Why add a question tag?
A question tag is a short question added after a statement. It checks an assumption or invites confirmation: You don’t need a ticket, do you? A full question is also possible, but does not start from an already stated assumption in this form.
In this rule, the main clause is already negative, so the ordinary tag is affirmative. First understand the statement, then build the short form without changing its tense or participant.
negative statement, affirmative auxiliary / modal + pronoun?
- auxiliary —
- A helping verb used to form tenses, questions or negatives: do, have, be.
- modal —
- A modal verb expresses meanings such as ability, possibility or necessity: can, may, must.
- pronoun —
- A word used instead of naming a person or thing: I, you, she, it, they.
You don't need a ticket, do you?
You don't need a ticket, do you?
Don’t makes the statement negative; the tag uses affirmative do.
The café isn't open, is it?
The café isn't open, is it?
After isn’t, use affirmative is and replace the café with it.
Changing polarity
The target pattern reverses polarity: negative statement → affirmative tag. The affirmative tag has no not: don’t becomes do, isn’t becomes is, haven’t becomes have, can’t becomes can.
The negative main clause stays unchanged. The tag does not cancel the negative; it asks for confirmation of the whole statement.
isn’t → is; don’t/doesn’t → do/does; didn’t → did; haven’t/hasn’t → have/has; can’t/won’t → can/will
Maya doesn't drive, does she?
Maya doesn't drive, does she?
The statement has doesn’t, so the affirmative tag starts with does.
They didn't call, did they?
They didn't call, did they?
The past simple with didn’t retains its past tense through did in the tag.
The corresponding auxiliary or modal
If the statement already contains be, auxiliary have or a modal such as can, will or should, repeat the same type and tense in affirmative form. Do not replace is or can with do. The specific form agrees with the tag’s pronoun: Nobody is here, are they?
In negative present simple or past simple statements with a main verb, the clue is visible in doesn’t, don’t or didn’t. Remove not and retain does, do or did. After I am not, the affirmative tag is am I?.
main-clause auxiliary / modal → corresponding affirmative form in the tag
- clause —
- A construction with a verb, often with its own subject: when I arrived. A non-finite clause may leave the subject unspoken: to get home.
- auxiliary —
- A helping verb used to form tenses, questions or negatives: do, have, be.
- modal —
- A modal verb expresses meanings such as ability, possibility or necessity: can, may, must.
Leo hasn't finished, has he?
Leo hasn't finished, has he?
The present perfect has hasn’t, so the tag starts with has.
We can't park here, can we?
We can't park here, can we?
Modal can’t gives affirmative can; no do is needed.
I'm not late, am I?
I'm not late, am I?
After negative I am not, the affirmative tag is am I?.
The subject becomes a pronoun
The auxiliary is followed by a pronoun representing the subject: Sara → she, Tom → he, the phone → it, the students → they, you and I → we. Person and number must match.
Do not copy the full noun phrase into the tag. Brevity is part of the question-tag form.
name or noun phrase → matching pronoun
- NP / noun phrase —
- A noun phrase: a noun with its dependent words, such as the new student; the pattern treats it as one group of words.
- noun —
- A word naming a person, thing or idea: student, book, happiness.
- pronoun —
- A word used instead of naming a person or thing: I, you, she, it, they.
Nora isn't busy, is she?
Nora isn't busy, is she?
Nora is replaced by she.
The lights aren't on, are they?
The lights aren't on, are they?
Plural the lights requires they rather than it.
Never, nobody and nothing also make the meaning negative
Not every negative statement contains not. Never, nobody, no one, nothing and nowhere already have negative meaning, so standard question tags after them are affirmative.
At this level, recognise clear examples with never, nobody/no one and nothing. Do not add another not to the verb: Nobody called is a standard statement with negative meaning.
never / nobody / nothing in the statement → affirmative tag
The buses are never early, are they?
The buses are never early, are they?
Never makes the meaning negative, so the tag uses affirmative are.
Nobody has called, have they?
Nobody has called, have they?
Nobody has negative meaning; the neutral tag pronoun is they.
Nothing is broken, is it?
Nothing is broken, is it?
Nothing has negative meaning; the tag uses it for the thing.
Conversational meaning and intonation
A question tag often shows that the speaker has an assumption and wants confirmation. You haven’t met Ana, have you? usually conveys “I think you haven’t met; confirm or correct me”.
In speech, falling intonation often conveys greater confidence, while rising intonation expresses genuine uncertainty. This text-based trainer checks form and conversational appropriateness, rather than pronunciation or intonation.
You haven't booked a table, have you?
You haven't booked a table, have you?
The speaker checks an assumption that no table has been booked.
It won't rain, will it?
It won't rain, will it?
Will it? seeks confirmation of a negative forecast while preserving future meaning.
The limits of this rule
An affirmative statement with a negative tag is a neighbouring pattern: She is ready, isn’t she? Here it is used only for contrast. We also do not practise tags after commands or let’s, or fixed conversational tags such as right? and yeah?.
Affirmative tags after affirmative statements are also possible with another meaning, often surprise or checking. They are not universally wrong, but are outside this A2 rule’s target. In tasks, assess the explicitly requested pattern rather than treating other grammatical intentions as impossible.
She isn't ready, is she?
She isn't ready, is she?
The target pattern: a negative main clause plus an affirmative tag.
She is ready, isn't she?
She is ready, isn't she?
A grammatical neighbouring contrast, belonging to the rule on affirmative main clauses.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:You don't like coffee, don't you?
Correct:You don't like coffee, do you?
After negative don’t, the target question tag requires affirmative do.
Incorrect:Mia isn't at home, does she?
Correct:Mia isn't at home, is she?
The main clause has be, so the tag repeats is rather than introducing do.
Incorrect:The buses didn't stop, did it?
Correct:The buses didn't stop, did they?
Plural the buses is replaced by they.
Incorrect:We can't park here, do we?
Correct:We can't park here, can we?
Repeat modal can in the tag; do is not needed.
Incorrect:Nobody called, didn't they?
Correct:Nobody called, did they?
Nobody already has negative meaning, so the standard tag is affirmative.