• Use tag questions to check you have understood.
• Use tag questions to soften a statement.
• Use tag questions to ask a question more indirectly.
• Use tag questions to check a piece of information is true.
• Use tag questions as a question.

Usually, we ask questions in English like this:

• Where are you going?
• When is it happening?
• Why did he do that?

Tag questions are different.

They are very small question added or 'tagged' on to the end of a statement.

• This is a positive statement with a negative tag question, isn't it?
• You're going, aren't you?
• She made it, didn't she?

• This isn't the same, is it?
• It isn't happening, is it?
• He didn't do it, did he?

Tag questions are mostly used in informal conversations and used a lot.

Tag questions are rarely written down and when they are the message is often meant harshly.

But, if you are writing a sentence with a tag question place a comma between the statement and the tag question.

There are three different ways to make tag questions.

• Most tag questions look like this:
• Auxiliary verb + main verb, the same auxiliary verb + pronoun?
• You haven't been here, have you?
• He is cooking tonight, isn't he?
• I should have told him, shouldn't I?
• Sometimes tag questions look like this:
• Auxiliary verb + main verb, do/does/did + pronoun?
• They decided, didn't they?
• We left everything behind, didn't we?
• He runs very fast, doesn't he?
• You don't, do you?
• The exception is when saying I am:
• The negative I am is aren't I.
• I am going, aren't I?
• I am working right now, aren't I?
• I'm here, aren't I?

Usually, these are the verbs most often used for tag questions:

• to be
• to have
• to do
• could
• should

Use Tag Questions to Check Understanding.

• The medicine is in the top drawer. Isn't it?

Use Tag Questions to soften a statement.

• You couldn't do it, could you?

Use Tag Questions to Ask a Question In an Indirect Way.

• He's going, isn't he?
• I didn't do that very well, did I?

Use Tag Questions to Check if the Information Is True.

• Is this where you live? This is where you live, isn't it?
• Is the boat safe? This boat is safe, isn't it?
• Did you keep the receipt? You kept the receipt, didn't you?
• Didn't I ask you? I asked you, didn't I?

Use Tag Questions to Ask a Questions.

• Is there anybody there? There's nobody there, is there?
• Am I learning quickly? I'm learning quickly, aren't I?