QUESTION TAGS
ou ?
’ t y
, a ren
re a dy
re
Yo ua
WHAT ARE QUESTION TAGS?
Question tags are short questions that can
follow sentences, especially in spoken English.
We use question tags to ask if something is true
or to ask people to agree with us.
WHEN DO WE USE THEM?
We use a question tag to ask if something is true, or to
ask people to agree with us, or just to keep the
conversation going.
HOW ARE THEY FORMED?
Positive statement – question tag negative
+ -
Positive statement negative tag?
Snow is white, isn’t it?
Negative statement – question tag positive
- +
Negative statement, positive tag?
You don't like me, do you?
HOW ARE THEY FORMED?
FORMATION RULES AND EXAMPLES:
With the verb to be
You are a teacher, aren’t you?
She is beautiful, isn’t she?
*PLEASE NOTICE THAT the form with I am is
aren’t I
I’m late, aren’t I?
I’m not late, am I?
With the verb to have
You have got a dog, haven’t you?
He hasn’t lost his key, has he?
With other verbs (do, don’t, did, didn’t etc.)
They don’t play football, do they?
They didn’t go to the cinema yesterday, did
they?
With modal verbs
They can drive, can’t they?
You won’t lie to me, will you?
Use the same auxiliary or modal verb as it is in
the main sentence.
We’ll go out together, won’t we?
Albert can’t play the violin, can he?
Exception: Let’s is followed by shall we
Let’s go for a walk, shall we?
If the main sentence has no auxiliary (when the
verb of the sentence is in the present or past
simple) use do/don’t, does/doesn’t or did/didn’t:
Asian people like rice, don’t they?
She speaks Russian, doesn’t she?
Jack bought a new car last week, didn’t he?
When the sentence contains a word with a
negative meaning like never, hardly, seldom or
rarely, the question tag is positive.
They hardly ever go to the theatre, do they?
He never plays tennis, does he?
SOME VERBS/EXPRESSIONS FORM
QUESTION TAGS DIFFERENTLY.
I am → aren’t I? I am thin, aren’t I?
Imperative→ will/won’t you Stop talking, will you?
Don’t → will you? Don’t talk, will you?
Let’s → shall we? Let’s go out, shall we?
I have got → haven’t I? She’ got a bike, hasn’t she?
I have → don’t I You have lunch at 3 pm, don’t you?
There is/are → isn’t/aren’t there?
There is an envelope on the desk, isn’t there?
This /That is→ isn’t it? This is Pam’s shirt, isn’t it?
WITH EVERY-, SOME-, ANY-,
NOBODY
We use THEY:
No one cares, do they?
Everyone left, didn’t they?
Somebody’s left a bag here, haven’t they?
Everyone
knows the
answer,
don’t they?
WITH EVERY-, SOME-, NOTHING:
We use IT:
Everything’s OK, isn’t it?
Nothing matters, does it?
Nothing
matches,
does it?
LET’S PRACTICE, SHALL WE?
[Link] THE CORRECT TAG:
1. He is your friend, aren’t/isn’t/amn’t he?
2. She was in London, won’t/weren’t/wasn’t she?
3. His father drives a car, don’t/won’t/doesn’t he?
4. You can play the guitar, couldn’t/can’t/can you?
5. Liz won’t come, is/doesn’t/will she?
6. Sam went to the zoo, don’t/didn’t/doesn’t he?
7. Pat has a sister, haven’t/hasn’t/hadn’t she?
8. Mike can’t drive a car, could/can/can’t he?
9. They didn’t go there, do/does/did they?
10. Bob doesn’t like football, do/does/did he?
11. Meg could draw well, can’t/couldn’t/can she?
12. He mustn’t come, can’t/must/mustn’t he?
13. The cakes are tasty, isn’t/wasn’t/ aren’t they?
14. He didn’t fall down, didn’t/don’t/doesn’t he?
15. We run around, doesn’t/don’t/didn’t we?
16. They will train here, don’t/didn’t won’t they?
17. She likes ice-cream, don’t/didn’t/doesn’t she?
18. It is Monday, aren’t/isn’t/wasn’t it?
19. He wasn’t at the lesson, is/were/was he?
20. We like coffee, don’t/doesn’t/won’t we?
21. She sent an SMS, don’t/didn’t/doesn’t she?
22. He didn’t write a test, does/did/do he?
2. MATCH THE CORRECT TAG:
1. We are happy, …. a) won’t they?
2. They’ll go to London, … b) aren’t we?
3. Bob isn’t at home, … c) doesn’t she?
4. She likes to dance, … d) is he?
5. It was Saturday, … e) are we?
6. We aren’t friends, … f) can he?
7. Sam can’t draw, … g) wasn’t it?
8. He’s never been to Paris, … h) did he?
9. Nick didn’t play hockey, … i) hasn’t he?
10. She likes jazz, … j) could she?
11. Kate couldn’t come, … k) doesn’t she?
12. She is from Spain, … l) was he?
13. Bill wasn’t late yesterday, … m) will they?
14. They won’t do that, … n) isn’t she?
15. You’ve got a brother, … o) are they?
16. They aren’t fishing, … p) isn’t he?
17. He is reliable, … q) haven’t you?
18. You cleaned the room, … r) don’t we?
19. We love dogs, … s) will he?
20. He won’t swim, … t) didn’t you?
21. You mustn’t write here, … u) wasn’t she?
22. Lilly was a champion, … v) must you?
3. BE CAREFUL WITH THE TAGS IN THESE SENTENCES:
1. I’m a student, __________? 12. Clean the room, ________?
2. Let’s go to the stadium, ______? 13. I’m only ten, __________?
3. I’m not very happy, _________? 14. Help me, __________?
4. Let’s play football, _________? 15. Let’s go to New York, ___?
5. Open the door, ________? 16. Don’t ask me, _________?
6. Don’t take this bag, ________? 17. I’m too tired, _________?
7. I’m very talkative, _________?
18. Let’s go to the cinema,______?
8. Let’s sing together, _________?
19. Cut the vegetables, ________?
9. Don’t talk, ________?
20. Don’t tell lies, _________?
10. I’m too high, __________?
21. I’m thirsty, _________?
11. Let’s have lunch, ________?
22. Let’s play chess a little, _______?
