Question tags – aren’t you? don’t you?

Question tags are short questions added to the end of a sentence. They are used to confirm information, check understanding, or seek agreement. Question tags are common in spoken English and help make conversations more interactive and engaging. For positive sentences, we generally use negative question tags, and for negative sentences, we use positive question tags.

Question tags - Exercise

This exercise focuses on Question tags

Here, we’ll focus on two common question tags: "aren’t you?" and "don’t you?"

Structure of Question Tags

The basic structure of question tags is as follows:

Positive statement + negative question tag
Example: "You are coming, aren’t you?"
Negative statement + positive question tag
Example: "You aren’t coming, are you?"

Using "Aren’t you?"

"Aren’t you?" is used when we want to confirm something about someone using a positive statement with a negative tag. It often follows statements with the verb "to be" in the present tense.

Examples of "Aren’t you?"

"You’re a teacher, aren’t you?"
"You’re coming to the party, aren’t you?"
"You’re interested in the job, aren’t you?"

Explanation: In each case, "aren’t you?" is added to check or confirm the information stated.

Using "Don’t you?"

"Don’t you?" is used to confirm something that involves actions or activities, often with verbs other than "to be." It typically follows a positive sentence with a negative question tag.

Examples of "Don’t you?"

"You like coffee, don’t you?"
"You live nearby, don’t you?"
"You understand the instructions, don’t you?"

Explanation: "Don’t you?" checks for agreement with what the speaker believes to be true, such as liking coffee, living nearby, or understanding instructions.

Other Forms

Here’s how "are" and "do" change in other forms:

Subject	Positive Statement	Negative Statement	Question Tag
You	"You are happy, aren’t you?"	"You aren’t sad, are you?"	aren’t you/are you?
He/She	"He likes sports, doesn’t he?"	"She doesn’t like tea, does she?"	doesn’t he/does she?
They	"They live here, don’t they?"	"They don’t study, do they?"	don’t they/do they?

FAQ

Do I always need to use a question tag?

No, question tags are optional but are useful for checking or confirming information, especially in conversation.

Can I use question tags with all tenses?

Yes, you can use question tags with past, present, and future tenses by matching the auxiliary or helping verb.

Are question tags formal or informal?

Question tags are generally more common in informal spoken English, though they can appear in both formal and informal contexts.

What’s the difference between "aren’t you" and "don’t you"?

"Aren’t you" is used with sentences that have the verb "to be" (e.g., "You are happy"), while "don’t you" is used with action verbs (e.g., "You like coffee").

How do I know if the question tag should be positive or negative?

If the main sentence is positive, use a negative question tag, and if the main sentence is negative, use a positive question tag.