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7068 - Question Tag UF

The document provides an overview of question tags, which are short questions added to statements for agreement or confirmation. It outlines rules for forming question tags based on the positivity or negativity of the statement, the structure of tags, and examples of their usage. Additionally, it includes exercises and answers to reinforce understanding of the topic.

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enfants seppo
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12 views14 pages

7068 - Question Tag UF

The document provides an overview of question tags, which are short questions added to statements for agreement or confirmation. It outlines rules for forming question tags based on the positivity or negativity of the statement, the structure of tags, and examples of their usage. Additionally, it includes exercises and answers to reinforce understanding of the topic.

Uploaded by

enfants seppo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Tag Questions

Dr. A. UMAR FAROOK M A., M Phil., NET, Ph D.


Assistant Professor of English
JAMAL MOHAMED COLLEGE (Autonomous)
Accredited with (3rd cycle) with ‘A’ grade by NAAC
(Affiliated to Bharathidasan University)
Tiruchirappalli-620 020,Tamil Nadu, India.
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What is Question Tag …?

A Question Tag is a short question tagged


(added) to a sentence asking for
agreement or confirmation.
(e.g) He will help us, won’t he?
‘won’t he?’ is a tag
2
What is Question Tag …?

They are questions attached to the end of a


statement in order to draw attention to
it or to give it added force.
(e.g) It is correct, isn't it?

3
Rule #1
If the statement is positive, the tag is negative
They are helpful, aren’t they?

If the statement is negative, the tag is positive.


They are not helpful, are they?

4
Punctuation Marks
Comma (,) and Question mark (?)

✓Comma (,) is used at the end of the statement.


✓ Question mark (?) is used at the end of the tag.

You are tired, aren’t you?

5
Tag Structure #1
NegativeTag...
‘auxiliary verb + n't +pronoun’
(the pronoun refers to the subject of the statement)

(e.g.) It is correct, isn't it?


Raja is a good boy, isn’t he?
6
Tag Structure #2
PositiveTag...
‘auxiliary verb + pronoun’
(the pronoun refers to the subject of the sentence)

(e.g) It is not correct, is it?


Raja is not rich, is he?
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CHANGES OF VERBS
Main, Auxiliary & Modal Verbs
1. MainVerb of ‘Do’
They work hard, don’t they?
She dances well, doesn’t she?
2. Auxiliary forms of ‘Be’ and ‘Have’
Kumar is sick, isn’t he?
Sudha has a car, hasn’t she?

3. Modal Auxiliary
You can do this, can’t you?
My brother will drop us, won’t he?
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Contracted Form
Only contracted form (short form) should be
used in the tag but not the full form.
.
Can not = can't
will not = won't
shall not = shan't
have not = haven't
But, am not = aren't

(e.g) I can help them, can’t I?


I am your neighbour, aren't I?
9
Negative Expressions
a) No, None, Never, No-one, Nothing, Nowhere, etc. are negative and hence the
tag should be positive, as in the following examples.
(eg) None of the food was wasted, was it?
. We saw no-one we knew, did we?

b) Little, few, hardly, scarcely, rarely, and seldom are treated as negative and take a
positive tag.
(eg) Few people know the answer, do they?
Little progress has been made, has it?

c) Though 'few' and 'little' are negative 'a few' and 'a little' are positive, and
therefore take a negative tag.
(eg) A few students knew the answer, don't they?
A little progress has been made, hasn't it?
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Useful to remember…
a) ‘Let us’ sentence – tag is ‘shall we?’
Let us go for a walk, shall we?
.b)Verb+other words – tag is 'will you? or 'won't you?"
Do this work, will you?
Help him to open, won't you?
c) Everyone has come, haven't they?
d) Many of us wanted to stay longer, didn't we?
e) Some of you are learning English, aren't you?
f) There is a clinic in this area, isn’t there?
g) There are many shops in this area, aren’t there?

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Exercises
1.We haven't had our lunch yet.
2.You were only just in time.
3.The car broke down at a most awkward time.
4. Everyone is liable to make mistakes.
.5. Sneha will miss the train
6.The garden looks very attractive.
7.The journey was hardly an easy one.
8.The peon would not let us in.
9. I never drink coffee.
10.The hotel was not expensive.
11. Let us go and see their new house.
12. He easily loses his temper.
13. Few of us voted against the proposal.
14.There won't be time to get lunch before the lecture.
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15. He has a little cabin.
Answer Key
1.We haven't had our lunch yet, have we?
2. You were only just in time, weren’t you?
3.The car broke down at a most awkward time, didn’t it?
4. Everyone is liable to make mistakes, aren’t they?
.5. Sneha will miss the train, won’t she?
6.The garden looks very attractive, doesn’t it?
7.The journey was hardly an easy one, was it?
8.The peon would not let us in, would he?
9. I never drink coffee, do I?
10.The hotel was not expensive, was it?
11. Let us go and see their new house, Shall we?
12. He easily loses his temper have we?
13. Few of us voted against the proposal, did we?
14.There won't be time to get lunch before the lecture, will there?
13
15. He has a little cabin, hasn’t he?
Practice makes perfect

THANK YOU ALL

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