Question tags must

[banderas]

Dear Teachers,

I wonder what is the question tag to:
"It must be his decision, ................."
Musn't it?, meaning "right?".
I am in doubt because of the nature of the modal verb "must".
I must, I don't have to. NOT I must not.
I can, I can't.
I should, I shouldn't etc
How about "must", then?

To make it more complicated, let me give you another example:
You must be waiting for my sister, aren't you OR musn't you?, meaning "right?".

Any ideas, please?

Regards
Banderas

[Neillythere]

Hi banderas

As usual, as a Brit and mentor, but not a teacher, my belief is as follows:

"It must be his decision, mustn't it?"
Try to think of it as being "Must it not be?"

Equally well....

You must be waiting for my sister, mustn't you?
but:
You are waiting for my sister, aren't you?

Does this help?

Regards
NT

[banderas]

Originally Posted by Neillythere

Hi banderas

As usual, as a Brit and mentor, but not a teacher, my belief is as follows:

"It must be his decision, mustn't it?"
Try to think of it as being "Must it not be?"

Equally well....

You must be waiting for my sister, mustn't you?
but:
You are waiting for my sister, aren't you?

Does this help? It sure does!

Regards
NT

Hi, Neillythere,
thank you for your opinion.
Are the question tags with "must" commonly used? I have an impression that even some native speakers are not quite sure how to make the question with it and as a consequence they avoid doing so. What do you think? I do not hear it at all.

[riverkid]

Originally Posted by banderas

Dear Teachers,

I wonder what is the question tag to:
"It must be his decision, ................."
Musn't it?, meaning "right?".
I am in doubt because of the nature of the modal verb "must".
I must, I don't have to. NOT I must not.
I can, I can't.
I should, I shouldn't etc
How about "must", then?

To make it more complicated, let me give you another example:
You must be waiting for my sister, aren't you OR musn't you?, meaning "right?".

Any ideas, please?

Regards
Banderas

I wrote this without looking at NT's response to give a NA perspective. To my mind, at least in these examples, 'must' doesn't tag easily. For NaE, 'have to' would replace most, almost all [??] 'musts'.

You must be waiting for my sister, right?

You are waiting for my sister, aren't you?

"It must be his decision, right?

"It has to be his decision, doesn't it?

[RonBee]

Originally Posted by riverkid

I wrote this without looking at NT's response to give a NA perspective. To my mind, at least in these examples, 'must' doesn't tag easily. For NaE, 'have to' would replace most, almost all [??] 'musts'.

You must be waiting for my sister, right?

You are waiting for my sister, aren't you?

"It must be his decision, right?

"It has to be his decision, doesn't it?

I agree. It's hard for me to imagine an American saying mustn't.

[banderas]

Originally Posted by riverkid

I wrote this without looking at NT's response to give a NA perspective. To my mind, at least in these examples, 'must' doesn't tag easily. For NaE, 'have to' would replace most, almost all [??] 'musts'.

You must be waiting for my sister, right?

You are waiting for my sister, aren't you?

"It must be his decision, right?

"It has to be his decision, doesn't it?

Thank you for your contribution, Riverkid.
I wrote a reply to Neillythere before I read your opinion. Why am I not surprised seeing what you said. Your words just confirm my supposition.
Thanks!

[banderas]

Originally Posted by RonBee

I agree. It's hard for me to imagine an American saying mustn't.

Hi, RonBee,
is there an explanation for that or it is just as it is?

[riverkid]

Originally Posted by RonBee

I agree. It's hard for me to imagine an American saying mustn't.

And Canucks too.

[banderas]

Originally Posted by riverkid

And Canucks too.

Is it offensive for Canadians if people form other countries call you so? It might be, might it not? (I'd better use "right?").

[RonBee]

Originally Posted by banderas

Hi, RonBee,
is there an explanation for that or it is just as it is?

Well, I've never heard the word spoken (that I can recall), but I imagine that "mustn't" (mussent) must have a distinctly unpleasant sound to it.