Question tag: she does, does she?

[harry]

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #36 "Question Tags (2)", question 5

Sarah: 'She hates the sight of him.'
Paul: '.........'

(a) She did, did she?
(b) She does, does she?
(c) She hates, does she?
(d) She doesn't hate, does she?

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #36 "Question Tags (2)", answer 5

Sarah: 'She hates the sight of him.'
Paul: 'She does, does she?'

Correct answer: (b) She does, does she?
_________________________

It should be: She does, doesn't she?

harry

[Alan]

Hi,

In this sentence the question tag isn't an agreement with the first speaker's remark but merely an indication of surprise.

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Read the Signs...

[Chami]

But it is confusing.

[Sasooo]

hello alan . thanks for your wonderful explanation. I am an english teacher so I teach question tag in class. but its my first time to know that it's possible for the tag q to be possitive as
she does ,does she? or
Iam ,am I?
I KNOW they are
she does , doesnot she?
what do you think? please answer me quickly. I raelly want to understand this grammar
thanks

[Alan]

Please activate Javascript and Adobe Flash for view MP3 player

23 views

Download mp3	Click to listen

Hi Sasooo,

You are right when you say that the usual purpose of the question tag is to ask for affirmation as in: He said that,didn't he? or He didn't say that, did he?.

The use of double positive is a slight refinement because here the speaker wants to show surprise even sarcasm as well as seeking affirmation. Imagine Charlie is known to be very careful with his money and you have just been told that Charlie has paid for the meal both for himself and his friend. You are surprised and you say: Oh, he did, did he? That surprises me a lot.

Alan
_________________
English as a Foreign Language
You can read my EFL story A Rhapsody of Words

[Viator]

Oh, I'm most grateful for that answer professor Allan. I think I understood at last! Oh, I did, did I? Surprise myself ^^.