# Don't get your knickers in a twist, do you?  [Tag question?]



## flamboyant lad

Don't get your knickers in a twist,

What will be the "tag question" for the above sentence?

Will it be correct if I say?
Don't get your knickers in a twist, do you?


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## Greyfriar

Hi there.

'Don't get your knickers in a twist, will you?


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## Parla

My feeling is that a tag question can't be used with "don't get your knickers in a twist", which is an imperative—but that you could say, "You won't get your knickers in a twist, will you?"


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## flamboyant lad

How about "would you"?


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## suzi br

Greyfriar said:


> Hi there.
> 
> 'Don't get your knickers in a twist, will you?


I'd say this.  
I am sure I've actually heard it said too.


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## Glasguensis

I agree with Parla - this is an imperative, and adding a tag question makes no sense. Parla's alternative is much better. 

It might be worth considering a simpler (but grammatically identical) imperative when considering whether a tag question makes sense : "Don't jump", for example. I personally don't see how any tag question can be added and still form a coherent sentence.


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## SwissPete

Don't get your knickers in a twist, *OK*?


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## Pauline Meryle

"Will you?" would be fine here, as it would after "Don't jump", or indeed any negative exhortation I can think of.


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## Glasguensis

SwissPete said:


> Don't get your knickers in a twist, *OK*?


You're a genius!


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## SwissPete

Well, I don't know about that )), but I was wondering if *OK *in this case qualifies as a tag question.


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## Parla

I also think your solution is brilliant, Swiss Pete—and no, I wouldn't call it a tag question, although in speaking, we'd end it with our voice going up on a questioning note. It's something that I think could be added to almost any imperative as a sort of emphasis ("Clean up your room, OK?" "Never darken my doorstep again, OK?"), essentially equivalent to "I trust my message got through!"


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## suzi br

Pauline GFG said:


> "Will you?" would be fine here, as it would after "Don't jump", or indeed any negative exhortation I can think of.



I don't know why some posters think you cannot have a tag after an imperative.  Maybe they don't want to call it a tag question, but the structure is common enough ...  tagging "will you?" or more usually "will ya?"on the end of imperatives: 

Shut up, will ya? 
Belt up, will ya?
Get a grip, will ya?


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## Chasint

I agree with Greyfriar, suzi br and Pauline GFG (and I notice that we are all from England).  

I've certainly heard this too but, as Parla mentions, tone of voice and word stress are important. They are so utterly important that getting them wrong is one of the biggest causes of learners being misunderstood by native speakers - more so than grammar or vocabulary in my opinion.

Sadly we don't have a way of indicating intonation in print and there is no recognised way to indicate stress outside of IPA.

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I can hear 'Don't get your knickers in a twist, will you?' perfectly in my head and it makes complete sense. Trying to write down what I hear is simply impossible. I certainly know that it doesn't coincide with Parla's rising "questioning note"; if anything it is on a descending note.

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flamboyant lad - "would you" is definitely wrong. 

"OK?" works in BrE but means something different from "will you?"

Please can you say where this question comes from? Is it from a test? Why do you expect a tag question with an imperative?  Were you aware that 'Don't get your knickers in a twist' is an imperative and not a statement?

Please explain. Thank you


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## Chasint

suzi br said:


> I don't know why some posters think you cannot have a tag after an imperative.  Maybe they don't want to call it a tag question, but the structure is common enough ...  tagging "will you?" or more usually "will ya?"on the end of imperatives:
> 
> Shut up, will ya?
> Belt up, will ya?
> Get a grip, will ya?


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## Glasguensis

Parla said:


> I also think your solution is brilliant, Swiss Pete—and no, I wouldn't call it a tag question, although in speaking, we'd end it with our voice going up on a questioning note. It's something that I think could be added to almost any imperative as a sort of emphasis ("Clean up your room, OK?" "Never darken my doorstep again, OK?"), essentially equivalent to "I trust my message got through!"


But that's the only possible use of a tag question after an imperative, isn't it?


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## Chasint

Glasguensis said:


> But that's the only possible use of a tag question after an imperative, isn't it?


So do you disagree with suzi br in post #12 then?  I'm not sure what you mean.


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## Glasguensis

I agree with suzi that those phrases are used, but I would argue that the meaning of them is "OK".


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## Chasint

Glasguensis said:


> I agree with suzi that those phrases are used, but I would argue that the meaning of them is "OK".


The difference for me is that "OK?" isn't a tag question any more than "Did you hear what I just said?" is.

I can't speak for suzi but for me there is a difference. For example, with a negative command, The reply "OK?" provides no opportunity to express irony.

Example
"Here's the shopping you asked me to get for you."
<No reply, they just grab the shopping>
"Don't say thank you, will you?"  [with sarcasm]


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## ain'ttranslationfun?

Biffo #18, I'm not sure...I think a simple "You're welcome." [with sarcasm] would do. (Or "Don't bother/No need to say "Thank you!")


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## Chasint

ain'ttranslationfun? said:


> Biffo #18, I'm not sure...I think a simple "You're welcome." would do.


With respect, how is that related in any way to the topic of this thread? (i.e. tag questions)


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## ain'ttranslationfun?

Biffo said:


> With respect, how is that related in any way to the topic of this thread?



I meant that in your example ("Don't say 'Thank you'.", with sarcasm, after not being thanked after handing the other person the shopping bag), I'm not sure a tag is needed.


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## Chasint

ain'ttranslationfun? said:


> ...I'm not sure a tag is needed.


The whole subject of the thread is tags. I'm discussing tags. I am not discussing alternatives to tags. That would be off-topic.


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## ain'ttranslationfun?

Hi, Biffo, My post was essentially the same as Parla's #3. For the orginal sentence, I agree with Greyfriar (#2 and the others who agreed with him). But let's not get our knickers in a twist, shall we  ?


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## Chasint

ain'ttranslationfun? said:


> Hi, Biffo, My post was essentially the same as Parla's #3. For the orginal sentence, I agree with Gandalf (#2). But let's not get our knickers in a twist, shall we  ?


I was waiting for that one!  But why are you repeating what was said earlier? We've moved on since then. 

Seriously, Parla's point was that a tag question is impossible after an imperative.  Several people on this thread disagree.  I am discussing actual English sarcasm. You can hear that sort of sarcastic tag used on a daily basis in England.


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## Parla

I revise my prior statement. I now think (on the basis of Suzi's post at #12), that "will you?" _does_ work with positive, but _not negative,_ imperatives. I'd go along with "will you?" after such commands as "fasten your seat belt", "shut up", "clean up your room", and so on. But I still think that "Don't get your knickers in a twist, will you?" or "Don't drive over the speed limit, will you?" doesn't work. Swiss Pete's "OK?" works with _either_ positive _or _negative.


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## Susan Y

Parla said:


> But I still think that "Don't get your knickers in a twist, will you?" or "Don't drive over the speed limit, will you?" doesn't work.



They do for me ( another English speaker from England). While I agree this construction is often used sarcastically, as Biffo said, it can also be quite sincere. For example:

Don't be late, will you?
Don't forget the milk, will you?
Don't get lost on the way, will you?

These are all everyday phrases as far as I'm concerned.


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## Beryl from Northallerton

Biffo said:


> [...]
> Example
> [...]
> "Don't say thank you, will you?"  [with sarcasm]




"Don't say 'thank you', will you?" is, in my view, an indirect way of observing that a reasonable expectation of an expression of gratitude - in this case it's gratitude -  has failed to be met. 
It is formulaic sarcasm. 

It means (something like) "You ought to have said 'thank you' but you didn't, and I'm therefore disappointed in you (know this fact by my mode of expression: sarcasm)." (There's probably a little more to it). 

I have difficulty in seeing how this template could be applied to 'Don't get you knickers in twist, will you?' because there exists no equivalent expectation to live up to.  

There is no norm that decrees that people should, at all times, have their knickers in a twist, and therefore, no expectation to be evoked and indirectly alluded to; nothing to hang your sarcastic hat on. 
Getting one's knickers in a twist is simply not the done thing. Quite the reverse in fact. I'd say that 'Do get your knickers in a twist, won't you?' works as sarcasm. 



Greyfriar said:


> 'Don't get your knickers in a twist, will you?


This seems like gentle advice to me. Remember to remain calm in the near future.

The imperative mood does not preclude a tag question, it seems to me. Have a cup of tea, won't you?.

Nor does a negated imperative, eg. Don't forget, will you(?) = make certain you remember. _(Cross-posted with Parla and Susan Y)_


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## Cagey

There may be a difference between varieties of English here. 

I share Parla's feeling that "will you?" doesn't work after a negative imperative, though it does work after a positive one.  (We both speak American English.)


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## Chasint

Cagey said:


> There may be a difference between varieties of English here...


I think that there must be. 

So how do you react to the following by Susan Y?





Susan Y said:


> ...
> Don't be late, will you?
> Don't forget the milk, will you?
> Don't get lost on the way, will you?


Do you simply not understand what they mean? Do you have some grammatical objection?

All of those examples are as natural as breathing as far as I am concerned. I'd be interested in your take on them.


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## Cagey

As I hear it: _Bring the milk, will you? =_​_Bring the milk, will you bring the milk?_​ 
But:
_Don't forget the milk, will you?_ = ​_Don't forget the milk, will you don't forget the milk?_ ​Or​_Don't forget the milk, will you forget the milk?_ ​


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## velisarius

I see what Biffo means, but I'd write that: Don't forget the milk, will you! To me it's more of another imperative than a tag question.


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## Glasguensis

I'm with Cagey on this. I don't dispute that some people use such forms as suggested by Biffo and Susan Y, I just don't think they really make any sense. And I do suspect it may be a regional thing.


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## JohnnyTruant

flamboyant lad said:


> Don't get your knickers in a twist,
> 
> What will be the "tag question" for the above sentence?
> 
> Will it be correct if I say?
> Don't get your knickers in a twist, do you?



I'm afraid not. With negative imperatives only _will_ can be used. Therefore I would say:

_Don't get your knickers in a twist, will you?_


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## Chasint

Glasguensis said:


> I'm with Cagey on this. I don't dispute that some people use such forms as suggested by Biffo and Susan Y, I just don't think they really make any sense. And I do suspect it may be a regional thing.


I hardly think you can pronounce on what makes sense to another native speaker! I'm sure there are many Scots phrases that sound strange to Southern English ears.





velisarius said:


> I see what Biffo means, but I'd write that:  Don't forget the milk, will you! To me it's more of another imperative  than a tag question.


I see what you mean! But I don't agree. It's definitely a question. I'm not even sure that "Will you!" can be a command. I can't think of a context for it.


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## Glasguensis

Biffo said:


> I hardly think you can pronounce on what makes sense to another native speaker!


I entirely agree. I was pronouncing on what makes sense to me.


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## Chasint

Cagey said:


> As I hear it:_Bring the milk, will you? =_​_Bring the milk, will you bring the milk?_​
> But:_Don't forget the milk, will you?_ = ​_Don't forget the milk, will you don't forget the milk?_ ​Or​_Don't forget the milk, will you forget the milk?_ ​


I don't get your logic.

The tag question does not have to agree with the main phrase.
_Bring the milk, will you?  and Bring the milk, won't you?  _are equally valid. The first is more peremptory than the second.

I can accept:
_Don't forget the milk, will you (forget the milk)?
Don't forget the milk, will you (not forget the milk)?_


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## Cagey

I hear tag questions as based on parallel construction. That controls how I produce them and how I interpret them. 
You don't hear them that way.  We differ in that. 

(I interpret add-ons  like Swiss Pete's 'OK' [=Do you consent, agree?], differently, so they escape that constraint. )


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## ain'ttranslationfun?

flamboyant lad said:
			
		

> Will it be correct if I say?
> Don't get your knickers in a twist, do you?



I'd say "Don't get your knickers in a twist, do you." (with a period and a falling acccent) would be a comment on the person's usual behavior: "You don't get upset easily, do you." A tag, but not really a question.


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## Chasint

ain'ttranslationfun? said:


> I'd say "Don't get your knickers in a twist, do you." (with a period and a falling acccent) would be a comment on the person's usual behavior: "You don't get upset easily, do you." A tag, but not really a question.


Now I'm confused!

Usual behaviour
"Don't get your knickers in a twist, do you." 

"You don't [usually] get your knickers in a twist, do you?" 

I think a big part of the problem with all of these phrases is that intonation is absolutely vital to understand what is meant.

I always bemoan the fact that there is no way to represent intonation in text. I think it would be difficult even using music notation.


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## Enquiring Mind

See "Imperatives" section on this page (source: englishclub.com) << Link not related to topic removed.>>

<< Added by moderator: 
The linked-to page is a discussion of tag questions, which includes a chart on imperatives with this entry:




order
Don't forget, will you.
with negative imperatives only _will_ is possible


>>


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## Chasint

Enquiring Mind said:


> See "Imperatives" section on this page ...


Very useful.


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## Beryl from Northallerton

Biffo said:


> Now I'm confused!
> 
> Usual behaviour
> "Don't get your knickers in a twist, do you."


There's one that I am aware of, but I recognize it as American. I'd say it has very limited use in BrE. 

I'd probably write it with a '?', because I would I think that such a formulation anticipates (is solicitous of) a response of some kind - an acknowledgement at the very least.

(It's difficult to take any of these 'knickers-in-a-twist' examples seriously).


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## ain'ttranslationfun?

Hi, Biffo,

(a) "You don't [usually] get your knickers in a twist, do you?" - This, for me, could be used to express surprise that someone is behaving in an uncharacteristic way, and to fish for information as why they are doing so. "Don't (for "You don't") [usually] get your knickers in a twist." (yes, with or without '..., do you.') is also possible to comment on someone's usual behaviour. In  AE, we might say, "You don't get upset easily(, do you).", after watchng someone behave calmly in a situation that would upset _you._ Or, "It takes/It must take a lot to get you riled!" 

(b) "...a big problem with all of these phrases is that intonation is absolutely vital to understand what is meant."   (...and the context.)


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## flamboyant lad

Biffo said:


> flamboyant lad - "would you" is definitely wrong.
> 
> "OK?" works in BrE but means something different from "will you?"
> 
> Please can you say where this question comes from? Is it from a test? Why do you expect a tag question with an imperative?  Were you aware that 'Don't get your knickers in a twist' is an imperative and not a statement?
> 
> Please explain. Thank you



Yeah I'm aware it's an imperative sentence.
I heard it in a movie named "The Mask"

The auto-mechanic says it to Stanley: Don't get your panties in a twist, would ya?  

Much to my surprise you pointed out that one cannot use "would" in that sentence.


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## ain'ttranslationfun?

"Don't get your knickers in a twist" is GB; I've never heard or used the variation with 'panties'. I think Americans would be more likely to say, "Keep your shirt (hair) on!", "Cool your jets!" (this may have come into use since "The Mask"), "Take it easy!", etc., and for all of these, "..,OK?" sounds...OK to me as an all-purpose tag.


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## Thomas Tompion

flamboyant lad said:


> Yeah I'm aware it's an imperative sentence.
> I heard it in a movie named "The Mask"
> 
> The auto-mechanic says it to Stanley: Don't get your panties in a twist, would ya?
> 
> Much to my surprise you pointed out that one cannot use "would" in that sentence.


When people ask questions here, they often get answers which tell them what is the most correct and formal usage.

The link from the English club provided by Enquiring Mind in post #40 is strikingly accurate, in my view - it accords very closely with my experience in BE of how to add a tag to a negative imperative.

In your OP, Flamboyant Lad, you asked for the appropriate "tag question", but, of course, _Don't get your knickers in a twist _is a negative imperative, not a question, so the tags which people have been suggesting are not tag questions, but tags which emphasise a command, or recommendation.

There's no doubt in my mind that _Will you_ is the appropriate tag in BE, though people do say other things to emphasise a negative imperative.
_
OK_ is certainly something one hears in this context, but it's far from the normal question-tag formula, so I would assume it's not really what you are looking for.

I don't doubt that there are people who say all sorts of other things, including _would ya_, in such circumstances, but that doesn't make them automatically standard.<<Off-topic remark deleted>>


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