Major Applications - Presenting - Sales - Negotiation - Persuasion - Communication

Tag questions are used to turn the uncertainty of a question into the certainty of a statement or a command. This is a natural element of English speech that when understood, can be used with astonishing impact.

• Tag questions persuade the listener that we are certain in our understanding and knowledge, don't they!

• Tag questions influence the listener to question what is being stated with voice inflection up, an essential technique to dissolve or question belief's in a product, service or establish data, don't you agree!

• Tag questions confirm facts and data without over influencing the listener, rather confirming that what is being said, is fact not conjecture, don't they!

Click to listen to a select choice of Tag Questions

Hypnotic Rule: always place tag questions at the end of a statement. Why? Because if you place the tag at the beginning, the conscious mind immediately picks it up and dispatches it. Your tag has been disregarded, hasn't it! The listener is likely to think, ' no I don't agree' - and they will be quick to inform you of their disagreement the moment an opportunity arises, at worse they will interrupt your delivery.

can you not?, isn't it?, hasn't it?, wasn't it?, aren't you?, aren't they?, can't you?, couldn't you?, doesn't it? don't you agree?, don't we?, shouldn't it?, wouldn't it?, won't it?, hasn't it?, isn't that right?, didn't it?, can you not think that?

Major Applications - Presenting - Sales - Negotiation -Persuasion - Communication

Examples of Tag Questions

questions of certainty and command through the use of intonation patterns.

• You have already begun to make changes in your purchasing, haven't you?

• Once you've developed the new policies, progress to find the right insurer will be

important, won't it?

• You have understood a great deal about what we offer, haven't you?

• It's worth whatever trouble that it takes, isn't it?

• You all agree, don't you?

• Many people say this is the powerful Master Class they have taken, don't they?

• Language patterns are very powerful, don't you agree?

Hypnotic Rule: You might be tempted to restate tag questions from (won't it) to (would it not) or (don't you agree) to (do you not agree) - In doing so you alter the structure of the experience, the meaning is lost as the tag becomes a general question rather than a command or commanded question.