Questions Tags

Question tags are not a complete question in itself. These are a from of question attached with a statement. This
acts a s a confirmation to that of the statement. Question tags are also used in everyday life conversation in order
to seek the attention of the listener.

Types
a) positive question tags:
Tags are said to be positive if it is attached to a negative statement. For example:
a) She is not working, is she?
Negative statement positive tag

b) They had not gone there, had they?

Negative statement positive tag

b) Negative question tags:

Tags are said to be negative if it is attached to a positive statement. For example:
a) We are reading, aren’t we?
positive statement Negative tag

b) You will do this job, won’t you?

positive statement Negative tag

structure of Tags
a) structure of a positive tag
auxiliary + subject +?
b) structure of a negative tag
auxiliary + not + subject +?

Work Book exercise A

Complete the following by using suitable tags:

1. He isn’t going to do it, …..?
2. You enjoyed that,…..?
3. He doesn’t write very well, …..?
4. We love it,…….?
5. It doesn’t work,…….?
6. They don’t live in Liverpool,……?
7. She works in sales, ………?
8. It looks perfect there,………?
9. We went there last year,……………..?
10. I don’t know him,……………..?

Rules Regarding the Formation of Tags.

Rule 1 Subject of a tag can never be a noun. It is always a pronoun. For example:
a) Ram is doing maths, isn’t he?
Noun pronoun
b) Parul has not eaten, has she?
Noun pronoun
Rule 2 Question tag never starts with a capital letter.

Rule 3 The auxiliary that is to be used in the formation of tag must be in the contracted form. This holds
good only in the case of a negative tag. Here is the list of those contracted auxiliaries:
do not = don’t
does not = doesn’t
did not = didn’t
is not = isn’t
are not = aren’t
has not = hasn’t
have not = haven’t
had not = hadn’t
was not = wasn’t
were not = weren’t
shall not = shan’t
will not = won’t
can not = can’t
may not = mayn’t
could not = couldn’t
should not = shouldn’t
would not = wouldn’t
ought not = oughtn’t
must not = mustn’t
dare not = daren’t

Exception: Am I not is not written as ‘amn’t I’ but it is written as ‘aren’t I’ strudents must be
aware of this fact always.

Rule 4 In case auxiliary is not there in the statement the [do/does/did]us used in tag. For example:
a) She plays chess beautifully.
In the above sentence, there is no auxiliary used. When we are to make ts tag then we shall use one out of the
three auxiliaries (so/does/did). For example:
She plays chess beautifully, doesn’t she?

b) They play fair, don’t they?

auxiliary

c) They went to park, didn't they?

auxiliary

Note: (verb)1 = do + (verb)1

(verb)1 + s/es = does + (verb)1
(verb)2 = did + (verb)1
Apply the above method in writing tags for those sentences that don’t have an auxiliary with
them.

Rule 5 Statements thar use the following are considered negative and hence, tag to these statements
will be positive.
Barely, hardly, no, neither, nonem nobody, no one, nothing, seldom, scarcely, rarely.
For example:
a) He had nothing, had he?
b) She seldom weeps, does she?
Rule 6 If the statements has introductory subjects with it then the subject of the tag becomes as follows.
Subject of statement subject of tag
this it
that it
these they
they they
those one
once there
there there
it it
for example:
a) This is my pen.
This is my pen, isn’t it?
Subject of statement subject of tag
b) There is a cow.
There is a cow, isn’t there?
Subject of statement subject of tag

Rule 7 If the statement has demonstrative or distributive adjective with it then the subject of the tag will
be chose as per the number, gender and person of the noun being qualified by the
adjective.
For example:
a) This girl was dancing.
This girl was dancing, wasn’t she?
Demonstrative adjective noun subject of tag
b) One man can do this.
One man can do this, can’t he?
distributive adjective noun noun subject of tag

Rule 8 If the subject of the statement is an indefinite pronoun then the subject of the tag will be ‘they’.
For example:
a) Somebody invited me.
Somebody invited me, didin’t they?
indefinite pronoun subject of tag
b) None can ruin me.
None can ruin me, can they?
indefinite pronoun subject of tag

Rule 9 If the subject of the statement is nothing, everything, something or anything then the subjct of
the tag will be ‘it’
for example:
a) Everything is fine.
Everything is fine, isn’t it?
b) Nothing has improved.
Nothing has improved, has it?
c) Something will be good.
Something will be good, won’t it?

Rule 10Some expressions that use objective case of the pronoun and are used as the subjects in
the statement then the subject of the tag will be the subjective case of the pronoun.
For example:
a) All of you are convict.
All of yor are convict, aren’t you?
b) None of us have gone there.
None of us have gone there, have we?
c) Neither of them is good.
Neither of them is good, are they?
Rule 11 Statements that have begun with ‘let’ talk their subject of tag in the different ways.
Statement with ‘Let’ subject of Tag
let us we
let him you
let them you
let her you

Rule 12 If the imperative sentence is written with positive sense then the tag will be either ‘will you’ or
‘won’t you’.
Also, if the imperative sentence is written with negative sense then the tag will be ‘will you’.
For example:
a) the gate.
Open the gate, will you?
b) Open the door.
Open the door, won’t you?
c) Mind your business.
Mind your business, won’t you?
d) Don’t break the glass.
Don’t break the glass, will you?

Rule 13If the imperative sentence expresses annoyance or irritation then the tag used is ‘can’t
you’.
For example:
a) Shut up.
Shut up, can’t you?
b) Keep your mouth shut.
Keep your mouth shut, can’t you?

Revision Exercises
1. Match the tags with the statements
1. You haven’t got one