Additions to Remarks

Introduction

The other important category of Tag-questions is the ‘Additions to Remarks’.

These Remarks are mostly used in conversations.  While agreeing or disagreeing with others in conversation, we do not repeat the entire expression (sentence) the other person says; instead, we use some Additions to give our opinion of the topic of discussion. And learning some standard rules will help us to make our Additions relevant to the matter in discussion and clear to the person(s) we are conversing with.

e.g.

Mr. A.:  “Bob would enjoy a game of chess in the evenings.”

Mr. B.:  “Yes, yes.  Tom also would enjoy a game of chess in the evenings.”

In this dialogue what Mr. B. says may not be grammatically wrong, but repeating the others’ expressions may not sound very interesting or wise, particularly when the other person(s) is sensitive to such things.

Suppose Mr. B. responds in this way…

Mr. A.:  “Bob would enjoy a game of chess in the evenings.”

Mr. B.:  “Tom would too.”    OR      “So would Tom.”

listeners will definitely receive this response well!

Some standard ‘additions to remarks’:

1. Affirmative (positive) additions to affirmative (positive) remarks can be made      by “subject + auxiliary (helping) verb + too/also” or “so + auxiliary verb +  subject”.

e.g.

Remark:

George will answer my call.

[‘will answer’ – verb – ‘will’ auxiliary verb, ‘answer’ – main verb – positive]

Addition:

Kate will too.       OR            So will Kate.

When there is an auxiliary verb in the first remark, the same is used in the Addition. But when the expression does not have any auxiliary verb, or if it is a non-anomalous verb, we must take the help of the ‘anomalous’ verb words “do/does; did” depending on the person and number of the subject and tense of the main verb:

e.g.

Remark: Mike is coming.

Addition: So is Jane. OR  Jane is too.

[‘is’ – anomalous verb – used as auxiliary (helping) verb]

But…

Remark: Mike draws pictures well.   [‘draws’ – non-anomalous verb]

Addition: So draws Jane.       OR     Jane draws too.   [wrong]

[‘draws’ – non-anomalous verb – simple present tense -- cannot be used]

Therefore…

Addition: So does Jane.        OR     Jane does too.  [correct]

[‘does’ – anomalous verb --  helping verb -- simple present tense]

e.g.

Remark: Men told lies.

[‘told’ – non-anomalous verb – simple past]

Addition: So did women.   OR      Women did too.

[‘did’ – anomalous verb – helping verb -- simple past tense]

2. Negative Additions to negative Remarks are made with “neither/nor + auxiliary    verb + subject”.

e.g.

Remark: David never goes to see films.

[‘goes’ – non-anomalous verb --  ‘never’ – adverb – negative]

Addition: Neither does his friend.   [‘neither’ – negative]

e.g.

Remark:  Ann hasn’t got any spare time.

[* ‘Ann’ – 3^rd person – singular; “hasn’t” – verb – singular – present perfect tense – with negative ---- ‘has not’ = hasn’t]

Addition: Neither have I.      OR        Nor have I.

[** ‘I’ – 1^st person; ‘have’ – verb – positive ----- ‘has’ in the Remark is changed to “have” to agree with the subject “I” in the Addition]

e.g.

Remark: I didn’t get much sleep last night.

Addition: Neither did I.    OR           Nor did I.

These negative Additions to negative Remarks can also be made with “subject + negative auxiliary + either

e.g.

Remark: He didn’t like that book.

Addition: She didn’t either.

e.g.

Remark: They haven’t made that noise.

Addition: We haven’t either.

3.  Affirmative (positive) Additions to negative Remarks are made with “but + subject + auxiliary (helping) verb”.

e.g.

Remark: Jenny hasn’t got a driving licence.

[subject = Jenny;  ‘hasn’t’ – verb – negative]

Addition: But Lee has.

[subject = Lee – different subject; ‘has’ – verb – positive]

e.g.

Remark & Addition:  She doesn’t eat meat, but her husband does.

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