English Conversation

149

appendix b

Short tag questions

and answers

Present tense

Be

Questions Affirmative answers Negative answers

I am, am I not? (formal)

I am, aren’t I? (informal)

I’m not, am I?

Yes, you are. No, you aren’t.

No, you aren’t.

No, you aren’t.

No, you’re not.

You are, aren’t you?

You aren’t, are you?

Yes, I am. No, I’m not.

No, I’m not.

He is, isn’t he?

He isn’t, is he?

(she)

Yes, he is.

(she)

No, he isn’t.

No, he’s not.

(she)

There is, isn’t there?

There isn’t, is there?

Yes, there is. No, there isn’t.

No, there’s not.

We are, aren’t we?

We aren’t, are we?

Yes, we are. No, we aren’t.

No, we’re not.

They are, aren’t they?

They aren’t, are they?

Yes, they are. No, they aren’t.

No, they’re not.

There are, aren’t there?

There aren’t, are there?

Yes, there are. No, there aren’t.

Modal verbs

Questions Affirmative answers Negative answers

Can

I can, can’t I?

I can’t, can I?

(you/he/she/it/we/they)

Yes, you can.

(I/you/he/she/it/we/

they)

No, you can’t.

(I/you/he/she/it/we/

they)

Could

I could, couldn’t I?

I couldn’t, could I?

(you/he/she/it/we/they)

Yes, you could.

(I/you/he/she/it/we/

they)

No, you couldn’t.

(I/you/he/she/it/we/

they)