Question tags What are question tags Question tags

Question tags

What are question tags? Question tags are the small questions that often come at the ends of sentences in speech, and sometimes in informal writing. The film wasn’t very good, was it?

Usage We use question tags to make sure something is true or to ask someone if they agree with us. It is used in affirmative and negative sentences but not in questions.

Form In affirmative sentences question tag is negative and vice versa. You’re a new secretary, aren’t you? You’re not the new secretary, are you?

Specific forms Present Simple Tense You like pizza, don’t you? She doesn’t like pizza, does she? If there is no auxiliary verb in the sentence question tag is in the suitable tense.

Past Simple Tense He wasn’t prepared for the test, was he? She didn’t study, did she? They worked all day, didn’t they?

Present Perfect Tense She has been to the doctor’s, hasn’t she? Susan hasn’t gone to the pub, has she?

With Future Simple Tense, question tag is won’t or wouldn’t. They will invite you to the party, won’t they? They won’t give you the money, wouldn’t they?

Subject When the subject is not a pronoun, we use appropriate pronoun in question tags. Chris’s father doesn’t like football, does he? Chris’s grandparents live in the country, don’t they?

Everybody/somebody When the subject is everybody/ somebody the question tag is they. Everybody here speaks English, don’t they? Somebody knew her, didn’t they?

Here’s something for you to practice 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. You’ve bought a new car, ……. ? You speak German, ……. ? You’ll help me, ……. ? The clock isn’t working, ……. . ? Jill doesn’t like me, ……? That isn’t your house, ……? You haven’t met my mother, ……?

And the correct answer is… 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. You’ve bought a new car, haven’t you? You speak German, don’t you? You’ll help me, won’t you? The clock isn’t working, is it? Jill doesn’t like me, does she? That isn’t your house, is ti? You haven’t met my mother, have you?