question tag

[Teia]

Hi teachers

Please help me understand what is the correct question tag of the following sentence:

I don`t think anyone will come, do I ?[ is this correct?] .Or, should I refer to the second sentence "anyone will come" [ do they?]


Thank you very much in advance

Regards,

Teia

[BobK]

You need to be aware of two very different systems of tag questions. I can only speak for the British system.

Do I? would sound aggressive and rude in your example: I don`t think anyone will come, do I ? suggests You don't honestly think I'd do anything so stupid?. So you're right in thinking you need to tag the 2nd sentence. But the tag is will they.

b

[Harry Smith]

Originally Posted by teia_petrescu

Hi teachers

Please help me understand what is the correct question tag of the following sentence:

I don`t think anyone will come, do I ?[ is this correct?] .Or, should I refer to the second sentence "anyone will come" [ do they?]


Thank you very much in advance

Regards,

Teia

The first is correct.

[rewboss]

The first is correct only if the speaker is seeking confirmation on the fact that he or she doesn't think. That's unlikely, unless the speaker is being sarcastic (as BobK suggested).

What the speaker is most likely seeking confirmation on is "anyone will come". The auxiliary verb in that sentence is "will", so that's the verb you need to use in the question tag.

[Teia]

I would like to thank very much to all those who helped me understand the way I should consider question tags, mostly when the sentences are compound ones.


Thank you again
Best regards
Teia