How to use question tags with imperatives

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

In English, we often use imperatives when we give commands or instructions. Imperatives tell someone what to do, like “Close the door” or “Sit down.” But sometimes, we want to add a little extra to our commands. That’s where question tags come in.

What are question tags?

Question tags are small bits we add to the end of sentences to make them sound more friendly or to check if someone agrees with us.

For example, if we say, “It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?” The “isn’t it” part is the question tag.

Using question tags with imperatives

When we use imperatives, we can also add question tags to make them sound softer or to ask for confirmation. For example:

1. With Positive Imperatives: If we’re giving a command or instruction using a positive imperative (like “Come here”), we often add a question tag with “will you?” For example:

• “Close the window, will you?”
• “Pass me the salt, will you?” Adding “will you?” at the end makes the command feel more like a request.

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1. With Negative Imperatives: If our command is negative (like “Don’t do that”), we usually use “won’t you?” or “will you?” in the question tag. For example:

• “Don’t forget your keys, will you?”
• “Don’t make any noise, will you?” Using “will you?” or “won’t you?” at the end slightly softens the negative command.

Let’s look at some more examples to understand better:

• “Please close the door, will you?” (Positive imperative with question tag “will you?”)
• “Don’t be late for class, will you?” (Negative imperative with question tag “will you?”)
• “Sit down, won’t you?” (Positive imperative with question tag “won’t you?”)
• “Don’t touch that, will you?” (Negative imperative with question tag “will you?”)

Why do we use question tags with imperatives?

Question tags with imperatives can make our commands sound more polite or friendly. They show that we’re not just demanding something, but we’re also asking for cooperation or agreement.