| I am not… | am I? | I’m not late, am I? |
| Let’s… | shall we? | Let’s take a break, shall we? |
| Positive imperative | often will you? | Close the door, will you? |
| Negative imperative | usually will you? | Don’t forget, will you? |
An imperative tag does not follow the ordinary positive-statement/negative-tag rule. Tone matters: “Close the door, will you?” can sound friendly or impatient depending on how it is said.
Other tag patterns exist, including positive tags after positive statements to express surprise or interest. Learn the ordinary confirmation pattern first, then use context to interpret these conversational variations.
Rising or falling intonation?
A rising tag often asks for information the speaker is unsure about. A falling tag often expects agreement or confirmation. These are common tendencies, not guarantees of a speaker’s intention.
Visitor: This is the right building, isn’t it? [rising tone]
Receptionist: Yes. The interview room is upstairs.
The visitor is checking a fact and needs a useful answer. The uncertainty is carried partly by the rising voice on the tag.
Colleague: That presentation was helpful, wasn’t it? [falling tone]
You: Yes, especially the examples.
The colleague presents an opinion and invites agreement. A falling voice can make the tag feel less like a new information question.
Answer according to the facts
For “You don’t work here, do you?”, say “Yes, I do” if you work there and “No, I don’t” if you do not. English yes and no follow the truth of the positive action, not simply agreement with the negative wording.
You can avoid confusion by including the auxiliary in a short answer. “No, I haven’t” is clearer than no alone after “You haven’t met her, have you?”
Practice: complete the conversations
Add a tag or choose a short answer. Pay attention to words with negative meaning even when the sentence contains no not.
- You saw the email, _____?
- She isn’t available, _____?
- We can park here, _____?
- I’m in the right queue, _____?
- Nobody told you, _____?
- Let’s ask the tutor, _____?
- There’s a problem, _____?
- You are answering “You don’t live nearby, do you?” You do live nearby. What should you say?
- He never complains, _____?
- Don’t leave your bag here, _____?
Answers and explanations
- Didn’t you? Saw is past simple, so use did.
- Is she? A negative statement takes a positive tag.
- Can’t we? Repeat the modal can with opposite polarity.
- Aren’t I? This is the usual negative tag after I am.
- Did they? Nobody gives negative meaning and normally takes they in the tag.
- Shall we? This is the conventional tag after let’s.
- Isn’t there? Keep existential there.
- Yes, I do. This confirms that you live nearby.
- Does he? Never makes the meaning negative.
- Will you? This is the usual tag after a negative imperative.
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