Tip 51: Countering Negatives in Question Tags

Note the different effects in the use of "hardly" in the following sentences:
1. Peter hardly reads, does he?
negative statement  => affirmative tag


2. John never acts like a gentleman, does he?
negative statement => affirmative tag


3. There is hardly any crowd at the market, isn't there?
affirmative statement => negative tag


4. Jenny could barely breathe in the thick smoke, couldn't she?
affirmative statement => negative tag


5. Nothing will cure his illness, will it?
 negative statement => affirmative tag