Welcome to Daily Tips on Learning English. Today’s tip is on the intonation of tag questions.
Tag questions are used in two very different ways, and the difference depends on whether you use a rising or falling pitch at the end of the tag question. One way tag questions are used is to get your listener to agree with you about something you think is a fact, or must be true.
If you think a lady is beautiful, you say, “She is beautiful, isn’t she??” You expect the listener to say, “Yes, she is.” If you know a man is not rich, you say, “He isn’t rich, is he??” You expect the listener to say, “No, he isn’t.” When you use a tag question to get your listener to agree, you must use a falling intonation. “She is beautiful, isn’t she??” “He isn’t rich, is he??”
The other way tag questions are used is to ask for information. You don’t know the answer, so you ask in a question. “She is beautiful, isn’t she??” “He isn’t rich, is he??” when you really don’t know the answer, you should use a rising intonation. So, “He isn’t rich, is he??” you know that he isn’t rich. But, “He isn’t rich, is he??” you don’t know whether he is rich or not.
Listen to another example. “You like Taiwan, don’t you??” “You like Taiwan, don’t you??”
So remember to use the proper intonation when you use tag questions.
This has been today’s daily tip on learning English. Tune in tomorrow for another tip.
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