Grammar · Sentence structure
Question tags
Formula: sentence, isn't it / aren't you / didn't you?
B1
Quick answer
The 5 main uses
1. Positive sentence → negative tag
After a positive sentence, the tag is negative.
“You speak English, don't you?”
2. Negative sentence → positive tag
After a negative sentence, the tag is positive.
“She isn't tired, is she?”
3. Repeat the auxiliary
If the sentence has an auxiliary (be, have or a modal like can), repeat it in the tag.
“She has finished, hasn't she? They can swim, can't they?”
4. No auxiliary → do/does/did
If there is no auxiliary, use do, does or did, in the same tense as the verb.
“You like coffee, don't you? He went home, didn't he?”
5. Special cases
I am → aren't I? (not amn't I). Let's → shall we?
“I am right, aren't I? Let's go, shall we?”
Common mistakes to avoid
Switch positive and negative
The basic rule: positive sentence → negative tag, negative sentence → positive tag. Always switch, and match the tag to the verb: You like pizza, don't you? ✓ (not isn't it?).
I am → aren't I?
Special case: with I am, the tag is aren't I (not amn't I). I am right, aren't I?
Intonation: rising or falling
A rising voice = a real question (you are not sure). A falling voice = you expect the person to agree (you are sure of the answer). In speech, this changes the meaning.
Related pages: Question tags
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
What's next?
Question tags: you understand the rule. Now practise it.
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Frequently asked questions
How do you make question tags?+
Positive sentence → negative tag. Negative sentence → positive tag. Repeat the auxiliary or use do/does/did. You like coffee, don't you? She isn't tired, is she?
When do you use question tags?+
To check something or to ask someone to agree. They are very common in speech. With a rising voice, it is a real question. With a falling voice, you expect the other person to agree, because you are quite sure of the answer.
Why do we say I am right, aren't I?+
This is a special case: with I am, the tag is aren't I? The form amn't I is not used in standard English. It is a fixed rule.
What is the question tag when there is no auxiliary?+
Add do, does or did, depending on the tense. You like coffee, don't you? She speaks French, doesn't she? He went home, didn't he? The tag keeps the tense of the main verb.
What is the question tag after let's?+
Let's go, shall we? With let's, the tag is shall we?, not don't we? You use it to make a suggestion.
Updated on 27 October 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 27 October 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/grammar/question-tags
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.