QUESTION TAG

QUESTION TAG. A short QUESTION tagged on to the end of a statement (DECLARATIVE sentence). Some languages have an invariable question tag that can be added to almost any statement: FRENCH n'est-ce pas? (isn't it?); SPANISH verdad? (truly?). In IndE and some other varieties, isn't it? is used in this way (You are going tomorrow, isn't it?), while yes and no are used for confirmation (You are coming, yes?; She is going there, no?). In many kinds of English, an enclitic tag is used for confirmation and other purposes: eh? is a SHIBBOLETH of CanE and common in BrE (You like that kind of thing, eh?), and in some varieties of ScoE eh no? is common (You're comin as well, eh no?—aren't you?). Many AmE speakers use huh? or uh? (You coming, huh?). Other common informal tags are right? and OK? (He'll be there, right? I'll see you soon, OK?).

STANDARD ENGLISH throughout the world requires the question tag to correspond to the subject and verb of the preceding sentence. Such tags consist of a single-word verb (be or have as main verbs, an auxiliary, or a modal) plus a subject pronoun, as in It's a nice day today, isn't it?, You have enough books, haven't you (especially BrE) and You have enough books, don't you? (especially AmE), She went home last night, didn't she?, and You could help if you wanted, couldn't you? Question tags are normally negative after a positive statement, and vice versa. When spoken on the rising tone of yes–no questions, they may genuinely be asking for information or be expressing surprise or uncertainty: You're not going to tell them, are you? However, tags are more usually spoken on the falling intonation of statements, to invite or expect agreement with the preceding statement: Lovely day we're having, aren't we?; It's been a mild winter, hasn't it? Question tags can also be used with imperatives: Wait a minute, will you?; Send us a postcard, won't you?; Let's go together, shall we? Another possibility is for the tag to agree with a subordinate clause: I don't think they'll come now, will they?; That's a nice mess you've got us into, haven't you? Occasionally, a positive statement is followed by a positive tag, with a rising intonation. This may simply signify an inference or even a request for clarification (He'll be 21 next year, will he?), but the structure often suggests sarcasm or suspicion: So he's innocent, is he?; It fell off the back of a truck, did it? (implication: I doubt that very much). See TAG QUESTION.