Question tags

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It’s a nice day, it?

You’ve got a guitar, you?

It was a nice meal, it?

You’ll call later, you?

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Negative tags

isn’t

haven’t

wasn’t

won’t

It isn’t a nice day, it?

You haven’t got a guitar, you?

It wasn’t a nice meal, it?

You won’t call later, you?

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Positive tags

is

have

was

will

She can play tennis, can’t she?

She can’t play tennis, can she?

He’s got an e-reader, hasn’t he?

He hasn’t got an e-reader, has he?

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Tags with modals, have got andother verbs

She doesn’t like cats, does she?

She likes cats, doesn’t she?

They’ve gone to Italy, haven’t they?

They haven’t gone to Italy,

have they?

Are you a new student, aren’t you?

He doesn’t like cats, doesn’t he?

They’ve organised a party, don’t they?

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GET IT RIGHT!

You’re a new student, aren’t you?

He doesn’t like cats, does he?

They’ve organised a party, haven’t they?

Tom: I’m having a party on Saturday. I gave you an invitation, didn’t I?

Luke: Yes, you did. I can bring my sister, can’t I?

Tom: Yes, but you won’t bring your mum, will you?!

Luke: Ha! Ha! You’ve got the music organised, haven’t you?

Tom: Yes, that’s the most important thing. I couldn’t forget about that.

Luke: Okay. See you on Saturday. It’s at 8 pm, isn’t it?

Identify the tenses and the types of question tags.

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Language in action

Question tags are short questions which we use to check facts or keep the conversation going.

• With positive statements, use a negative question tag.

You’re Spanish, aren’t you?

• With negative statements, use a positive question tag.

She doesn’t like dogs, does she?

• When be is used in the statement, repeat it in the question tag.

I’m early, aren’t I? You won’t say anything, will you?

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Can you remember the rules?

• With modal verbs (can, might) and most other verb forms, repeat the modal or the auxiliary verb in the question tag.

You can’t play the piano, can you?

• With present or past simple verbs use do, don’t, does, doesn’t (present simple) or did, didn’t (past simple).

You love this song, don’t you?

I gave it back to you, didn’t I?

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Acknowledgements

The publishers are grateful to the following illustrators:Slide 2: Graham KennedySlide 3: David SempleSlide 4: Arped Olbey (Beehive Illustration)

© Cambridge University Press 2015