如果陳述部分含有never, hardly, scarcely, seldom, no, nothing, nobody, few, little等具有否定意義的詞,應將該句視為否定句,其反問部分要用肯定式。例如:
They have never met each other before, have they?
You have nothing more to say, have you?
Few people know him, do they?
2.與主語有關的反意疑問句
(1)如果陳述部分的主語是指示代詞this或that,或是不定代詞something, anything, nothing, everything等,由於它們是第三人稱單數並且指代事物,其反問部分的主語為it。 例如:
This / That is your bike, isn’t it?
Nothing can stop us now, can it?
(2)如果陳述部分的主語是不定代詞someone(body), anyone(body), everyone(body), no one, nobody 等,由於它們是第三人稱單數並且指代人,其反問部分的主語可以是they也可以是泛指第三人稱單數的he。例如:
Everyone passed the exam, didn’t they / he?
Someone is coming, aren’t they / isn’t he ?
Anyone can see it, can’t they / he?
(3)如果陳述部分的主語是指示代詞these 或those,應把它們視為第三人稱復數,其反問部分的主語為they。例如:
These / Those aren’t guitars, are they?
(4)如果陳述句部分是以I am開頭,由於am not沒有縮寫形式,所以其反問部分用aren’t 或ain’t或am I not。例如:
I am a worker, aren’t I / ain’t I / am I not?
(5)如果陳述句部分的主語是none of...,其反問部分的主語應分別用it、we、you或they來代替。例如:
None of the food was wasted, was it?(註:food不可數,視為第三人稱單數。)
None of us are perfect, are we?
None of you went to the cinema, did you?
None of the students heard the news, did they?
(6)如果陳述句部分的主語是some of...,其反問部分的主語分別用we或they代替。例如:
Some of us wanted to stay longer, didn’t we? (註:本句中的some 包括說話人)
On the way back, some of us lost the way, didn’t they? (註:本句中的some不包括說話人)
(7)如果陳述句部分的主語是one,其反問部分的主語仍然用one。例如:
One should be strict with oneself, shouldn’t one?
(8) 如果陳述句部分是由並列連詞連接的兩個或兩個以上的單數名詞作主語,其反問部分的主語要用復數。例如:
Neither you nor I am a doctor, are we?
3.與謂語有關的反意疑問句
(1)如果陳述部分含有表推測的情態動詞must, can等,其反問部分不能用情態動詞,而應根據具體情況而定。例如:
He must be a teacher, isn’t he?
(思路:He must be a teacher. à He is a teacher.)
She must have arrived there yesterday, didn’t she?
(思路:She must have arrived there yesterday. à She arrived there yesterday.)
You must have made the mistake, haven’t you?
(思路:You must have made the mistake. à You have made the mistake.)
但是如果陳述部分含有不表推測的情態動詞must, can等,則不屬此例,試比較:
He must find the proof, mustn’t he?
(2)如果陳述句部分的謂語含有帶否定前綴dis-, un-, im-或否定後綴-less的詞(dislike, discourage, be unfair/ untrue/ unable, etc.),仍按肯定句處理,其反問部分要用否定式。例如:
You dislike it, don’t you?
The patient is unable to move round, isn’t he?
The news that they failed their driving test discouraged him, didn’t it?
但是如果陳述句中的謂語是disappear, be unnecessary等, 則不屬此例,要按否定句處理,其反問部分要用肯定式。例如:
It is unnecessary to buy a bigger computer, is it?
(3)如果陳述句部分的謂語是“有”動詞have、has或had,其反問部分既可用have的適當形式,也可用do的適當形式。例如:
Tom has an interesting book, hasn’t / doesn’t he?
(4)如果陳述句部分的謂語是不作“有”講的行為動詞have、has或had,其反問部分只能用do的適當形式