Tag questions are short phrases added to the end of sentences to check information, seek confirmation, or ask for agreement. Tag questions can make requests sound softer, encourage conversation, or show doubt, making them useful in everyday English.
A good place to start is examples with the verb "to be." Note that a positive statement is followed by a negative tag and vice versa. Additionally, the verb in the tag must match the verb in the main statement in tense and form.
But no! You are so excited, aren't you?
Caption 19, BBC Comedy Greats: Michael McIntyre on Google Earth
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Hello. You were searching for a hidden microphone, weren't you?
Caption 21, George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four: BBC TV Movie
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Just as we use "do" to create questions, this verb is used when adding a tag question for sentences with verbs other than "to be" or auxiliary verbs.
The Ambulocetus does look like a link between a land animal and a whale, doesn't it?
Caption 11, Green TV: Evolution of the Whale
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But you don't care about those, do you?
Caption 4, The Big Bang Theory: Sheldon meets James Earl Jones
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You made us what we are, didn't you?
Caption 20, Movie Trailers: Interview with the Vampire
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A sentence in the present perfect requires "have" in the tag rather than "to be" or "do." Similarly, the future tense requires "will," or "won't" if the tag is negative.
You have won a few races, haven't you?
Caption 15, James Dean: Interview & Famous Drive Safely Spot
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Remember me, boy, will you?
Caption 25, Spiller Feat. Sophie Ellis-Bextor: Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)
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Make yourself at home! Won't you? OK.
Captions 82-83, ALF: Some enchanted evening
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Modal verbs such as "would," "should," "can," and "could" are also used in tag questions in certain instances.
Just come over here and sit down, would you? -OK.
Caption 7, Campus Movie Fest: Small Talk
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Further Learning
In addition to spotting more examples on Yabla English, try to make your own sentences with the following modal verbs and suitable tag questions with "can"/"can't," "could"/"couldn't," "should"/"shouldn't" and "would"/"wouldn't."
A few more examples:
We can wait a few more minutes, can't we?
He wouldn't forget about it, would he?
The five senses are sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste.
We see with our eyes, but "to see" can also be used to mean "to understand" or "to realize." "To watch" something takes longer, like when we watch television. The verb "to look" can be transitive or intransitive. You can look at something to examine it or look (as in “outwardly appear”) a certain way.
Finally, I can see you crystal clear.
Caption 3, Adele: Rolling in the Deep
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Now I can see that we've fallen apart
Caption 27, Backstreet Boys: I Want It That Way
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Make sure you guys watch the whole video if you want to see all that footage.
Caption 22, Aspyn Ovard: What To Pack for Vacation! Tips + Essentials!
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Just look at all those acorns!
Caption 22, America's National Parks: Grand Canyon
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This may look like a massive body of water.
Caption 9, BBC News: California ‘crippling drought’ leads to strict water restrictions
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The difference between "hearing" and "listening" is a little like the difference between "seeing" and "watching." If you listen to a sound, what someone is saying, or music, you pay close attention rather than just noticing it with your ears.
Did you hear that?
Caption 54, Abiventures: Sandwich
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And then I always listen to music because it helps me work out better.
Caption 41, Harvard: A Day in the Life of a Harvard Student
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So, now listen to how I pronounce the following words.
Caption 8, British vs American English: Pronunciation Lesson
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Our sense of touch is about physical contact and how things feel. There are many phrases that use the idea of touch to describe different types of physical and metaphorical contact. "keep in touch" (remain in contact), "lose their touch," (lose their ability to do something), or "have the right touch" (have certain skills)."
If we touch his tail, he'll get frightened.
Caption 10, Nature & Wildlife: Wild Sharks
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He must be losing his touch.
Caption 42, ALF: Some enchanted evening
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And, of course, a pineapple just to add a touch of the tropics.
Captions 15-16, Tara's Recipes: Delicious Fruit Salad with Greek Yogurt
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Like "to look," the verbs "to smell" and "to taste" can be either transitive or intransitive. They can be used to talk about the action of smelling or tasting, but also to describe how something smells or tastes.
I think I can smell chocolate.
Caption 23, Peppa Pig: Easter Week
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And they smell so good.
Caption 35, Blippi: Cool Science Experiment for Kids
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I'm gonna open up a restaurant, so people can taste my food!
Caption 16, Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives: Pam's Trinidadian Caribbean Kitchen
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I wanna see what the lambsquarters taste like, first of all.
Caption 38, Food Talk with Sigrid: Foraging
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You may know that "taste" is also a noun meaning someone's idea of what's good or bad and their ability to choose well. It can also refer to a short experience of something.
This show is all about the three Ts of New York: The talent, the trends, and the taste.
Caption 2, On Deck with Lucy: TV Host Jeremy Hassell
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Another thing to be aware of: While "tasty" is a positive adjective, "smelly" means that something smells bad!
Further Learning
There are several videos on the senses on Yabla English where you can learn even more about this topic, including a detailed overview from Sigrid and a fun video about a dog's sense of smell.