QUESTION TAGS IN ENGLISH GRAMMAR

Definition :

Sometimes people finish what they are saying with a short question. Why do they do this? Because they want to know if the person they are speaking to agrees with them.

A Question Tag is the shortest form of a qustion using the verb plus pronoun.

RULES FOR QUESTION TAGS

 

• A positive statement uses a negative tag.
• A negative statement uses a positive tag.

Example

NEGATIVE TAG	It is raining, isn’t it?	The main part of the sentence is positive, but the question tag is negative.
POSITIVE TAG	It is not raining, is it?	The main part of the sentence is negative, but the question tag is positive.

1.STATEMENT WITH AUXILIARIES:

Example

1	David is older than you, isn’t he?	4	Sally can’t dance, can she?
2	It is dark, isn’t it?	5	Tigers are dangerous, aren’t they?
3	He and I can go by bus, can’t we?	6	Sarah and Reeta will come, won’t they?

» If the main part of the sentence has I am in it, use aren’t I in the question tag.

» If the main part of the sentence has I am not in it, use am I in the question tag.

Example

1	I am your best teacher, aren’t I?	3	I am not your best teacher, am I?
2	I am taller than you, aren’t I?	4	I am not taller than you, am I?

2. STATEMENT WITHOUT AUXILIARIES:

Example

1	She sings beautifully, doesn’t she?	3	The sun shines hot in summer, doesn’t it?
2	Rivers flow towards the sea, don’t they?	4	Kabil broke the world record, didn’t he?

3. a. STATEMENTS USING AUXILIARIES:

Example: As has/have/had

1	The bell has rung, hasn’t it?	2	The flowers have drooped, haven’t they?

 b. STATEMENTS USING THE MAIN VERB:

Example: As has/have/had - use do/does/did forms

1	A lion has sharp claws, doen’t it?	2	Indians have great respect for traditions, don’t they?

4. STATEMENTS HAVING NEGATIVE WORDS USE POSITIVE TAG:

Example: Using no, none, never, not, neither-nor

1	Rosy is not going to come today, is she?	3	My father never smokes, does he?
2	The cuckoo has no care for its eggs, does it?	4	Neither John nor David has any bad habits, do they?

Example: Using little, few, scarcely, hardly, rarely

1	David shows little care in his studies, does he?	3	Few planets can be seen, can they?
2	Antony scarcely listens in class, does he?	4	They rarely lose their points, do they?

5. STATEMENTS HAVING a little/a few ARE POSITIVE:

Example: Therefore they use negative tag

1	A little sugar is added to sauces, isn’t it?	2	I have a few chocolates to share, haven’t I?

6. Only USES BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE TAGS:

Example:

1	Only children are allowed to play in the park, are/aren’t they?	2	She did only one mistake, did/didn’t she?

7. Let’s USES shall we:

Example:

1	Let’s go home, shall we?	2	Let’s get together for a party, shall we?

8. SIMPLE REQUESTS USE will you?:

Example:

1	Pass me the pen, will you?	2	Get me a ticket, will you?

9. URGENT REQUESTS won’t you?:

Example:

1	Send the e-mail, immediately, won’t you?	2	Pass on the message soon, won’t you?

10. IMPATIENT REMARKS can’t you?:

Example:

1	Keep quiet, can’t you?	2	Listion to me, can’t you?

11. STATEMENTS USING each, every, someone, somebody, anyone, anybody, none, nobody:

Example: - take a plural pronoun - they

1	Everybody cheered, didn’t they?	2	Somebody can do it, can’t they?