Question Mark with Tag Questions (Isn't It, Didn't He)
The Question Mark
Rulebase Summary
When a sentence begins as a statement and ends with a short questioning tag that reverses the subject and verb (e.g., 'isn't it?', 'didn't he?', 'wouldn't you?'), end the whole sentence with a question mark. Place a comma between the statement and the tag. The tag's subject is typically a pronoun echoing the noun in the main clause, and the verb tense stays the same even if the full verb isn't repeated.
Morson's Rule 10 · p.7–8 BGGP Tag Clause.1 · p.383
Examples
✗
Q. You were present at the meeting. Weren't you?
✓
Q. You were present at the meeting, weren't you?
Tag question joins with a comma, not a separate sentence.
✗
A. He signed the document. Didn't he.
✓
A. He signed the document, didn't he?
Tag reverses subject/verb — comma before, question mark after.
Style Guide References (2)
Morson's
Rule 10
Page 7–8
BGGP
Tag Clause.1
Page 383