Inversion

The other person does not know what to say. We can add a tag to the end of the statement so that it becomes a question.

You're French, aren't you?

Now the other person knows that they have to reply and the conversation can continue.

Tags are formed using auxiliaries (do, be, have or a modal).

• Helen lives here, …

doesn't she?

• You left early, …

didn't you?

• Jack was born in Italy,…

wasn't he?

• You will help me,…

won't you?

• Someone's got to pay,..

haven't they?

A positive statement has a negative tag, and expects the answer Yes.

• A: You agree with me, don't you?
• B: Yes, I do.

A negative statement has a positive tag, and expects the answer No.

• A: You don't take sugar, do you?
• B: No, I don't.

It is possible for a positive tag to follow a positive statement;

• to express interest
• ask for confirmation.

BUT…. this is less common.

• So you like working here, do you?

Tags with will and won't can be used after imperatives.

• Don't drive too fast, will you?

Let's ... has a tag formed with shall

• Let's have a drink, shall we?

Choose the correct option

a) Let's go to London next weekend, shall we/won't we?

b) You shouldn't have told me, did you/should you?

c) Jim hasn't been waiting long, was he/has he?

d) You won't tell anyone about this, do you/will you?

e) You're not doing what I told you, do you/are you?

f) Answer the phone for me, will you/do you?

g) George can't have noticed, can he/has he?

h) You've got to leave now, don't you/haven't you?

i) Pam and Tim got married last year, didn't they/haven't they?

j) I don't think John's very friendly, does he/is he

Answers

Rewrite each sentence, beginning as shown, so that the meaning stays the same

a) Tony was not only late, but he had left all his books behind.

• Not only …………………...

b) I had no sooner gone to bed than someone rang my doorbell.

• No sooner …………………...

c) I have seldom stayed in a worse hotel.

• Seldom …………………...

d) I have never heard such nonsense!

• Never …………………...

e) I realised only then that I had lost my keys.

• Only then …………………...

f) The economic situation has rarely been worse.

• Rarely …………………...

g) The manager not once offered us an apology.

• Not once …………………...

h) You should not send money to us by post under any circumstances.

• Under no circumstances …………………...

i) I understood Hamlet only after seeing it on the stage.

• Only after seeing Hamlet …………………...

j) The embassy staff little realised that Ted was a secret agent.

• Little …………………...

Answers