Question Tags
do you? / isn't it? / haven't they? — Complete Guide
Question Tags
do you? / isn't it? / haven't they? — Guide Complet
Master question tags — how to form them, the positive/negative rule, intonation, special cases (Let's / Don't / I'm), and using them to ask for things politely.
Maîtrisez les question tags — comment les former, la règle positif/négatif, l’intonation, les cas spéciaux (Let's / Don't / I'm), et comment les utiliser poliment.
Question tags are mini-questions added to the end of a sentence: It's a nice day, isn't it? / You haven't seen Lisa, have you? We form them using an auxiliary verb (have / was / will / do etc.), and the key rule is: positive sentence → negative tag, negative sentence → positive tag.
Les question tags sont des mini-questions ajoutées à la fin d’une phrase : It's a nice day, isn't it? / You haven't seen Lisa, have you? On les forme avec un auxiliaire (have / was / will / do etc.). La règle clé : phrase positive → tag négatif, phrase négative → tag positif.
Forming Question Tags — The Auxiliary Verb Rule
Former les Question Tags — La règle de l’auxiliaire
In question tags, always use an auxiliary verb (have / was / will / can etc.). Use do / does / did for the present and past simple:
Dans les question tags, utilisez toujours un auxiliaire. Utilisez do / does / did pour le présent et le passé simple :
‘You didn't lock the door, did you?’ ‘No, I forgot.’
‘You haven't seen Lisa today, have you?’ ‘No, I haven't.’
‘It was a good film, wasn't it?’ ‘Yes, it was great.’
Positive / Negative Rule — The Core Principle
Règle Positif / Négatif — Le principe fondamental
The golden rule: a positive sentence takes a negative tag, and a negative sentence takes a positive tag.
La règle d’or : une phrase positive prend un tag négatif, et une phrase négative prend un tag positif.
Positive sentence + Negative tag
Phrase positive + Tag négatif
Negative sentence + Positive tag
Phrase négative + Tag positif
Intonation — Agreeing vs Really Asking
Intonation — Accord vs vraie question
The meaning of a question tag depends on how you say it. If your voice goes down ↘, you are not really asking — you expect the listener to agree. If your voice goes up ↗, it is a genuine question.
Le sens d’un question tag dépend de comment vous le dites. Si votre voix descend ↘, vous n’attendez pas vraiment de réponse. Si votre voix monte ↗, c’est une vraie question.
You can use a negative sentence + positive tag to ask for things politely (voice goes up ↗):
On peut utiliser une phrase négative + tag positif pour faire une demande polie (voix montante ↗) :
Special Cases — Let's / Don't / I'm
Cas Spéciaux — Let's / Don't / I'm
Three special forms to memorise:
Trois formes spéciales à mémoriser :
Complete with the correct question tag
Complétez avec le bon question tag
Write the full question tag (e.g. will she / don't you etc.)
Écrivez le question tag complet (ex. will she / don't you etc.)
Build full sentences (expecting agreement)
Construisez des phrases complètes (pour obtenir l’accord)
Write the correct question tag for each sentence (voice down — expecting agreement).
Écrivez le question tag correct (voix descendante).
Asking for information / help (negative sentence + positive tag)
Demander des informations / de l’aide
Write the correct question tag for each polite request (voice up ↗).
Écrivez le question tag correct pour chaque demande polie (voix montante ↗).
Frequently Asked Questions — Question Tags
Questions fréquentes — Question Tags
The grammatically logical form would be amn't I?, but it sounds awkward and is not used in standard English. Aren't I? (= am I not?) is the accepted form: ‘I’m right, aren’t I?’ ‘Yes, you are.’
La forme logique serait amn't I? mais elle est maladroite. Aren't I? (= am I not?) est la forme acceptée en anglais standard.
Use there as the subject of the tag (not it): ‘There’s a problem, isn't there?’ / ‘There aren't many left, are there?’
Utilisez there comme sujet du tag : ‘There's a problem, isn't there?’ / ‘There aren't many left, are there?’
Answer Yes — because Yes means the positive is true: “Yes (I am leaving).” In English, Yes always confirms the positive fact.
Répondez Yes — parce que Yes signifie que la forme positive est vraie : “Oui (je pars bien).”
A negative question starts with a negative auxiliary: Didn't you hear? A question tag is added at the end of a statement: You heard, didn't you?
Une question négative commence par un auxiliaire négatif : Didn't you hear? Un question tag s’ajoute à la fin d’une affirmation : You heard, didn't you?
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