Invariable Question Tags in English Explained

Invariable Question Tags in English

Invariable question tags are a unique feature of English, often used to seek confirmation, emphasise a point, or invite agreement. Unlike standard question tags, they do not change based on the subject or tense of the main clause. Below, we explore some well-established invariable question s and their usage.

1. Eh?

The tag "eh?" is commonly associated with Canadian English but is also found in British English, which likely influenced its Canadian usage. It can follow both statements and questions, and is sometimes reduplicated for emphasis.

Example 1 (Following a statement): “Better than taking a chance of being seen sloping back to the house though, eh?” (Hart, 1987, pp. 171–2)

Example 2 (Following a question): “And to what do you attribute Waltham’s excellence, eh?” (Price, 1985, p. 235)

Example 3 (Reduplicated): “Eh? Eh? Snares and strangling by rope? Very little difference. Eh? Eh?” (Hart, 1987, p. 48)

2. What?

The tag "what?" is informal and somewhat dated. It is used for emphasis or to invite agreement, often in British English.

Example: “Think we contained them pretty well, what?” (Ebdon, 1985, p. 135)

3. Yeah and Innit

British teenagers often use "yeah" and "innit" as invariable tags. These tags do not show subject or tense concord, making them truly invariant. While "innit" is nonstandard, it is not limited to teenage use and often follows the principle of reverse polarity.

Example 1 (Yeah): “And they’re not gonna stay with me, yeah? Just gonna go off. Yeah?” (Stenström, 1997)

Example 2 (Innit): “Teachers are very unfair in this school, innit?” (LGSWE, 1122–3)

Example 3 (Innit): “These trainers cost me £70. If I mash them, I’ll get another pair, innit Miss?” (Evening Standard, 1990)

Other Invariable Tag Expressions

Several other expressions can function as invariable tag questions, including:

Example 1 (Don’t you think?): “There’s a terrible tendency to think of the Jacobean dramatists as parochial and elitist, don’t you think?” (Taylor, 1985, p. 199)

Example 2 (Hm): “Perhaps you might suggest to Lord Chandler that he keeps in touch, hm?” (Dickinson, 1989, p. 28)

Example 3 (Right): “I’m unemployed, right? And it’s free here, right?” (Fraser, 1987)