Tag Questions?

English as a Second Language What do you want to talk about?
1

Well, what i know about the task questions is that you say a sentence just like it is and then you ask a simple “is’nt it?” at the end or something like that.

That’s ok for me texting or writting something. But when I am speaking it is really strange for me say something like:

So, you went to the park yesterday, DID’NT YOU?

The last part is what is strange for me. So I was wondering if the native-speakers really do that or if I can just say “So you went to the park yesterday” without saying the last part and the people is going to understand me.

Because i feel embarrased each time I’m going to say stuff like this because I dont know if I should say the last part, or its ok not to say it, or if I have to ask just like another question.

To make clearer the situation I’m going to give an example:

-Have you heard about the haunted plantations?
-Oh yes! There are many plantations close to my hometown. When I was 11 I went to one and I was so scary!
-Oh really? You went when you were 11!?

(Is that last part ok? or should I ask: Did you go when you were 11?)

2

Question tags aren’t used all the time. Most questions don’t need them - in fact, if you use them too often you will sound unnatural.

This would be absolutely fine:
-Have you heard about the haunted plantations?
-Oh yes! There are many plantations close to my hometown. When I was 11 I went to one and I was so scary!
-Oh really?

3

Hi Bev,

By the way, shouldn’t it be “I was so scared”? :wink:

4

Oops. Yes, it should… or ‘and it was so scary’.

5

Oh yes, thanks XD I think I was too sleepy when I wrote that but I had the doubt all the morning. But what I wanted to know is if “You went when you were 11!?” this part is wrong there.

6

It’s not wrong, but you don’t have to add it. If you do that too often your conversation will sound stilted and repetitive.