You understand tag questions, don't you? (pt. 1 of 2) A "tag question" is a short question that comes after a statement. If the statement is positive, then the tag question is negative. If the statement is negative, then the tag question is positive. Negative statements contain the word "not" or a word such as "no," "nobody," "never," "little," or "hardly." You understand tag questions, don't you? ("You understand tag questions" is a positive statement because it doesn't contain "not." "don't you?" is a negative tag question because it contains "not.") You didn't finish your homework, did you? ("You didn't finish your homework" is a negative statement because it contains "not." "did you?" is a positive tag question because it doesn't contain "not.") You never drink coffee, do you? ("You never drink coffee" is a negative statement because it contains "never." "do you?" is a positive tag question because it doesn't contain "not.") If the statement contains an auxiliary verb (also called a helping verb), such as "can," "could," "should," or "would," or if a form of "to be" is used, this same verb is used in the tag question. If an auxiliary verb is not present in the statement, and a form of "to be" is not present, then the verb "to do" is used in the tag question. I can go, can't I? (The auxiliary verb "can" is used in the statement, so this same verb is repeated in the tag question.) You aren't going, are you? (The verb "to be" is used in the statement, so this same verb is repeated in the tag question.) You like to eat, don't you? (Neither an auxiliary verb nor the verb "to be" is used in the statement, so "to do" is used in the tag question.) That was fun, wasn't it? (The verb "to be" is used in the statement, so this same verb is repeated in the tag question.) You would like more clothes, wouldn't you? (The auxiliary verb "would" is used in the statement, so this same verb is repeated in the tag question.) He found his keys, didn't he? (Neither an auxiliary verb nor the verb "to be" is used in the statement, so "to do" is used in the tag question.) Sometimes, positive statements can have positive tag questions. These are used when the speaker is repeating some information and uses the tag question to express a reaction. You like chocolate, do you? Well, you can't have any of mine! He thinks he can change me, does he? He can try!