Question tags & indirect questions
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In short
A question tag is a short question added to the end of a statement to check or confirm it: You’re coming, aren’t you? An indirect (embedded) question is a more polite way to ask, using statement word order: Could you tell me where the station is?
The rule
Question tags
Add a mini-question to the end of a statement. Two things flip or copy:
- Polarity flips. A positive statement takes a negative tag; a negative statement takes a positive tag.
- Auxiliary + pronoun. The tag repeats the auxiliary, modal, or BE from the statement. If there is none (present/past simple), use do / does / did. Then add a pronoun (not a noun).
| Statement | + / - | Tag | Full sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| You are coming | positive | aren’t you? | You’re coming, aren’t you? |
| She doesn’t smoke | negative | does she? | She doesn’t smoke, does she? |
| They have left | positive | haven’t they? | They’ve left, haven’t they? |
| He can swim | positive | can’t he? | He can swim, can’t he? |
| Tom works here | positive | doesn’t he? | Tom works here, doesn’t he? |
| You didn’t call | negative | did you? | You didn’t call, did you? |
The pronoun must match the subject: Tom is late, isn’t he? (not isn’t Tom). If the sentence has more than one clause, the tag copies the main clause and ignores the rest: Even though the shop is shut, you can order online, can’t you?
Special cases
| Statement | Tag | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I am … | aren’t I? | I’m next, aren’t I? |
| I’m not … | am I? | I’m not late, am I? |
| Imperative (request) | will you? / won’t you? / can you? | Close the door, will you? |
| Let’s … | shall we? | Let’s start, shall we? |
| There is / are … | isn’t there? / aren’t there? | There’s a problem, isn’t there? |
| nothing / something (subject) | it | Nothing’s wrong, is it? |
| nobody / somebody / everybody | they (+ plural auxiliary) | Somebody called, didn’t they? / Everybody has arrived, haven’t they? |
Because that pronoun is they, the tag auxiliary goes plural with it (is -> are, has -> have, does -> do): Everybody is here, aren’t they? / Nobody has replied, have they?
Negative words like never, hardly, rarely, seldom, no, nothing, nobody already make the statement negative, so the tag is positive: He never calls, does he? / You’ve hardly eaten, have you?
Intonation (same words, different meaning):
- Falling tone = you expect the listener to agree (it is not a real question): It’s a lovely day, isn’t it?↘
- Rising tone = a genuine question; you really don’t know the answer: You locked the door, didn’t you?↗
Indirect (embedded) questions
A direct question is buried inside a longer, more polite sentence. Two rules:
- Statement word order - subject before verb. No question inversion.
- No do / does / did as a question helper.
| Direct question | Indirect (polite) |
|---|---|
| Where is the station? | Could you tell me where the station is? |
| What time does it start? | I wonder what time it starts. |
| Is the shop open? | Do you know if/whether the shop is open? |
| When did they leave? | Do you know when they left? |
For yes/no questions, link with if or whether: Do you know if it’s open? For wh- questions, keep the wh- word: I wonder what it costs.
Forms & patterns
Question tag formula:
Statement + , + (opposite polarity) auxiliary/BE/do + pronoun ?
| Statement verb | Tag uses |
|---|---|
| am / is / are / was / were | the same BE form |
| have / has / had (auxiliary) | have / has / had |
| can, will, should, must, etc. | the same modal |
| present simple (no auxiliary) | do / does |
| past simple (no auxiliary) | did |
Exception - must: copy it only when it means obligation (You must sign the form, mustn’t you?); for deduction, the tag comes from the sentence underneath: She must be tired, isn’t she? / He must have left early, didn’t he? (not mustn’t she).
Indirect-question openers (then statement word order): Could you tell me … / Do you know … / I wonder … / Would you mind telling me … / I’d like to know … + wh-word / if / whether + subject + verb.
Examples
| English | Note |
|---|---|
| You’ve finished your homework, haven’t you? | Positive statement (have) -> negative tag. |
| She isn’t coming to the party, is she? | Negative statement -> positive tag. |
| Let’s take a break, shall we? | Special case: Let’s always takes shall we. |
| I’m right, aren’t I? | Special case: I am -> aren’t I. |
| Pass me the salt, will you? | Imperative request -> will you. |
| He never listens, does he? | never makes it negative -> positive tag. |
| Could you tell me where the toilets are? | Indirect: statement order, no inversion. |
| Do you know if the train has left? | Indirect yes/no question with if. |
Common mistakes
You’re tired, isn’t it?-> You’re tired, aren’t you? - the tag pronoun must match the subject.I’m late, amn’t I?-> I’m late, aren’t I? - the fixed tag for I am is aren’t I.She likes tea, likes she?-> She likes tea, doesn’t she? - present simple needs do/does in the tag, not the main verb.Could you tell me where is the station?-> Could you tell me where the station is? - no inversion in indirect questions.Do you know does it open on Sundays?-> Do you know if it opens on Sundays? - drop does; use if/whether for yes/no.
Tips
- Quick rule: positive + negative tag, negative + positive tag. Mismatch the polarity, copy the verb.
- No auxiliary in the statement? The tag uses do / does / did to match the tense.
- Look for hidden negatives (never, hardly, nobody, nothing) - they flip the tag to positive.
- For indirect questions, first ask the direct question in your head, then straighten the word order and drop do/does/did when you embed it.