Question tagsQuestion tags

USEUSEA question tag is a short question at the end of a statement:He won the prize, didn’t he?

question tag

We use question tags when we want to check if information is correct.

FORMFORM1. Use question tags at the end of a sentence: He won the prize, didn’t he?

question tag

FORMFORM2.a. NEGATIVE QUESTION TAG:If the sentence is positive, the question tag is negative:You have seen that film, haven’t you? + -2.b. POSITIVE QUESTION TAG:If the sentence is negative, the question tag is positive:You haven’t seen that film, have you? - +If the sentence contains a negative word (never, hardly…) the question tag is positive: Ann never goes anywhere, does she? - +

FORMFORM3. Questions tags consist of …

AUXILIARY VERB + PRONOUN: I shouldn’t laugh, shouldshould II?Sarah was winning, wasnwasn’’tt sheshe?We use the auxiliary verb that is used in the previous sentence. If there is no auxiliary verb, se use “do/does” (present tense) and “did” (past tense):You live near here, dondon’’tt you?You turned left, didndidn’’tt you?The pronoun refers to the subject of the previous sentence.

FORMFORM4. Some verbs form question tags differently:I am aren’t I?I’m helpful, aren’t I?There is isn’t there?There is a chemist’s near here, isn’t there?There are aren’t there?There are many shops in the area, aren’t there?This is / That is isn’t it?That’s your wife over there, isn’t it?

FORMFORM5. When we answer question tags, we often use short answers:

A: You are French, aren’t you? B: Yes, I amYes, I am. / No, INo, I’’m notm not. SHORT ANSWERS

A: She’s got a dog, hasn’t she?B: Yes, she hasYes, she has. / No, she hasnNo, she hasn’’tt. SHORT ANSWERS

A: You smoke, don’t you?B: Yes, I doYes, I do. / No, I donNo, I don’’tt. SHORT ANSWERS

FORMFORM6. Intonation:When we are sure of the answer, the voice goes down in the question tag:

John doesn’t like gold, does he?The speaker knows John doesn’t like gold.When we are not sure of the answer, the voice goes up:

They left for Milan, didn’t they? The speaker doesn’t know if they left for Milan or not.

Question tagsQuestion tags

I hope you have understood how to use question tags.