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Speaking Strategy
Eliciting Agreement and Signaling Uncertainty
A. We use ‘tag questions’ for two reasons: eliciting agreement (confirming
facts) and signaling uncertainty.
Sam has not come to work. I’ve heard he’s sick, isn’t he?
Oh, yes. He was not well yesterday.
What’s wrong with him?
The doctors are checking his health condition.
It isn’t something serious, is it?
I hope not.
More examples:
1
LESSON He’s really generous, isn’t he?
They are going to leave here, aren’t they?
This cannot be true, can it?
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