Вопрос школьника
Read the text and answer the questions: What is the English for ‘Вам нравится Джон, не так ли?’ How do you know when to reply to a question tag, and when not?
Ответ от учителя
The English for ‘Вам нравится Джон, не так ли?’ is «You like John, don’t you?»
When it comes to question tags, it is important to pay attention to the intonation and context of the sentence. A question tag is a short question added to the end of a statement, which seeks confirmation or agreement from the listener. If the intonation of the statement is rising at the end, it usually indicates that a question tag is expected. For example, «You like John» with a rising intonation at the end would be followed by «don’t you?»
However, not all statements require a question tag. If the statement is already a question, such as «Do you like John?», then a question tag is not necessary. Additionally, if the statement is negative, the question tag should be positive, and vice versa. For example, «You don’t like John, do you?»
In summary, the use of question tags depends on the intonation and context of the statement, and it is important to pay attention to these cues to know when to reply to a question tag and when not to.