Let’s…, shall we?

  • B2 · Upper-intermediate
  • Grammar lesson
  • 60 min
  • special question tags

The special question tags: Let's meet at noon, shall we? I'm making the salad, aren't I? Bring the cake, will you? Come with us, won't you? The student hears a friend's voice message about a picnic, chooses and builds the tags, and plans a dinner party with the teacher, making suggestions and friendly requests.

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Let's…, shall we?aren't I?will you?

What's in the lesson

  1. 1Warm-up
  2. 2In this lesson
  3. 3Listen: Katya's picnic messageListening comprehension
  4. 4What does it mean?Grammar exercise
  5. 5Find the tagsGrammar exercise
  6. 6Let's…, shall we? and the other special tagsGrammar rule
  7. 7Choose the tagGrammar exercise
  8. 8The beach dayGrammar exercise
  9. 9Make it friendlierGrammar exercise
  10. 10Say it naturallySpeaking practice
  11. 11Dinner in an hourSpeaking practice
  12. 12Over to youGrammar exercise
  13. 13Wrap-up

Homework

  1. 1Homework: the office partyGrammar exercise
  2. 2Homework: what would you say?Grammar exercise
  3. 3Homework: which tag?Grammar exercise
  4. 4Homework: cleaning dayDiscussion

Two slides from the lesson

Warm-up

A few questions about you before we start.

  1. When did you last eat outside with friends or family? Where was it?
  2. In your group of friends, who usually makes the plans?
  3. How would you ask a friend in English to bring something to a party?

Grammar rule

Let's…, shall we? and the other special tags

These tags don't follow the usual rule (the same helping verb, positive ↔ negative). Learn them as pairs.

SentenceTagWhat it doesExample
I'm…aren't I?checks something you think is trueI'm in the front row, aren't I?
I'm not…am I?checks, hoping the answer is noI'm not boring you, am I?
Let's… / Let's not…shall we?a suggestion for us; asks the others to agreeLet's ask the waiter, shall we?
an imperative: Do… / Let me…will you? (also would you? can you? could you?)a request (or an order)Hold this for a second, will you?
a negative imperative: Don't…will you?asks someone not to do somethingDon't slam the door, will you?
an imperative that inviteswon't you?a warm invitationSit with us, won't you?

How they sound

With Let's… and I'm…, the voice usually falls on the tag: you expect the other person to agree. With a request, a rising will you? sounds softer and friendlier; a falling one can sound impatient.

Notes

  • aren't I is the normal tag after I'm, even though we never say I aren't. Am I not? is very formal.
  • shall is rare in American English, but Let's…, shall we? is common and friendly. In casual speech, Americans also say Let's…, okay?
  • Let's (= let us) is a suggestion for us: shall we? Let me (= allow me) is a request to you: will you? Let me drive, will you?

Watch out

  • Let's start, don't we? / will we? → Let's start, shall we?
  • I'm right, am not I? → I'm right, aren't I?
  • after Don't…, the tag is will you?: Don't touch it, won't you? → Don't touch it, will you?
  • a negative sentence takes a positive tag: I'm not late, aren't I? → I'm not late, am I?
Basic tags (It's cold, isn't it?) are in English Grammar B1. This lesson is only about I'm, Let's and imperatives.

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