BY G.
Javier Burgos
Using Tag
Questions
What is a tag question?
A tag question is a sentence with a question phrase connected at
the end.
Example:
Its windy today, isnt it?
Sentence part Tag
Tag questions have two purposes:
1. To clarify information
(the speaker expects an answer)
Example:
We have a test tomorrow, dont we?
Mr. Smith is coming to the meeting, isnt he?
Im permitted to park here, arent I?
Tag questions have two purposes:
2. To agree with someone
(the speaker does not expect an answer)
Example:
Youre falling asleep, arent you?
The party was a lot of fun, wasnt it?
I didnt win the lottery, did I?
Forming Tag Questions
(6 easy steps)
Step 1:
Identify the verb in the sentence.
Sergio likes to eat at buffets, ______ ______?
verb
Forming Tag Questions
(6 easy steps)
Step 2:
Identify the type of verb.
(Is it the verb to be, an auxiliary verb, or the
main verb?)
Sergio likes to eat at buffets, ______ ______?
Main verb
Forming Tag Questions
(6 easy steps)
Step 3:
Identify the tense of verb.
(Is it in present or past tense?)
Sergio likes to eat at buffets, ______ ______?
Present tense
Forming Tag Questions
(6 easy steps)
Step 4: If in present tense, determine if 1st or 3rd person. If in
past tense, use auxiliary to be or do in past.
Sergio likes to eat at buffets , _ _ ______?
does
Use the auxiliary verb does.
Third person
Forming Tag Questions
(6 easy steps)
Step 5:
Is the verb affirmative or negative?
doesnt
Sergio likes to eat at buffets, __________?
Affirmative
Write in the opposite.
Forming Tag Questions
(6 easy steps)
Step 6:
Add the pronoun at the end.
Sergio likes to eat at buffets, doesnt ?
he
Noun
Overview
Step 1: Identify the verb in the sentence.
Step 2: Identify the type of verb.
Step 3: Identify the tense.
Step 4: If in present tense, determine if 1st
or 3rd person. If in past tense, use auxiliary
to be or do in past.
Step 5: Affirmative or negative?
Step 6: Add pronoun.
Lets Practice
Lunch was delicious, ? wasnt it
Spring break is next week, _________?
isnt it
Class finished quickly, _________?
didnt it
1. Youve called the movers, a. can we?
2. Theyre coming tomorrow, b. do we?
3. This isnt going to be cheap, c. is he?
4. You havent finished packing, d. isnt it?
5. We dont need any more boxes, e. arent they?
6. Pablo is going to help us, f. have you?
7. We can put some things in storage, g. isnt he?
8. Jack isnt buying our bookcases, h. is it?
9. We need to disconnect the phone, i. havent you?
10. The movers arent packing the books j. dont we?
for us, k. cant we?
11. We cant turn off the electricity yet, l. are they?
12. Moving is hard,
He won the prize, didnt he?
question tag
2.a. NEGATIVE QUESTION TAG:
If the sentence is positive, the question tag is negative:
You have seen that film, havent you?
+ -
2.b. POSITIVE QUESTION TAG:
If the sentence is negative, the question tag is positive:
You havent seen that film, have you?
- +
If the sentence contains a negative word (never, hardly) the question
tag is positive:
Ann never goes anywhere, does she?
- +
FORM
3. Questions tags consist of
AUXILIARY VERB + PRONOUN:
I shouldnt laugh, should I?
Sarah was winning, wasnt she?
We use the auxiliary verb that is used in the previous sentence. If
there is no auxiliary verb, se use do/does (present tense) and
did (past tense):
You live near here, dont you?
You turned left, didnt you?
The pronoun refers to the subject of the previous sentence.
FORM
4. Some verbs form question tags differently:
I am arent I?
Im helpful, arent I?
There is isnt there?
There is a chemists near here, isnt there?
There are arent there?
There are many shops in the area, arent there?
This is / That is isnt it?
Thats your wife over there, isnt it?
FORM
5. When we answer question tags, we often use short answers:
A: You are French, arent you?
B: Yes, I am. / No, Im not. SHORT ANSWERS
A: Shes got a dog, hasnt she?
B: Yes, she has. / No, she hasnt. SHORT ANSWERS
A: You smoke, dont you?
B: Yes, I do. / No, I dont. SHORT ANSWERS
Note: A comma is used between the main sentence and the tag
part, e.g.
This is your book isnt it?
MORE-------Tag-Questions
You are my student. Statement Sentence positive
You are not my student. Statement negative
Are you my student? Question (interrogative)
You are my student, arent you? Tag-question
Tag-Questions
Whose books are these? a true question
These are your books, arent they?
-Tag-question Positive
These are not your books, are they?
- Tag-question -- Negative
Tag-Questions
Making a tag-question sentence:
She is your friend
,
isnt she
?
A positive tag-question sentence!
Tag-Questions
subject of the tag part is always a corresponding PERSONAL
PRONOUN. e.g.
Mary isnt your sister, is she?
Tag-Questions
Point 2 (continued)
John has gone home, hasnt ?
John proper noun male singular
he
pronoun male singular subjective case
Tag-Question
Point 2 (continued)
Ted and Jerry got their books, didnt ?
Ted and Jerry Proper nouns male plural
they
Personal Pronoun male -- plural
Tag-Questions
REMEMBER---
If the verb in the main sentence is in Positive
form, the verb in the tag part will be in
Negative form.
Tag-Questions
Point 3 (continued)
She is your sister, she?
is main verb Simple Present Tense POSITIVE
isnt
Simple present tense NEGATIVE
Tag-Questions
Point 3 (continued)
Brad hasnt done his work, he?
hasnt Present perfect NEGATIVE
has
Present perfect -- POSITIVE
Tag-Questions
Point 3 (continued)
Kate goes to school, she?
goes Simple present POSITIVE
does not go Simple present NEGATIVE
doesnt
Point 4
The negative form of the verb in the tag part is always
contracted:
does not = doesnt; has not = hasnt; will not = wont
Tag-questions
Point 3 (continued)
James did not go to school, he?
did not go Simple past NEGATIVE
go Simple past Positive; however, in tag part, the
auxiliary (helping) verb alone is used:
did
Tag-questions
Point 5 -- Word order
In the statement sentence (in the main sentence) the subject
comes first and the verb comes next; but in the tag part, the
verb comes first and the subject comes next, just as in the
interrogative sentence.
Tag-Question
Point 5 word order (continued)
For example:
A woman fainted, didnt she?
Main sentence
tag part
Subject first; verb next
Verb first; subject next
This is what we use
Shall
Ex: Lets go out for a walk, shall we?
Will/ would
Ex: Post this letter for me, will you?
Arent
Im younger than you, arent I ?
Think about question tags for these
statements:
Im right,_____________?
Youve been working late
again,_____________?
You havent got a pen by any
chance,____________?
Lets have a break,_________?
Sit down a moment, ________?
You met your husband in
N.Y,___________?
Were going to London on Saturday,
______________?
You havent broken that as well,
____________?
Tips!
In replies to question tags we use
short answers.
Youve been here before, havent you?
No, I havent, actually!
Notice that when the information is
not correct people use actually after
the short answer.
Notice the comma before the question
tag
Thanks a bunch!
G. Javier Burgos E.L.T.
elt@gmx.us
