Question Tags Question Tags ExplainedExplained

1.  They are short questions added to sentences, 1.  They are short questions added to sentences, asking for Agreement or  confirmation.asking for Agreement or  confirmation.

2.  We always use the auxiliaries to make question 2.  We always use the auxiliaries to make question tags. If there is no auxiliary in  the sentence, we add tags. If there is no auxiliary in  the sentence, we add "do, does, or did", depending on the tense."do, does, or did", depending on the tense.

3.  There are two kinds of question tags :3.  There are two kinds of question tags : (a)(a) Affirmative statements (Negative interr tags)Affirmative statements (Negative interr tags)

eg:  Peter helped you, didn’t he?eg:  Peter helped you, didn’t he?(b)(b) Negative statements (Affirmative interr tags)Negative statements (Affirmative interr tags)

eg: That isn’t Tom, is it ? There wasn’t enough time, eg: That isn’t Tom, is it ? There wasn’t enough time, was there?was there?

N.B. :N.B. : The subject of the tag is always a pronoun.The subject of the tag is always a pronoun. Negative verbs in the tags are usually contracted. Negative verbs in the tags are usually contracted.

(didn’t you?  did you not?)(didn’t you?  did you not?) Irregular tag : Irregular tag : (a)(a) I’m late, aren’t I ?I’m late, aren’t I ?(b)(b) Let’s go, shall we ?Let’s go, shall we ? (c)(c) Edward lives here, doesn’t he ?Edward lives here, doesn’t he ?(d)(d) You found your passport, didn’t you ?You found your passport, didn’t you ?(e)(e) Mary’s coming tomorrow, isn’t she ?Mary’s coming tomorrow, isn’t she ? (f)(f) Mary’s just come home, hasn’t she ?Mary’s just come home, hasn’t she ? (g)(g) Mary’d written before you phoned, hadn’t she ?Mary’d written before you phoned, hadn’t she ? (h)(h) Mary’d come if you asked her, wouldn’t she ?Mary’d come if you asked her, wouldn’t she ?(i)(i) Mary’d rather not tell the truth, would she ?Mary’d rather not tell the truth, would she ?(j)(j) Mary’d better not tell the truth, had she ?Mary’d better not tell the truth, had she ?

4. Statements containing words such as :4. Statements containing words such as : neither, no, none, no one, nobody, nothing neither, no, none, no one, nobody, nothing

+ + scarcely, barely, hardly, hardly ever, rarely, scarcely, barely, hardly, hardly ever, rarely,

and seldomand seldom are treated as Negative statements and are treated as Negative statements and followed by an ordinary interrogativefollowed by an ordinary interrogative

(h) No salt is allowed, is it ?(h) No salt is allowed, is it ?(i)(i) Nothing was said, was it ?Nothing was said, was it ?(j) (j) Peter hardly ever studies, does he ?Peter hardly ever studies, does he ?

5.  When the subject of the sentence is :5.  When the subject of the sentence is : anyone,  no one, anybody, nobody, none, anyone,  no one, anybody, nobody, none, neitherneither, , everyone, everybody, someone, everyone, everybody, someone, somebody, we use the pronoun “They” as somebody, we use the pronoun “They” as subject of the tag.subject of the tag.

(k) I don’t think anyone will come, will they?(k) I don’t think anyone will come, will they?(l) (l) No one would object, would they?No one would object, would they? (m) Neither of them complained, did they?(m) Neither of them complained, did they?(n) Everyone warned you, didn’t they?(n) Everyone warned you, didn’t they?(o) Someone had recognized him, hadn’t they?(o) Someone had recognized him, hadn’t they?

QuizQuiz Leonard Cohen is a great singer, ___ ___?Leonard Cohen is a great singer, ___ ___? isn’t heisn’t he It isn't very warm today, ___ ___? It isn't very warm today, ___ ___? is itis it I didn't bring enough money, ___ ___?I didn't bring enough money, ___ ___? did Idid I The children won't want to go to bed early, ___? The children won't want to go to bed early, ___? will theywill they You have already seen Lord of the Rings, ___ ___?You have already seen Lord of the Rings, ___ ___? haven’t youhaven’t you We can't keep our canary in the hotel room, ___ ___? We can't keep our canary in the hotel room, ___ ___? can wecan we England would like to win another World Cup , ___ ___?England would like to win another World Cup , ___ ___? wouldn’t theywouldn’t they

Quiz 2Quiz 2 You don't smoke, ___? You don't smoke, ___? do youdo you You haven't got a car, ___?You haven't got a car, ___? have youhave you You haven't been to London, ___? You haven't been to London, ___? have youhave you You aren't thirty-five, ___? You aren't thirty-five, ___? are youare you Tom is getting something for Sue, ___?Tom is getting something for Sue, ___? isn’t heisn’t he There's some milk in the refrigerator, ___? There's some milk in the refrigerator, ___? isn’t thereisn’t there Susan can bring some food, ___? Susan can bring some food, ___? can’t shecan’t she

Quiz 3Quiz 3

I'm early, ___?I'm early, ___? aren’t Iaren’t I Your neighbors went on vacation, ___? Your neighbors went on vacation, ___? didn’t theydidn’t they You wanted that,_____ ? You wanted that,_____ ? didn’t youdidn’t you He will be coming _____ ? He will be coming _____ ? won’t hewon’t he You may think you know the answer but you don't____ ? You may think you know the answer but you don't____ ? do youdo you Let’s take a break, ____?Let’s take a break, ____? shall weshall we

Quiz 4Quiz 4 You don’t like football, ____?You don’t like football, ____? do youdo you Oh, shut up, ____?Oh, shut up, ____? will youwill you Don’t be too upset about it, ____?Don’t be too upset about it, ____? will youwill you Say something to me in Greek, ___?Say something to me in Greek, ___? will/would youwill/would you Help me with these bags, ____?Help me with these bags, ____? will/would youwill/would you

Quiz 5Quiz 5 Nobody's got to leave early, .........? Nobody's got to leave early, .........? have theyhave they You have to arrive before half past eight, ..........? You have to arrive before half past eight, ..........? don’t youdon’t you I'm in trouble, .........? I'm in trouble, .........? aren’t Iaren’t I You'd rather not tell me, .......? You'd rather not tell me, .......? wouldn’t youwouldn’t you That's the guy who was on TV the other night, .......? That's the guy who was on TV the other night, .......? isn’t itisn’t it That's the guy that won the pools, ........? That's the guy that won the pools, ........? isn’t itisn’t it He'd better try harder, .......? He'd better try harder, .......? hadn’t hehadn’t he Everybody looked so miserable, ........? Everybody looked so miserable, ........? didn’t theydidn’t they

Quiz 6Quiz 6 They never work,They never work, ___? ___? do theydo they Nobody understands,Nobody understands, _____? _____? do theydo they Everybody was laughing at him,Everybody was laughing at him, ____? ____? weren’t theyweren’t they Nobody's perfect,Nobody's perfect, _____? _____? are they are they She'd 10 francs in her pocket,She'd 10 francs in her pocket, ____? ____? hadn’t shehadn’t she