Using the adverb "now" with a tag question





Question tags — “did you” vs. “didn’t you”





  1. People can hardly motivate themselves now, can they?

  2. People can hardly motivate themselves now, can't they?



Number 1 is the correct answer. However, usage of can't they in number 2 can also be correct as it takes the tag question format but due to now being used in the sentence, it is wrong.


My question is, I am too sure that number 1 is the correct answer, but I am not sure about the above explanation. How true this holds? And why the addition of the adverb "now" makes number 2 incorrect?




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