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Reply ąuestions

Tag ąuestions Formation

Meaning and intonation

Unit 26 Questions 2

Explanations

Reply ąuestions are a way of replying to a statement, when you do not agree or are not surę, or are surprised.

We’re leaving at 6.00.    Are we?    (not surę)

I’ve never eaten spaghetti.    Haven’tyou?    (surprise)

Tag ąuestions add a ąuestion to the end of a statement. The meaning depends on whether the ąuestion is positive or negative, and on the intonation.

Tag ąuestions are formed using the auxiliaries. When the maili verb is positive, then the tag is negative. When the main verb is negative, then the tag is positive. You speak Frencb, don’tyou?    (negative tag)

You don ’t speak French, do you? (positive tag)

•    There are two possible ąuestions, each with two intonations. Negative tags generally suppose the answer will be yes. The rising tonę is like a real ąuestion because the speaker is not really surę and needs information, The level/falling tonę is used to check information.

You speak French, don ’t you ?    (rising)

Tm not surę, so tell me if I’m right.

You speak French, dondyou?    (level/falling)

I’m surę that you do, but Tm checking.

Positive tags generally suppose the answer will be no.

You don’t speak French, do you?    (rising)

I’m surę you donY./Fm surprised that you do.

You don’t speak French, do you?    (level/falling)

I’m surę that you don’t, but Tm checking.

•    Tenses

This is a selection of examples, with explanations of meaning. Not all types are included.

Present simple	You don’t know the answer, do you? You’ve been pretending to know.	(L/F)
Present continuous	We Fe enjoying oursehes, arend we? You want someone to agree with you.	(L/F)
Present perfect	He’s movedhouse, hasn’the? YouYe not surę about this.	(R)
Past simple	You didnd tellher, didyou? YouYe angry because it’s true!	(R)

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