add-on questions

One of the difficulties of English is to raise another question at the end of a statement in the correct way. For example:

He likes ice cream doesn't he?

He likes ice cream (statement)

doesn't he? (add-on question)

French just has "n'est-ce pas?" (is this not?) which can be shortened to "hein?" sometimes.

German just has "nicht wahr?" (not true?) which can be shortened to "ne?" sometimes.

English has many such ending questions...e.g. isn't it? doesn't it? couldn't he? wouldn't she? didn't he, haven't they? can't we? etc etc etc...

To make it easier for you English learners, rather than trying to learn all these different combinations, you can learn, for example:

He likes ice cream. Is that right? or, "correct?"

This saves a lot of time and means the same thing as He likes ice cream doesn't he?

For more complex questions from statements..e.g.

You would have thought that he would like ice cream considering his father is an ice cream seller wouldn't you?

You can say: "You would have thought that he would like ice cream considering his father is an ice cream seller would you not agree?

This way, you can use the words you used before in the same sentence "would" and "you" and then add a "not agree?" at the end.

My dog would be more cute with a hair trim wouldn't he?

can be:

My dog would be more cute with a hair trim right?

You could also say: My dog would be more cute with a hair trim. What do you think?

So, think about the statement, then add a simpler ending.

My friend should come to my house tonight shouldn't he?

My friend should come to my house tonight? (agreed?) or (right?) or (don't you think?)

Or, just change it to a new question.

My friend should come to my house tonight. Would you agree with that?

Of course, you can still listen to English native speakers using all these different combinations and copy them if you feel confident.

But just look at this list....

Don't you?

Can't you?

Won't you?

Couldn't you?

Didn't you?

Shouldn't you?

Wouldn't you?

Haven't you?

Hadn't you?

Will you?

(and that is just for the word "you"...)

So, make things a bit easier for yourself with simpler (but very effective alternative question words)

Bye for now

Alan