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Grammar Explanation QUESTION TAGS

This document provides an explanation of question tags in grammar. It states that question tags like "isn't it?" are added to statements to turn them into questions and are more common in speaking than writing. It explains that positive statements take negative question tags, while negative statements take positive question tags. It also covers the formation of question tags, noting that the auxiliary verb in the statement is usually used to form the tag, and what to use when there is no auxiliary verb, such as "doesn't" for positive simple present and past verbs.

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Koffi ÉMILE KOUAKOU
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106 views

Grammar Explanation QUESTION TAGS

This document provides an explanation of question tags in grammar. It states that question tags like "isn't it?" are added to statements to turn them into questions and are more common in speaking than writing. It explains that positive statements take negative question tags, while negative statements take positive question tags. It also covers the formation of question tags, noting that the auxiliary verb in the statement is usually used to form the tag, and what to use when there is no auxiliary verb, such as "doesn't" for positive simple present and past verbs.

Uploaded by

Koffi ÉMILE KOUAKOU
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Grammar explanation

Question tags
We can add question tags like isn't it?, can you? or didn't they? to a
statement to make it into a question. Question tags are more common in
speaking than writing.
We often use question tags when we expect the listener to agree with our
statement. In this case, when the statement is positive, we use a negative
question tag.
She's a doctor, isn't she?
Yesterday was so much fun, wasn't it?
If the statement is negative, we use a positive question tag.
He isn't here, is he?
The trains are never on time, are they?
Nobody has called for me, have they?
If we are sure or almost sure that the listener will confirm that our statement
is correct, we say the question tag with a falling intonation. If we are a bit
less sure, we say the question tag with a rising intonation.

Formation
If there is an auxiliary verb in the statement, we use it to form the question
tag.
I don't need to finish this today, do I?
James is working on that, isn't he?
Your parents have retired, haven't they?
The phone didn't ring, did it?
It was raining that day, wasn't it?
Your mum hadn't met him before, had she?
Sometimes there is no auxiliary verb already in the statement. For example,
when:
... the verb in the statement is present simple or past simple and is positive.
Here we use don't, doesn't or didn't:
Jenni eats cheese, doesn't she?
I said that already, didn't I?
... the verb in the statement is to be in the present simple or past simple. In
this case we use to be to make the question tag:
The bus stop's over there, isn't it?
None of those customers were happy, were they?
... the verb in the statement is a modal verb. Here we use the modal verb to
make the question tag:
They could hear me, couldn't they?
You won't tell anyone, will you?
If the main verb or auxiliary verb in the statement is am, the positive
question tag is am I? but the negative question tag is usually aren't I?:
I'm never on time, am I?
I'm going to get an email with the details, aren't I?

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