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Question tags

Question  tags (special  cases)

1 Question  tags  are commonly  used  to ask  for  agreement or  confirmation :  after an affirmative  sentence ,  a negative interrogative sentence is used  and the other way round .

+  /-                    -/+

2 Sentences  containing   neither, nor , nobody,  none , nothing ,  are  considered  negative.

 Nobody  went to the  concert,  did they?

 Sentences containing   adverbs  like  scarcely, hardly,   seldom,   hardly  ever,   are  considered negative.

You  seldom go  to  parties, do you?

She  hardly said  a  word, did she ?

3  We  can  use an  affirmative  question tag  with  an affirmative  sentence  and with a falling intonation.  We use these same-way  question tags  when we are just repeating what somebody  ( even  the  speaker him/herself )   said. 

 In this  way,  we are not asking a  question  or looking for  confirmation, but  we are simply repeating  the idea  to express  wonder, interest,  surprise,  concern. Those  tags  are synonyms  of  “really” or  “indeed” .

The  tone of the voice  can make a  great difference,  conveying  feelings of  surprise,  pleasure, incredulity,  wonder , etc.

Ken:   I'm divorcing  my  wife . >> Jennifer:  Are  You ?

 You called  Peter,  did you ?

A  same-way  question  tag  is  used  as  an answer  to an  affirmative or  negative  statement.

Lynn:I  didn't  call Marion. >>   Bob:  Didn't you ?

4  Question  tags can  also  be used with  imperatives , in this case  ,we  use  “will you “   ( which sounds rather  rude ), or “won't you”  ( much  more polite ).

With  “let's “  , the  question tag  is  “shall we”. 

   In  colloquial  speech  the question tag  for  “ I  am” is usually “ Aren't  I” or “Ain't  I”.

Shut  up, will you ?

Make  yourself comfortable, won't  you ?

Let's  play now, shall  we?

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1. Sue:" I'm living in New York, now". John: is Sueis sheare youI don't know ?

2. None of your students completed the test, are theydo theydid theyI don't know ?

3. Nothing was sold at the Fair, was soldwas itwasn't itI don't know ?

4. Hand me the hammer, please, do youwill youwant youI don't know ?

5. Neill :" I've lost all my money." Prue: don't youhave youwill youI don't know?

6. She rarely cries, do shedoes shedoesn't sheI don't know ?

7. He hardly spoke to you, did hedidn't theydidn't heI don't know ?

8. There's nothing wrong, with it, is itis thereisn't thereI don't know?

9. I don't think anyone will come, don't theywill theywon't theyI don't know?

10. Somebody eats fried grasshoppers, do hedon't theydo theyI don't know?