Lesson 83 — Small Talk & Tag Questions

Small Talk & Tag Questions

In this lesson you practice **introducing yourself**, **asking how to address someone**, and **tag questions** — short questions added to a statement.

• Small talk: Beautiful day, isn't it? — Nice to meet you.
• Do you mind if I call you …? / How do you prefer to be addressed?
• Tag = opposite of statement (positive ↔ negative)
• I am → aren't I? (exception)
• Simple past → didn't; modal → same modal in tag

Small talk usually starts with simple questions and answers — often about the weather or the moment.

• A: Good morning. Beautiful day, isn't it?
• B: It really is. By the way, I'm Kazuko Toshinaga.
• A: I'm Jane Quite. Nice to meet you.
• B: Nice to meet you, too.
• A: Do you mind if I call you Kazuko?
• B: Absolutely not. Please do.
• A: And please call me Jane.

Ask politely how someone prefers to be called — you put the choice in their hands.

• Do you mind if I call you Tom / Ali?
• Would it be rude to call you Tom?
• What would you like to be called?
• How do you prefer to be addressed?

A **tag question** is a short question after a statement. Use it to start conversation or confirm what you think. The tag is usually the **opposite** of the statement: positive → negative tag, negative → positive tag.

• Beautiful day, isn't it? (start small talk)
• You're John, aren't you? (you are fairly sure)
• Yeah, it's really nice to meet you.

• You are John, aren't you?
• He is a teacher, isn't he?
• We are very hardworking, aren't we.
• I'm a hardworking student, aren't I? (exception — memorize)
• You are late, aren't you?
• He is rich, isn't he?
• She is a student, isn't she?

• He speaks English, doesn't he?
• He's going to drive, isn't he?
• You aren't going to drive, are you?
• There are lots of rules, aren't there?
• There isn't any sugar, is there?
• They left, didn't they? (simple past → did)
• They bought the car, didn't they?
• You read this book, didn't you?
• It has been a great day, hasn't it?
• They can hear me, can't they?
• I don't know you, do I?

• We're not going to eat, are we?
• He wasn't driving, was he?
• You wouldn't do that, would you?
• You were there, weren't you?