oxford_guide_to_english_grammar

PAGE 41 35 Echo questions and echo tags
2 Echo tags
We form an echo tag like an ordinary question tag. • 34(1). A positive statement
has a positive tag, and a negative statement has a negative tag. (But • Note c.)
We're moving house soon. ~ Oh, are you?
Max played the part brilliantly. ~ Did he really?
The boss isn't very well. ~ Isn't she?
My brothers can't swim. ~ Can't they?
These tags express interest in what someone has just said. Oh, are you? means 'Oh,
really?' The voice usually rises.
Oh, & are you? Did he & really?
But if the voice falls, this means that the speaker is not interested. • 54(2c)
NOTE
a An echo tag is sometimes without inversion.
We're moving house soon. ~ You are?
b After a positive statement, there can be a short statement + echo tag.
We're moving house soon. ~ You are, are you?
Max played the part brilliantly. ~ He did, did he?
Like a simple echo tag, this also expresses interest. Although the information is new, there
is a suggestion that it was expected: You are, are you? I thought so. But if the short
statement contradicts the previous sentence, this expresses surprise or even disbelief.
We're moving house soon. ~ You aren't, are you?
My brothers can't swim. ~ They can, can't they?
c We can use a negative tag in reply to a positive statement. This expresses agreement.
Max played the part brilliantly. ~ Yes, didn't he?
It's a lovely day. ~ It is, isn't it?
That was fun. ~ Yes, wasn't it?
The information is already known; both speakers saw Max playing the part.