Using Tag Questions

Using Tag Questions BY G. Javier Burgos

What is a tag question? • A tag question is a sentence with a question phrase connected at the end. Example: It’s windy today, isn’t it? Sentence part Tag

Tag questions have two purposes: • To clarify information (the speaker expects an answer) Example: • We have a test tomorrow, don’t we? • Mr. Smith is coming to the meeting, isn’t he? • I’m permitted to park here, aren’t I?

Tag questions have two purposes: • To agree with someone (the speaker does not expect an answer) Example: • You’re falling asleep, aren’t you? • The party was a lot of fun, wasn’t it? • I didn’t win the lottery, did I?

Forming Tag Questions(6 easy steps) Step 1: Identify the verb in the sentence. Sergio likes to eat at buffets, ______ ______? verb

Forming Tag Questions(6 easy steps) Step 2: Identify the type of verb. (Is it the verb “to be”, an auxiliary verb, or the main verb?) Sergio likes to eat at buffets, ______ ______? Main verb

Forming Tag Questions(6 easy steps) Step 3: Identify the tense of verb. (Is it in present or past tense?) Sergio likes to eat at buffets, ______ ______? Present tense

Forming Tag Questions(6 easy steps) Step 4: If in present tense, determine if 1st or 3rd person. If in past tense, use auxiliary “to be” or “do” in past. Sergio likes to eat at buffets , _ _ ______? Use the auxiliary verb “does”. does Third person

Forming Tag Questions(6 easy steps) Step 5: Is the verb affirmative or negative? Sergio likes to eat at buffets, __________? Write in the opposite. doesn’t Affirmative

Forming Tag Questions(6 easy steps) Step 6: Add the pronoun at the end. Sergio likes to eat at buffets, doesn’t ? he Noun

Overview Step 1:Identify the verb in the sentence. Step 2:Identify the type of verb. Step 3:Identify the tense. Step 4:If in present tense, determine if 1st or 3rd person. If in past tense, use auxiliary “to be” or “do” in past. Step 5:Affirmative or negative? Step 6:Add pronoun.

Let’s Practice • Lunch was delicious, ? • Spring break is next week, _________? • Class finished quickly, _________? wasn’t it isn’t it didn’t it

You’ve called the movers, • They’re coming tomorrow, • This isn’t going to be cheap, • You haven’t finished packing, • We don’t need any more boxes, • Pablo is going to help us, • We can put some things in storage, • Jack isn’t buying our bookcases, • We need to disconnect the phone, • The movers aren’t packing the books for us, • We can’t turn off the electricity yet, • Moving is hard, • can we? • do we? • is he? • isn’t it? • aren’t they? • have you? • isn’t he? • is it? • haven’t you? • don’t we? • can’t we? • are they?

He won the prize, didn’t he? question tag 2.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? - +

FORM 3. Questions tags consist of … AUXILIARY VERB + PRONOUN: Ishouldn’t laugh, shouldI? Sarahwas winning, wasn’tshe? 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, don’t you? You turned left, didn’t you? The pronoun refers to the subject of the previous sentence.

FORM 4. 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?

FORM 5. When we answer question tags, we often use short answers: A: You are French, aren’t you? B: Yes, I am. / No, I’m not.  SHORT ANSWERS A: She’s got a dog, hasn’t she? B: Yes, she has. / No, she hasn’t.  SHORT ANSWERS A: You smoke, don’t you? B: Yes, I do. / No, I don’t.  SHORT ANSWERS Note: A comma is used between the main sentence and the ‘tag’ part, e.g. This is your book isn’t it?

MORE-------Tag-Questions • You are my student. Statement Sentence positive • You are not my student. Statement negative • Are you my student? Question (interrogative) • You are my student, aren’t you? Tag-question

Tag-Questions • Whose books are these? – a true question • These are your books, aren’t they? -Tag-question – Positive These are not your books, are they? - Tag-question -- Negative

Tag-Questions • Making a tag-question sentence: • She is your friend , isn’t she ? A positive tag-question sentence!

Tag-Questions subject of the ‘tag’ part is always a corresponding PERSONAL PRONOUN. e.g. Mary isn’t your sister, is she?

Tag-Questions • Point 2 (continued) • Johnhas gone home, hasn’t ? ‘John’ – proper noun – male – singular he pronoun – male – singular – subjective case

Tag-Question • Point 2(continued) • Ted and Jerrygot their books, didn’t ? ‘Ted and Jerry’ – Proper nouns – male – plural they Personal Pronoun – male -- plural

Tag-Questions • REMEMBER--- • If the verb in the main sentence is in Positive form, the verb in the ‘tag’ part will be in Negative form.

Tag-Questions • Point 3(continued) • She is your sister, she? “is” – main verb – Simple Present Tense –POSITIVE isn’t – Simple present tense – NEGATIVE

Tag-Questions • Point 3(continued) • Brad hasn’t done his work, he? ‘hasn’t’ – Present perfect – NEGATIVE has Present perfect -- POSITIVE

Tag-Questions • Point 3(continued) • Kate goes to school, she? ‘goes’ – Simple present – POSITIVE ‘does not go’ – Simple present – NEGATIVE doesn’t Point 4 The negative form of the verb in the ‘tag’ part is always contracted: does not = doesn’t; has not = hasn’t; will not = won’t

Tag-questions • Point 3(continued) • James did not go to school, he? ‘did not go’ – Simple past – NEGATIVE ‘go’ – Simple past – Positive; however, in ‘tag’ part, the auxiliary (helping) verb alone is used: did

Tag-questions • Point 5 -- Word order • In the statement sentence (in the main sentence) the subject comes first and the verb comes next; but in the ‘tag’ part, the verb comes first and the subject comes next, just as in the interrogative sentence.

Tag-Question • Point 5 – word order (continued) For example: A woman fainted, didn’t she? Main sentence ‘tag’ part Subject first; verb next Verb first; subject next

This is what we use… • Shall Ex: Let’s go out for a walk, shall we? • Will/ would Ex: Post this letter for me, will you? • Aren’t I’m younger than you, aren’t I ?

Think about question tags for these statements: • I’m right,_____________? • You’ve been working late again,_____________? • You haven’t got a pen by any chance,____________? • Let’s have a break,_________? • Sit down a moment, ________? • You met your husband in N.Y,___________? • We’re going to London on Saturday, ______________? • You haven’t broken that as well, ____________?

Tips! • In replies to question tags we use short answers. You’ve been here before, haven’t you? No, I haven’t, actually! • Notice that when the information is not correct people use actually after the short answer. • Notice the comma before the question tag

Thanks a bunch! G. Javier Burgos E.L.T. elt@gmx.us

Using Tag Questions