Tag Questions.pdf
- 2. What Are Tag Questions? Question tags are short questions at the end of statements. They are mainly used in speech when we want to: • confirm that something is true or not, or • to encourage a reply from the person we are speaking to. In either case, they invite a response from the listener.
- 3. How are they formed? Question tags are formed with the auxiliary or modal verb from the statement and the appropriate subject. A positive statement is followed by a negative question tag. • Jack is from Spain, isn't he? • Mary can speak English, can't she? A negative statement is followed by a positive question tag. • They aren't funny, are they? • He shouldn't say things like that, should he?
- 4. How are they formed? When the verb in the main sentence is in the present simple we form the question tag with do / does. • You play the guitar, don't you? • Alison likes tennis, doesn't she? If the verb is in the past simple we use did. • They went to the cinema, didn't they? • She studied in New Zealand, didn't she? When the statement contains a word with a negative meaning, the question tag needs to be positive. • He hardly ever speaks, does he? • They rarely eat in restaurants, do they?
- 5. Exceptions Some verbs / expressions have different question tags. For example: - I am = I am attractive, aren't I? - Positive imperative = Stop daydreaming, will / won't you? - Negative imperative = Don't stop singing, will you? - Let’s = Let's go to the beach, shall we? - Have got (possession) = He has got a car, hasn't he? - There is / are = There aren't any spiders in the bedroom, are there? - This / that is = This is Paul's pen, isn't it?
- 8. Information taken from: - https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/tags - https://www.grammar.cl/Intermediate/Question_Tags.htm - https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/tag-questions.html - https://www.englishclub.com/grammar/tag-questions.htm