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Anonymous Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

Ending with a question

Hello,

This is confusing. Example: You had to kill him, didn't you?

Is 'didn't' appropriate here to end with a question? Or is it something else?
  

Top answer

This is perfectly natural. " There are many of them. Most work the same, but there are a few special ones.

— Avangi

  • This is perfectly natural.
  • " There are many of them.
  • Most work the same, but there are a few special ones.
  • "You had to kill him, didn't you" can also be a rhetorical question.
  • In that case, I'm not sure if the question mark is used.
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4 Answers
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This is perfectly natural.

You might search for "tag questions."

There are many of them. Most work the same, but there are a few special ones.

"You had to kill him, didn't you" can also be a rhetorical question. In that case, I'm not sure if the question mark is used.
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There is more in it then merely a tag 'didn't you?'. If the speaker wants only confirmation of the information included in the statement 'You had to kill him', then the tag 'didn't you? ' is said with a falling intonation. However, when the speaker is not sure about the statement (here, about the fact of him being forced to kill) and wants t
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AnonymousIf the speaker wants only confirmation of the information included in the statement 'You had to kill him', then the tag 'didn't you? ' is said with a falling intonation. However, when the speaker is not sure about the statement (here, about the fact of him being forced to kill) and wants to be reassured then the question tag 'didn't you?' is said with a rising in
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