[Grammar] I'm always complaining, aren't I?

[atabitaraf]

Sarah: Oh, listen to me. I'm always complaining, aren't I?

I got this dialogue from a conversation of this book: INTERCHANGE 3, PAGE: 103. Isn't it weird to use 'aren't' for I?

 

[emsr2d2]

Sarah: Oh, listen to me. I'm always complaining, aren't I?

I got this dialogue from a conversation of this book: INTERCHANGE 3, PAGE: 103. Isn't it weird to use 'aren't' for I?

No, it's not weird. The question tag for "I am" is "aren't I". Once upon a time, it was "amn't I" (my great-grandmother used to say that) but I don't think many people would say/recognise that any more.

In your example, Sarah is almost asking the listener to reinforce her belief that whenever she talks, it is usually to complain.

 

[5jj]

Shan't I, can't I, won't I, don't I are similar examples of interrogative-negative forms in which the vowel-sound changes. It just happens with aren't I that it acquired a phonetically more logical, but actually more confusing, spelling.