It's Important, Isn't It?
Question Tags
Most questions in English use this structure:
(Question Word) + Auxiliary + Subject + Verb Form + (objects) + ?
Example:
How often do you calculate your expenditures?
Are they going to work on development-related projects in India?
Question Tags
Question tags are used to confirm information that the speaker knows, or believes to know. This conversational form is used to check that the speaker has understood something.
Form questions tags by making a statement followed by a comma and the OPPOSITE (positive -negative, negative - positive) form of the matching auxiliary verb in the same tense.
Example:
We would change all the global structures, wouldn't we?"
Jack didn't develop a fundraising plan, did he?"
Jack didn't read the report about the areas of conflict, did he?"
This list shows question tags for a number of tenses.
Present Simple:
He doesn't mingle with the affected population, does he?"
Present Continuous:
The agency endowment funds at the Foundation are going to peace and conflict resolution projects, aren't they?"
Past Simple:
Jack didn't develop a fundraising plan, did he?"
Present Perfect:
They don't have the same definition for genocide, do they?"
Future with 'Will':
They will photocopy the balance sheet, won't they?"
Request with 'Would':
He wouldn't falsify the baseline data, would he?"
Special Notes:
Use question tags in order to do the following:
- To confirm information
- To continue a conversation
Sometimes, question tags are used sarcastically or in a joking manner. This type of usage depends on the context and the speaker's tone of voice.
Exception: When using the verb 'to be' as the auxiliary verb in a question tag with the subject I (rhetorical) use the form "am I?".
Example:
I'm not going to be late, am I?
I'm not involved in that sale, am I?