5 exercises — form correct question tags after positive, negative, and modal verb statements in professional technical conversations.
0 / 23 completed
1 / 23
The deployment is scheduled for Friday, ___?
Question tags are formed using the auxiliary of the main clause, negated. "The deployment is scheduled" → auxiliary is "is" → negative tag is "isn't it." The rule: positive statement → negative tag. "Is it?" would only work if the statement were negative. "Doesn't it?" uses the wrong auxiliary. "Wasn't it?" uses wrong tense. Question tags in meetings and standups signal that you expect confirmation: "The deployment is scheduled for Friday, isn't it?" = "I believe this to be true — please confirm."
2 / 23
The API has never returned a null body for a 200 response, ___?
"Never" is a negative word, so the statement is semantically negative: "has never returned" = a negative idea. A negative statement takes a POSITIVE tag: "has it?" The rule: negative statement → positive tag. This is the opposite of the standard positive→negative pattern. Watch for these negative words that flip the tag: never, nobody, nothing, hardly, scarcely, rarely. "Has it?" is the correct positive tag for this sentence.
3 / 23
You can reproduce the bug on your local machine, ___?
"You can reproduce" is positive → negative tag "can't you." Modal auxiliary "can" → negative "can't." This pattern is common in debugging conversations: "You can reproduce the bug on your local machine, can't you?" = I believe you can — please confirm. If the speaker is genuinely unsure whether you can reproduce it, they might use rising intonation; if fairly certain, falling intonation. In technical communication, question tags soften directives and confirm shared understanding.
4 / 23
Nobody has push access to the main branch without a review, ___?
"Nobody" is an indefinite negative pronoun — sentences with "nobody," "no one," "nothing" are treated as negative statements and take positive tags. The pronoun in the tag for "nobody" is "they" (gender-neutral third person plural is standard for indefinite pronouns in modern English). So: "Nobody has push access, have they?" — the "have they" is positive because the statement is negative via "nobody." Option D is a double negative, which is ungrammatical in standard English.
5 / 23
When is a question tag appropriate in a professional technical context?
Question tags in professional technical communication serve two main pragmatic functions: (1) seeking confirmation of something you believe is true ("The PR has been reviewed, hasn't it?"), and (2) softening an invitation to speak or involve someone ("You worked on this module last quarter, didn't you?"). They are typical in spoken communication — standups, design reviews, client calls. They are NOT appropriate in written technical documentation (API docs, specs), where you use declarative statements. They cannot express strong disagreement (which uses direct contradiction or rhetorical questions).
6 / 23
During a Slack discussion about the new authentication service, Sarah says: 'We should definitely implement rate limiting to prevent abuse.'
Does she need to ask a question tag to confirm her statement?'
Question tags are most naturally used to seek confirmation or agreement. Option 1 uses the correct phrasing – a simple question tag seeking confirmation of Sarah's suggestion. Options 2 and 3 use overly assertive language and don't form a standard question tag. Option 4 is grammatically awkward.
7 / 23
During a technical discussion with a senior engineer, Alex says: 'The system should be scalable to handle peak loads.'
Which of the following best demonstrates the correct use of a question tag in this scenario?
Question tags typically involve a yes/no question seeking confirmation. 'Should we scale it?' directly asks for agreement on the necessity of scaling to handle peak loads. The other options present statements or focus on related concepts rather than confirming Alex's initial suggestion.
8 / 23
During a Slack discussion about the new authentication service, Sarah says: 'We should definitely implement rate limiting to prevent abuse.'
Does she need to ask a question tag to confirm her statement?'
Question tags are most naturally used to seek confirmation or agreement. Option 1 uses the correct phrasing – a simple question tag seeking confirmation of Sarah's suggestion. Options 2 and 3 use overly assertive language and don't form a standard question tag. Option 4 is grammatically awkward.
9 / 23
During a technical discussion with a senior engineer, Alex says: 'The system should be scalable to handle peak loads.'
Which of the following best demonstrates the correct use of a question tag in this scenario?
Question tags typically involve a yes/no question seeking confirmation. 'Should we scale it?' directly asks for agreement on the necessity of scaling to handle peak loads. The other options present statements or focus on related concepts rather than confirming Alex's initial suggestion.
10 / 23
During a Slack discussion about the new authentication service, Sarah says: 'We should definitely implement rate limiting to prevent abuse.'
Does she need to ask a question tag to confirm her statement?'
Question tags are most naturally used to seek confirmation or agreement. Option 1 uses the correct phrasing – a simple question tag seeking confirmation of Sarah's suggestion. Options 2 and 3 use overly assertive language and don't form a standard question tag. Option 4 is grammatically awkward.
11 / 23
During a technical discussion with a senior engineer, Alex says: 'The system should be scalable to handle peak loads.'
Which of the following best demonstrates the correct use of a question tag in this scenario?
Question tags typically involve a yes/no question seeking confirmation. 'Should we scale it?' directly asks for agreement on the necessity of scaling to handle peak loads. The other options present statements or focus on related concepts rather than confirming Alex's initial suggestion.
12 / 23
commit('fix: typo in documentation') has been pushed to the staging branch. David asks, 'Is this a fix for the user interface, ___?'
Question tags are best used to seek confirmation or clarification about details. Here, David isn't questioning the *type* of fix, but whether it's been adequately reviewed, a common concern in code reviews. Option A introduces a new element (critical bug), and B & D propose actions rather than seeking confirmation.
13 / 23
During a standup meeting, Ben states: 'The frontend team is finishing the user authentication flow.' Emily asks, 'Are they using OAuth 2.0 for this, ___?'
This scenario tests a question tag in a common communication setting. Emily isn't questioning the *completion* of the flow, but specifically seeking confirmation about the authentication method (OAuth 2.0), which is vital for security and integration considerations. Options A & C are tangential to the core issue, while D focuses on an unrelated aspect.
14 / 23
After receiving a response from the API indicating a 404 error, Liam says: 'The endpoint is correctly defined in the documentation.' Chloe asks, 'Is that endpoint actually available at this URL, ___?'
Question tags are useful for verifying facts. Chloe isn't questioning whether the documentation *defines* the endpoint; she's seeking confirmation of its actual availability – a crucial step before assuming functionality. Options A & C introduce irrelevant details about the API's history or version, while D is about design alignment, not current status.
15 / 23
During a code review comment on a pull request, Maria says: 'The function should handle edge cases more robustly.' John asks, 'It's been tested with various inputs, hasn't it?', to check if the reviewer has considered all potential scenarios. Which of the following best demonstrates the correct use of a question tag in this scenario?
The primary purpose of a question tag here is to politely inquire about the reviewer's testing process. The correct answer highlights that a question tag is appropriate when seeking confirmation regarding specific actions taken (testing) related to Maria's comment. Option A demonstrates an incorrect interpretation of Maria's comment, while options C and D are generally unsuitable uses of question tags in this context.
16 / 23
During a standup meeting, Ken says: 'The database migration script is running successfully.' Priya asks, 'Are all the tables being created correctly, are they?', to ensure data integrity. What does this demonstrate about using question tags in professional communication?
The key function of this question tag is to ascertain whether Priya comprehends the outcome – specifically, that all tables are being created correctly. This confirms data integrity. Option A highlights an overly informal phrasing, while options C and D demonstrate misunderstandings about the role of question tags in seeking confirmation or clarification on technical details.
17 / 23
After receiving an API response indicating a 500 Internal Server Error, Mark says: 'The server is reporting an error.' Sarah asks, 'Is there any further information in the logs, is there?', to troubleshoot the issue. How does this demonstrate appropriate use of question tags?
The purpose of this question tag is to seek additional details that can help diagnose the root cause of the 500 Internal Server Error. Asking 'is there?' confirms Sarah's intention to investigate further by requesting logging information. Option A misinterprets the target of the inquiry, while options C and D are incorrect in their assessment of a question tag's utility.
18 / 23
In a pull request discussion, Emily says: 'The code should be compatible with both Python 2 and 3.' David asks, 'Does the build process handle this automatically, does it?', to verify compatibility testing. Which statement best describes the function of this question tag?
The question tag in this scenario is designed to confirm whether a mechanism exists to automatically test the code's compatibility with both Python 2 and 3. This confirms that automated testing has been performed, which is crucial for maintaining code quality. Option A represents an overly casual phrasing, while options C and D misinterpret the purpose of question tags in seeking confirmation regarding technical processes.
19 / 23
During a code review, Alex comments: 'The database connection pool size should be increased to handle the anticipated load.' He asks his colleague, 'We're planning on increasing it, aren't we?' Which of the following best demonstrates the correct use of a question tag in this scenario?
This scenario tests understanding of using question tags to confirm intent. The tag 'aren't we?' seeks confirmation that the colleague is actively considering increasing the pool size. The key is that the tag isn't just a grammatical structure; it's used to elicit agreement and ensure shared understanding. Incorrect options demonstrate misunderstandings about the purpose of question tags in collaborative discussions.
20 / 23
In a Slack channel discussing performance issues with a new microservice, Javier says: 'We need to optimize the query execution time.' He asks his teammate, 'The team is working on it, are they?' What does this primarily demonstrate about effective communication?
This question focuses on the practical application of question tags in Slack. The tag 'are they?' seeks confirmation that someone is actively addressing the performance issue. This demonstrates a proactive approach to communication and shared accountability, which is crucial for collaborative problem-solving in IT environments.
21 / 23
During a standup meeting, Lisa says: 'The API endpoint for user profiles is now available.' David asks, 'Is it accessible via HTTPS, is it?' What purpose does this question tag serve?
This tests understanding of using question tags for specific technical details. Asking 'is it?' confirms the security protocol (HTTPS) which is a vital consideration when discussing APIs. The tag doesn't just confirm availability; it probes for a crucial functional characteristic, demonstrating effective communication during a stand-up update.
22 / 23
After reviewing a pull request containing a new feature implementation, Rohan says: 'The tests cover all possible scenarios, haven't they?' He asks the developer, 'Are they comprehensive, are they?' What is the primary benefit of using this question tag in this context?
This situation highlights the use of question tags to probe deeper into technical details. Asking 'are they?' seeks confirmation that the testing strategy covers all potential scenarios, which is crucial during code reviews. The tag isn't just about confirming a statement; it's about verifying the thoroughness and robustness of the testing process.
23 / 23
During a discussion regarding a failing automated test, Maria says: 'The system should gracefully handle invalid input, shouldn't it?' She asks her colleague, 'Does the error handling code address this, does it?' What is the most important function of this question tag in this scenario?
This example focuses on using question tags to confirm critical aspects of system design. Asking 'does it?' seeks confirmation that the error handling code addresses invalid input – a key requirement for robust systems. It demonstrates an understanding that question tags are valuable when seeking verification about complex behaviors and potential failure modes.
What will I practise in "Question Tags in Professional IT Communication — Grammar Exercises"?
Practise forming and using question tags correctly in technical English: positive/negative patterns, tags with modal verbs, tags after "nobody/never.
How many exercises are in this module?
This module has 23 multiple-choice exercises, each with instant feedback and a full explanation of the correct answer.
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Every exercise is written by the CoderSlingo team, drawing on real workplace English used in IT roles, then reviewed for accuracy and clarity.