Tag questions.

[nq:1]I am curious. What kind of contracted tag question (eg. don't you?) would you the native speakers put after each ... need really think about the problem, ? (4) Jinny might be able to do it, ?[/nq]
I would not use a tag question, as the "form" dictates a very awkward construction.

[nq:1]I am curious. What kind of contracted tag question (eg. don't you?) would you the native speakers put after each ... need really think about the problem, ? (4) Jinny might be able to do it, ?[/nq]
(1) mayn't he/can't he
(2) oughtn't he
(3) ?
(4) mightn't she
A common alternative would be "don't you think?"
Adrian

Adrian Bailey filted:
[nq:2]I am curious. What kind of contracted tag question (eg. ... Jinny might be able to do it, ?[/nq]
[nq:1](1) mayn't he/can't he (2) oughtn't he (3) ? (4) mightn't she A common alternative would be "don't you think?"[/nq]
Of course, when pressed, "innit?" will sub for any tag question..r

[nq:1]I am curious. What kind of contracted tag question (eg. don't you?) would you the native speakers put after each ... think about the problem, ? (4) Jinny might be able to do it, ? Your answers:[/nq]
(1) Innit?
(2) Doncha reckon?
(3) No?
(4) Done deal?

Ross Howard

[nq:1]I am curious.[/nq]
You can say that again.
[nq:1]What kind of contracted tag question (eg. don't you?) would you the native speakers put after each sentence below? (1) ... needs to think about the problem, doesn't she?". (4)"Jinny might be able to do it, wouldn't you say?" Thank you!![/nq]
You're welcome, aren't you?

Mike Barnes
Cheshire, England

[nq:1]I am curious. What kind of contracted tag question (eg. don't you?) would you the native speakers put after each ... think about the problem, ? (4) Jinny might be able to do it, ? Your answers:[/nq]
You'll find all of "mayn't", "oughtn't", "needn't", and "mightn't" in Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary Eleventh Edition . They are idiomatic and should be understood with no problem by

[nq:2](3) Mary need really think about the problem, ?[/nq]
[nq:1]On looking more closely at (3) I realize that it's not an idiomatic statement to begin with. The singular "need" is subjunctive, and it's out of place in a simple declarative sentence.[/nq]
I don't see this as a subjunctive. "Need" and "dare" can sometimes behave like modal auxilliaries, without an "-s" in the third person si

[nq:1](1) Tom may go home soon, ? (2) Jerry ought to study for his exam, ? (3) Mary need really think about the problem, ? (4) Jinny might be able to do it, ?[/nq]
(1) mayn't he
(2) oughtn't he/shouldn't he
(3)
This is the most interesting one, as it presumes that the speaker treats "need" so much like a modal verb that he'd say such a thing. I'd say one of the following:
Mary

[nq:1]I am curious. What kind of contracted tag question (eg. don't you?) would you the native speakers put after each sentence below? (1) Tom may go home soon, ?[/nq]
"May not" doesn't contract in idiomatic American English. As you are no doubt aware. I would guess that the most common tag would be "don't you think", which solves the problem by demoting "may" to subordinate clause status.

[nq:1]I don't see this as a subjunctive. "Need" and "dare" can sometimes behave like modal auxilliaries, without an "-s" in the third person singular, but not in this context.[/nq]
Can you devise an example using "Mary need really think about the problem" in any way that doesn't make "need" subjunctive?
[nq:2]Apparently the intended thought is "Mary needs to really think ... tag question t