Question tag — He is tired because he has been playing...

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Hi!
This is a new thread in which we will discuss some problematic sentences that need suitable question tags.
The sentence is:

He is tired because he has been playing,........?


My opinion: "hasn't he?"


Thanks in advance!



 

bhaisahab

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"isn't he" is more natural.
 
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That's possible. So is isn't he? Please don't ask which is the correct one. Both are possible.
So do you agree that "isn't he?" is more natural?
 

GoesStation

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So do you agree that "isn't he?" is more natural?

I think it's the only natural choice. People often forget how they got to a point in a sentence, so hasn't would not be a surprising mistake.
 

Matthew Wai

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I would use 'isn't he?' because 'He is tired' is the main clause.
 

Matthew Wai

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'He isn't tired although he has been playing, is he?'
I would not use 'hasn't he?' above. Would you?

That is what can make "hasn't he?" be acceptable.
I would omit 'be' above.
 

emsr2d2

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'He isn't tired although he has been playing, is he?'
I would not use 'hasn't he?' above. Would you?

I wouldn't use that word order in the first place.

He isn't tired, is he? Even though he's been playing.

In the same vein, to use "hasn't he?" I'd change the word order.

He's been playing, hasn't he? And yet, he isn't tired.
 
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He isn't tired although he has been playing, is he?'
I would not use 'hasn't he?' above. Would you?
I think I would because people are more interested in the reason more than the clear result, that does not, often, need to be confirmed by others.
I would omit 'be' above.
I just overlooked it.
 
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I wouldn't use that word order in the first place.
But I really know others may use it so they are subject to making mistakes. I see nothing wrong with the first word order. It just makes it difficult to determine which question tag can be added.
If it is "Although he has been playing, he isn't tired, is he?", then it will be much better just as "I think he is good, isn't he?" compared to the some-what unnatural or confusing "He is good, I think, isn't he?".
 

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I think it's the only natural choice. People often forget how they got to a point in a sentence, so hasn't would not be a surprising mistake.

That is what can make "hasn't he?" be acceptable.

It explains the mistake, but the question tag should match the main clause. "Isn't he" is the only tag for He is tired regardless of what comes in between.
 

emsr2d2

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A sentence starting with "I think" doesn't naturally attract a question tag.
 

GoesStation

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A sentence starting with "I think" doesn't naturally attract a question tag.

That's true, but no such sentence has been mentioned in this discussion.

I think the subject of question tags has been more than sufficiently covered in the forum. Don't you? :)
 

Rover_KE

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Yes, I do, but I bet it doesn't stop MoM from further prolonging the topic.

If members would cease to respond, he might change the subject.:roll:
 
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It explains the mistake, but the question tag should match the main clause. "Isn't he" is the only tag for He is tired regardless of what comes in between.
Piscean and I said it is not a mistake, but I do agree it is more grammatical to use "isn't he?".
I think the subject of question tags has been more than sufficiently covered in the forum. Don't you?
I told you this would happen from the beginning, but you all insisted that I should post one single sentence at a time.
Yes, I do, but I bet it doesn't stop MoM from further prolonging the topic.
I think they are not empty posts you write, they are useful to me and even visitors.
 

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It depends on the emphasis. You think he's been playing, but halfway through the sentence (this is spoken language, right?) you become unsure:
"He's tired because ... er ... he's been playing, hasn't he?" You edit out the "... er ..." for the transcription.

In the artificial language MoM is trying to create, it would be "isn't he" (I think. It depends on how close that language is meant to be to English.)

MoM, if you are interested in natural English, you would be content with "This sentence doesn't take a question tag, or isn't put in the passive." The only reason each question takes 3 pages is that it's not natural standard English that you are interested in. It's something which doesn't exist, and which you have roped us in to help you construct. And the more we do it, the less likely you will be to ever understand spoken English and to be able to intuit when natural structures occur.
I think we might be doing you a disservice.
 
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It depends on the emphasis. You think he's been playing, but halfway through the sentence (this is spoken language, right?) [Comment: yes] you become unsure:
"He's tired because ... er ... he's been playing, hasn't he?" You edit out the "... er ..." for the transcription. [Comment: that may be better]

In the artificial language MoM is trying to create [Comment: you must be joking!], it would be "isn't he" [Comment: isn't it is the answer we said is right]

MoM, if you are interested in natural English [Comment: !!], you would be content with "This sentence doesn't take a question tag, or isn't put in the passive." The only reason each question takes 3 pages [Comment: let me complete the sentence for you "...and get more visits than other threads] is that it's not natural standard English [Comment: it is standard but you can call some of my threads on question tags "unnatural"] that you are interested in. [Comment: It is not only me who is interested in this!] It's something which doesn't exist, and which you have roped us in to help you construct. And the more we do it, the less likely you will be to ever understand spoken English [Comment: you can let me handle spoken English but answer my questions] and to be able to intuit when natural structures occur. [Comment: being asking for unnatural question tags does not mean I am only interested in this. It is "CURIOSITY"]
I think we might be doing you a disservice. [It is not good for me or you because you help people who are just beginners so why would you refuse to deal with an advanced learner? Anyway, If you don't want to help, please, do not tell others not to do]
You can read the comments in your post.
 
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Raymott

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You can read the comments in your post.
Anyway, If you don't want to help, please, do not tell others not to do
I didn't say that. I do want to help. You have said that you can learn something from every genuine response.
 

Matthew Wai

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you help people who are just beginners so why would you refuse to deal with an advanced learner? Anyway, If you don't want to help, please, do not tell others not to do]
The native English teachers/speakers here, including Raymott, are always willing to help beginners, advanced learners, and non-native English teachers.
 
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