ASKING AND ANSWERING TAG QUESTIONS Leading Questions Used in cross-examination, NOT direct examination

Main clause in affirmative, tag in negative RULES Main clause in affirmative, tag in negative If you AGREE with assumption, simply answer YES.   If you DISAGREE with assumption, answer NO + appropriate negative tag No I don’t/am not/have not/did not/was not, etc. EXAMPLE Q: Mr. Hudson, you have a history of arguments with prison guards, don’t you? Yes (=Yes, I do. This is the expected answer based on the question, so it requires only a one-word answer.) No, I don’t (Stated emphatically because it is not the expected answer based on the question.)

Main clause in negative, tag in affirmative RULES Main clause in negative, tag in affirmative If you AGREE with assumption, simply answer NO.   If you DISAGREE with assumption, answer YES + appropriate affirmative tag Yes I do/am/have/did/was, etc. EXAMPLE Q: Officer McMillian, you don’t like Mr. Hudson very much, do you? No. (=No, I don’t. This is the expected answer based on the question, so it requires only a one-word answer.) Yes I do. (Stated emphatically because it is not the expected answer based on the question.)