Everybody does, don't they?
More about tags

    In some of our recent one-point lessons, we have looked at "tags." In last week's lesson, we thought about simple tags like these:

    • That was a good movie, wasn't it?
    • She can sing very well, can't she?
    • She doesn't like him, does she?
    • They went there yesterday, didn't they?

    This week I'd like to look at some more structures with tags.

Everybody, somebody, nobody

    The tag for these words is formed by using the auxiliary verb + they .

    • Everybody in Japan can use chopsticks, can't they?
    • Somebody's been here this evening, haven't they?
    • Nobody knows how to operate this machine, do they?
      (See the next section for the rule about making tags with nobody)

    *NOTE:
    By the way do you notice something interesting? Everybody, somebody and nobody take a singular verb form: Somebody's been..., Nobody knows..., but the tag is still ...haven't they? / ...do they? etc.

Negative words: nothing, never, nobody, no

    For negative words like nothing, never, nobody, no, the tag uses a positive form:

    • Nobody likes him, do they?
    • He never comes to see us, does he?
    • Nothing can go wrong now, can it?
    • No children are allowed in this pub, are they?

Let's... and imperative structures

    When people make a suggestion with Let's..., they often add shall we? as a tag:

    • OK. Let's meet at 6 o'clock, shall we?

    With imperatives, people sometimes use either ...will you? or ...would you? as a tag:

    • Open the door, will you?
    • Pass the salt, would you?

    Note:
    It is probably OK to use this form, (Imperative... will you / would you?), if you are speaking to people who are younger than you, but you shouldn't use it when speaking to your boss or to an older person.

    With negative imperatives, people sometimes use ...will you? as a tag.

    • Now, Jenny. Don't forget to say thank you to Auntie Rosemary, will you?
      (Also possible: Now, Jenny. You won't forget to say thank you to Auntie Rosemary, will you?

I think..., I suppose...,

    Let's look at a few examples:

    • I think George was in the army for a few years, wasn't he?
    • I expect she'll be late again as usual, won't she?

    Please notice that the tag matches the subject + verb which COMES AFTER I expect... / suppose... etc.

    Watch what happens with I don't think... / I don't suppose:

    • I don't think you've met John, have you?
    • I don't suppose you need this, do you?

    Do you see what happens? After I don't think... / I don't suppose..., we have POSITIVE VERB - POSITIVE TAG.

Short conversational phrases

    With short conversational phrases, we often miss out the subject and verb (e.g. "See you later" instead of "I'll see you later.") Look at the tags in these examples:

    • Nice day, isn't it?
    • Having a good time, aren't you?
    • Lot of people here, aren't there?

    This is because, the full form of these sentences would be:

    • It's a nice day, isn't it?
    • You're having a good time, aren't you?
    • There are a lot of people here, aren't there?

    And, finally, one special tag you need to know: I'm..., aren't I?

    • I'm pretty bad at this, aren't I?

Exercise

    Please add tags to the following sentences:

    1. Everybody in our class is coming to the party, __________?
    2. He's never on time, __________?
    3. Not many Japanese women wear kimonos nowadays, __________?
    4. Let's put these papers away and look at them again tomorrow, __________?
    5. Give me a hand with this suitcase, __________?
    6. I think she's a famous actress, __________?
    7. I don't think you like me, __________?
    8. Interesting guy, __________?
    9. I'm doing this wrong, __________?

    Click here to check your answers

    Click here if you want to try some of my other one-point lessons.

    © Robert E. Jones, 2004