Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

QUESTIONS AND TAGS  

98

General   

98a

The formation of questions is treated in 

424–433

. Here in section 98 the question

forms examined are more likely to occur in informal speech than in formal speech

or writing and therefore more properly belong to the grammar of spoken English.

In particular, question tags feature frequently in spoken English and serve to

engage the listener and invite convergence with the speaker.

Question tags and intonation 

98b

The forms and functions of question tags are described in 

431

.

Rising and falling intonation may combine with question tags to produce a

variety of meaning types. Bold type indicates where the tone might typically occur.  

Falling tones (

)

type