Tag Questions Ms. SuthiyaMano
When do we use tag questions? • We use tag questions when we want to confirm some information, don’t we? • Yes, we do!
Compare: • John is a teacher (I know this is true). • John is a teacher, isn’t he? (I’m 90% sure, I need confirmation) • Mary runs every day (I know this) • Mary runs every day, doesn’t she? (I’m not 100% sure)
When do we use tag questions? • We also use tag questions when we think someone will agree with us, don’t we? • Yes, we do!
exceptions • Some tag questions form differently (they are irregular): • I’m right, aren’t I? I’m lucky, aren’t I? • Nobody is here, are they? (nobody is NEGATIVE, that’s why the tag is AFFIRMATIVE). • Everybody has done the homework, haven’t they? • There is plenty of food, isn’t there?
Short answers • Michelle went to a restaurant, didn’t she? Yes, she did. OR No, she didn’t. • We shouldn’t drink alcohol, should we? Yes, we should. OR No, we shouldn’t. (this person wants to drink alcohol) (this person agrees that we shouldn’t drink it)
Complete the following sentences with a suitable question tag. • Jane isn’t sleeping in the car, _____________________? • Your brother has a new watch,_____________________? • There’ll be snow on the ground in a few hours, _____________________? • You haven’t heard this joke yet, _____________________? • Stop shouting at each other, _____________________? • Little David doesn’t look like his mother, _____________________? • You parked in the wrong place, _____________________?
Complete the following sentences with a suitable question tag. • Nobody has called, _____________________? • You weren’t in London last summer, _____________________? • You could help me with these boxes, _____________________? • He found his wallet in the kitchen, _____________________? • The children hadn’t returned from school when I called, _____________________? • Don’t forget to buy the newspaper, _____________________? • She couldn’t have made such a mistake, _____________________?
Answers • Answer key • 1 • …is she? • … hasn’t he? • …won’t there? • …have you? • …will you? • …does he? • …didn’t you? • …have they? • …were you? • …couldn’t you? • …didn’t he? • …had they? • …will you? • … could she?
Question tags1. Form: How can you form question tags in the following cases? • He can't hear very well, _________? • I'm wrong, _________? • Let's go home, _________? • She's got a brother, _________? • You always have cereal and coffee for breakfast, _________? • Be quiet, _________? • Don't shout, _________? • There's a cinema near your house, _________? • There were a lot of people at the beach, _________? • That's Mary's car, _________? • These are your sunglasses, _________? • Everyone was at the party, _________? • No one saw us, _________?
When there is a modal verb in the • clause, the question tag is formed by using this. • He can't hear very well, can he? • ► The question tag for I am is aren't I? • I'm wrong, aren't 1? • I'm X • ► The question tag for let's is shall we? • Let's go home, shall we? • ► When the clause is in the imperative, the question tag both in the positive and the negative is will you? • Be quiet, will you? • Don't shout, will you?
► The question tag for have got is • formed using have or has. But when have is the main verb, the question tag is formed using the auxiliary verb • do/does/did. • She's got a brother, hasn't she? You always have cereal and coffee for breakfast, don't you? • ► When we have there is/are, there was/were, there will be etc., the • question tag in the clause, the • question tag is formed using there, • not it or they. • There's a cinema near your house, isn't there? • There's a einema near your house, • isn't it:? X • There were a lot of people at the beach, weren't there? • There were a lot of peoPle at th-e • X • ► When the subject of the clause are the words this/that or these/those, we use • it or they in the question tag. • That's Mary's car, isn't it? • These are your sunglasses, aren't they?
When the subject of the clause is a • word such as somebody, everyone, no one, we use they and a plural verb • in the question tag. • Everyone was at the party, weren't • they? • ► When the subject of the clause is a negative word such as nothing, no one, nobody, the question tag is • positive. • No one saw us, did they?
2. Position They always go at the end of the clause and are separated from this by a comma.
When do we use question tags? - when we are not absolutely sure about something and we want to confirm it, to find out whether or not it applies. You live in London, don't you? - Often we use them when we are sure about something and are simply waiting for our fellow speaker to agree with us. It's a lovely day, isn't it?
