フェリス大学　「TOEFL」コミュのEnglish "Tags"

Japanese has the following two "tags": ね & か, which can be added to the end of normal sentences to form either affirmations or questions. For example:

今日は寒いです。 = Today is cold. (normal)

今日は寒いですね。 = Today is cold. (affirmation)

The speaker knows that it is cold, and wants the listener to affirm his opinion. (in other words, the speaker expects the listener to agree with them)

今日は寒いですか？ = Today is cold? (question)

The speaker does not know whether it is cold or not, and is asking the listener a true question.

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In English, we have similar "tags". They add to the end of normal sentences to form affirmatives or questions, just like Japanese. For example:

It is cold today. (normal)

It is cold today, ISN'T IT? (tag)

Unlike Japanese, in which ね is the affirmative tag, and か is the question tag, English only has one type of tag. Affirmative or question sentences depend on the PITCH of the tag, or how it is pronounced. For example:

It is cold today, ISN'T IT? (with IT at a higher pitch)= 今日は寒いですか？

It is cold today, ISN'T IT? (with ISN'T at a higher pitch) = 今日は寒いですね。

Not so hard, is it? Now practice English "tags" on your own and use them in your conversations.

-Eric Sensei

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[1] mixiユーザー 10月24日 23:38

Here are more "tags" for you, added to the end of normal sentances.

1. You're coming to the party, AREN'T YOU?
2. That's not your dog, IS IT?
3. That was a wonderful movie, WASN'T IT?
4. You bought that dress at The Gap, DIDN'T YOU?
5. You won't be on vacation next week, WILL YOU?

Practice making you own!
-Eric Sensei

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