Why 'are there' and not 'are they'?

[XYZ]

English Language Tests, Intermediate level

ESL/EFL Test #238 "Question Tags Test (1)", question 7

There aren't many guests here yet, .........?

(a) are they
(b) aren't there
(c) are there

English Language Tests, Intermediate level

ESL/EFL Test #238 "Question Tags Test (1)", answer 7

There aren't many guests here yet, are there?

Correct answer: (c) are there
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Why 'are there' and not 'are they'

XYZ

[Alan]

Hi,

When you create a question tag at the end of the sentence, the 'subject' remains the same:

He is, isn't he?
They aren't, are they?
There isn't, is there?

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple

[Pasban110]

It was tricky, wasn't it? LOL.

-Salivan

[Grasi02]

It's as simple as
1. SWITCHING the first 2 words
2. changing (negating) the verb to be
is- isn't
aren't- are`

He is handsome, isn't he?
It is late already, isn't it?

There aren't... so the tag questions will be "are there?"
It will be are they if the first clause is they are.

[Pasban110]

Many thanks Grasi.

-Salivan