Question tags – aren’t you? don’t you?
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Meaning
Question tags are used at the over of statements to tát turn the statements into questions. We usually use question tags to tát confirm something that we believe to tát be true or to tát invite the listener to tát agree or disagree with a statement.
When we use question tags, the way our voice goes up or down at the over can change the meaning.
Voice goes up ↗ This means we’re not sure about what we’re saying, and we’re really asking for help to tát know if it’s true or not. For example, “You’re coming to tát the các buổi tiệc nhỏ, aren’t you?” said with your voice going up is lượt thích saying, “Please tell bầm if you are coming because I don’t know.”
Voice goes down ↘ This means we’re pretty sure about what we’re saying, and we just want the other person to tát agree with us. For example, “It’s hot today, isn’t it?” said with your voice going down is lượt thích saying, “I think it’s hot and I believe you think sánh too, right?”
Form
Use the same auxiliary verb as in the main sentence. If there is no auxiliary verb, use do for present and did for past.
Use a comma before the question tag and a subject pronoun at the over (I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they).
- You are his brother, aren’t you?
- He will be there, won’t he?
- You work here, don’t you?
- Sam used to tát live in Scotland, didn’t he?
If the main sentence is positive, use a negative auxiliary.
If the main sentence is negative, use a positive auxiliary.
- You lượt thích it, don’t you?
- You don’t lượt thích it, do you?
Aren’t I?
Note when we have an affirmative sentence with I am, the question tag is aren’t I?
- I’m totally wrong, aren’t I?