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Let’s know what QUESTION
TAGS are
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A question tag (also known as tail question) is a grammatical
structure in which a declarative or an imperative statement is
turned into interrogative fragment (the "tag"). For example, in the
sentence "You're John, aren't you?", the statement "You're John"
is turned into a question by the tag "aren't you"
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Golden Rules of Question Tags in English Grammar
The sentence and the question tag must be in the same
tense.
For negative question tag, use the Contracted form of
'helping verb 'and 'not' .E.g. didn't, hadn't, won't etc.
If the Sentence is positive, the question tag must be
negative and
vice versa.
Always use pronoun in the question tag.
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Rule-1: Some words are negative in meaning . For
e.g. hardly, seldom, scarcely, rarely, barely etc. Hence they
will take positive question tag after them.
Ex:
He hardly does any work, does he?
He found barely anything to eat , did he?
He is seldom absent, is he?s
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Rule-2: If a sentence starts with "There", the question tag
will have "there“ in the place of pronoun.
Ex: There is no water , is there?
There were no good schools in the town, were there?
Rule-3: Question tag is always made in accordance with the
main part of the sentence.
Ex: I think, he is right, isn't he?
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Rule- 4 : There is no contracted form of 'am not' but
'aren't' is used in question tag.
Ex: I am fine, aren't I?
Rule-5 : Each, every, everyone, everybody, no one, nobody,
none are singular and hence will take singular verb/ singular
pronoun/ singular adjective with them but their question tag
will take plural verb and plural pronoun.
Ex: Everyone has come, hasn't he ( Incorrect)
Everyone has come, haven't they (correct)
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Rule-6: If the sentence starts with "let us/ let's ", " shall
we" is used in the question.
Ex: Let us go to party tonight, shall we?
Rule-7: In Imperative sentences, question tag 'won't you' is
used.
Ex: Come in, won't you?
Rule-8: Collective noun takes singular verb and singular
pronoun in question tag.
Ex: The jury has taken its decision, hasn't it?
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Rule-9: If we talk about the individual members of the
collective noun or if there is a difference in opinion among
the members of the collective noun, plural verb and plural
pronoun are used.
Ex: The committee are divided in their opinion, aren't they?
The audience have taken their seats, haven't they?
Rule-10: If in a imperative sentence, somebody is being
offered anything, or if someone is being asked to do
something, "will you/ would you" is used in the question tag.
Ex: Open the door, would you?
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Have some more tea, would you?
EXERCISE
Q1. Which one of the following is the appropriate question tag
in the sentence,
“Take a seat, ________”?
(a) shall you?
(b) can’t you?
(c) won’t you?
(d) would you?
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Q2. “Anyone can make mistakes, ________”?
(a) isn’t it?
(b) shall they?
(c) can’t they?
(d) is it?
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Q3. It’ll rain soon, ………………………..?
(A) won’t it
(B) bought it
(C) isn’t it
(D) may it
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Q4. They needn’t worry ………………………..?
(A) isn’t it
(B) doesn’t it
(C) don’t it
(D) need they
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Q5. None of the food was wasted ,…………………….?
(A)wasn’t it
(B) was it
(C) weren’t it
(D) were it
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Q6. The hotel was not too expensive …………………………..?
(A)was it?
(B) wasn’t it?
(C) is it ?
(D) isn’t it?
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Q7. Your father used to be the principal of this college,
…………………
(A) did he?
(B) does he ?
(C) didn’t he?
(D) doesn’t he?
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Q8. I am very happy today,………………?
(A) Aren't I
(B) Are I
(C) Am I
(D) Are not I
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Q9. They fought bravely for the freedom of the
country………………..?
(A) did they
(B) don’t they
(C) didn’t they
(D) does he
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Q10. The mob has killed the thief,………………………..?
(A) haven’t it
(B) hasn’t it
(C) has it
(D) isn’t it
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