TAG QUESTIONS When do we use tag questions

TAG QUESTIONS

When do we use tag questions? � Confirm information we THINK is true � Encourage someone to make small talk with us

How do we make tag questions? �Tag questions go at the end of a statement to show that we expect the listener to confirm or deny the statement �When the statement is AFFIRMATIVE, we use a NEGATIVE tag question �Your name is Sarah, isn’t it? �When the statement is NEGATIVE, we use an AFFIRMATIVE tag question �You don’t like metal music, do you?

How do we make tag questions? � When we make tag questions, we use the same auxiliary as is used in the statement �He’s going to the party, isn’t he? �We didn’t stop all night, did we? �You haven’t seen the new movie, have you? �They would like to travel to Egypt, wouldn’t they? �She can’t hear me, can she? � When the verb is a form of be, we use the same form of be in the tag question �They are singers, aren’t they? �I’m not happy, am I? �Exception: When the statement uses I am in the affirmative, we use aren’t I in the tag question � I’m the last one to arrive, aren’t I?

How do we make tag questions? �When the statement is in the simple present- affirmative, we use don’t/doesn’t in our tag questions �He needs help, doesn’t he? �They love each other, don’t they? �When the statement is in the simple past- affirmative, we use didn’t in our tag questions �You helped out last night, didn’t you? �When the statement uses a name, we use a subject pronoun in the tag question. DO NOT repeat the name �George is talking on the phone, isn’t he? �Billy and Maria don’t know each other, do they?

Practice �Karen needs a new bike, ____ she? �Larry has read that book, hasn’t ______? �I am new here, ______ I? �They can’t see, _______? �We should stop here, ______

Short answers to tag questions � When we answer a tag question, we can use an affirmative or negative response � When we want to us an affirmative short answer, we use 1. Yes, 2. the correct pronoun, 3. the same auxiliary in the tag question in the affirmative. �You’re a new student, aren’t you? Yes, I am. �He didn’t stop here, did he? Yes, he did. � When we want to use a negative short answer, we use 1. No, 2. the correct prounoun, 3. the same auxiliary as in the tag question in the negative. �You didn’t like the movie, did you? �They have gone running, haven’t they? haven’t. No, they didn’t. No, they

Practice � He called you, didn’t he? �Affirmative: ___, _____. �Negative: ____, _____. � They will stop fighting, won’t they? �Affirmative: ___, _____. �Negative: ____, _____. � You aren’t going to come, are you? �Affirmative: ___, _____. �Negative: ____, _____. � We can’t go to class tonight, can we? �Affirmative: ___, _____. �Negative: ____, _____.