TAG QUESTIONS

Affirmative - Negative

The basic form consists of an affirmative statement followed by the negative interrogative form of the auxiliary verb.

• You can drive, can't you?

Here the speaker believes the other person can play the piano, and is expecting the affirmative reply, and would find the negative reply surprising.

Negative - Affirmative

Alternatively, the statement can be negative, followed by the affirmative interrogative form of the auxiliary verb.

• But you can't play the violin, can you?

Here the speaker believes the other person can't play the violin, and is expecting the negative reply, and would find the affirmative reply surprising.

This structure is often employed when making a very polite request.

• I couldn't have the afternoon off, could I?

[edit]Affirmative - Affirmative

There also exists the affirmative statement followed by the affirmative interrogative form of the auxiliary verb.

• He can work next Sunday, can he?

Here the speaker is either

1. Asking a real question.
2. Confirming the veracity of a new piece of information.

[edit]Intonation

The voice tone is normally You can play the piano as a statement - in a flat, even voice.

The tag part can take two forms.

1. Falling tone. Means the speaker is almost completely sure he is correct.
2. Rising tone. Means the speaker is making an assumption and is not totally sure. S/he is actually asking a question, although s/he still expects an affirmative reply.

• Rising tone. Normally at all times in the case of Affirmative - Affirmative.

[edit]

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