| Form | positive statement, negative tag; negative statement, positive tag | It's cold, isn't it? / It isn't cold, is it? |
| Pronoun | auxiliary + pronoun; the pronoun replaces the subject | Tom is late, isn't he? |
| be | isn't / aren't / wasn't / weren't | They were late, weren't they? |
| Other verbs | present: don't / doesn't; past: didn't | She works here, doesn't she? / He left early, didn't he? |
| have, modals | repeat the auxiliary or modal | You've finished, haven't you? / You can swim, can't you? |
| I am | aren't I | I'm right, aren't I? |
| Let's, command | Let's → shall we; command → will you | Let's go, shall we? / Open the door, will you? |
| Use | check something, make conversation or ask politely | You're from Madrid, aren't you? |
| Intonation | falling ↘: you are sure; rising ↗: a real question | It's a lovely day, isn't it? ↘ / You haven't seen my keys, have you? ↗ |
| Trap | nobody / nothing / never make the statement negative: positive tag | Nobody called, did they? |