Tag questions are a common feature in English that serve to confirm or clarify information, express uncertainty, or seek agreement. They consist of a statement followed by a short question tag.
Here’s a breakdown:
1. Structure: A tag question typically consists of a statement and a question tag. The question tag is a short question that mirrors the verb tense and polarity (positive or negative) of the statement.
– If the statement is positive, the tag is negative.
– If the statement is negative, the tag is positive.
Example:
– Statement: “You like coffee.”
– Tag question: “You like coffee, don’t you?”
– Statement: “They aren’t coming.”
– Tag question: “They aren’t coming, are they?”
2. Use: Tag questions are used for various purposes:
– Seeking confirmation or agreement:
– “You’re coming to the party, aren’t you?”
– Expressing uncertainty:
– “It’s cold outside, isn’t it?”
– Softening statements:
– “You didn’t like the movie, did you?”
– Inviting a response:
– “She’s a talented singer, isn’t she?”
3. Intonation: The intonation in tag questions can change their meaning. Rising intonation often indicates a genuine question seeking confirmation, while falling intonation can suggest the speaker’s expectation of agreement.
– Rising intonation: “You’re coming to the party, aren’t you?” (Expecting confirmation)
– Falling intonation: “You’re coming to the party, aren’t you.” (Expressing assumption)
4. Subject-Verb Agreement: The subject of the statement matches the subject of the tag.
– “He is coming, isn’t he?”
– “They are leaving, aren’t they?”
– “You have finished, haven’t you?”
5. Auxiliary Verbs: If the main verb in the statement doesn’t have an auxiliary verb, the appropriate form of the verb ‘to do’ is used in the tag.
– “She likes chocolate, doesn’t she?”
– “You eat fish, don’t you?”
Practicing tag questions can help you reinforce your understanding of verb tenses, polarity, and subject-verb agreement while also improving conversational skills.
