tag question 4

Tag-Questions
or
Question Tags
• Statement Sentences with short questions at
the end with a question mark!

Tag-Questions
Tag-Questions
•
A ‘tag-question’ or ‘question tag’ is
A ‘tag-question’ or ‘question tag’ is
not
not
a true
a true
question.
question.
A tag question is used at the end of a Statement
A tag question is used at the end of a Statement
Sentence to get the confirmation from the
Sentence to get the confirmation from the
listener, or just to express one’s doubt.
listener, or just to express one’s doubt.
A question sentence, on the contrary, is used to
A question sentence, on the contrary, is used to
get the answer.
get the answer.

Tag-Questions
Tag-Questions


You
You
are
are
my student. Statement Sentence
my student. Statement Sentence
positive
positive

You are
You are
not
not
my student. Statement
my student. Statement
negative
negative

Are
Are
you my student? Question (interrogative)
you my student? Question (interrogative)

You are my student,
You are my student,
aren’t you
aren’t you
? Tag-question
? Tag-question

Tag-Questions
Tag-Questions

Whose books are these? – a true question
Whose books are these? – a true question

These are your books,
These are your books,
aren’t they
aren’t they
?
?
-Tag-question – Positive
-Tag-question – Positive
These are not your books,
These are not your books,
are they
are they
?
?
- Tag-question Negative
- Tag-question Negative

Tag-Questions
•
Making a tag-question sentence:

•
She is your friend
,
isn’t she
?
A positive tag-question sentence!




Tag-Questions
Tag-Questions

There are five simple points we
There are five simple points we
should follow when we use a Tag-
should follow when we use a Tag-
question:
question:

Point 1
Point 1

A comma is used between the main
A comma is used between the main
sentence and the ‘tag’ part, e.g.
sentence and the ‘tag’ part, e.g.

This is your book isn’t it?
This is your book isn’t it?

,
,

Tag-Questions
Tag-Questions
►
Point 2
Point 2
:
:
►
Even if the subject of the main sentence is
Even if the subject of the main sentence is
a noun – proper noun or common noun –
a noun – proper noun or common noun –
the
the
subject of the ‘tag’ part is always a
subject of the ‘tag’ part is always a
corresponding PERSONAL PRONOUN. e.g.
corresponding PERSONAL PRONOUN. e.g.
Mary
Mary
isn’t your sister, is
isn’t your sister, is
she
she
?
?

Tag-Questions
Tag-Questions
Point 2
Point 2
(
(
continued
continued
)
)
J ohn
J ohn


has gone home, hasn’t ?
has gone home, hasn’t ?
‘
‘
John’ – proper noun – male – singular
John’ – proper noun – male – singular
he
he


pronoun – male – singular – subjective case
pronoun – male – singular – subjective case

Tag-Question
Tag-Question

Point 2
Point 2


(continued)
(continued)

Ted and J erry
Ted and J erry


got their books, didn’t
got their books, didn’t
?
?
‘
‘
Ted and J erry’
Ted and J erry’
– Proper nouns – male – plural
– Proper nouns – male – plural
they
they
Personal Pronoun – male plural
Personal Pronoun – male plural

Tag-Questions
Tag-Questions

Point 3
Point 3

The verb in the ‘tag’ part depends on the verb in the
The verb in the ‘tag’ part depends on the verb in the
main sentence:
main sentence:

If the verb in the main sentence is in Present Tense,
If the verb in the main sentence is in Present Tense,
the verb in the ‘tag’ part will be in Present Tense; and
the verb in the ‘tag’ part will be in Present Tense; and
the verb in the main sentence is in Past Tense, the verb
the verb in the main sentence is in Past Tense, the verb
in the ‘tag’ part will be in Past, and so on.
in the ‘tag’ part will be in Past, and so on.

If the verb in the main sentence is in
If the verb in the main sentence is in
Positive
Positive
form, the
form, the
verb in the ‘tag’ part will be in
verb in the ‘tag’ part will be in
Negative
Negative

form.
form.

Tag-Questions
•
Point 3
Point 3


(continued)
(continued)
•
She
She
is
is
your sister, she?
your sister, she?
“
“
is” – main verb – Simple Present Tense –
is” – main verb – Simple Present Tense –
POSITIVE
POSITIVE
isn’t
isn’t


–
–

Simple present tense –
Simple present tense –
NEGATIVE
NEGATIVE






Tag-Questions
Tag-Questions

Point 3
Point 3


(continued)
(continued)

Brad
Brad
hasn’t
hasn’t
done his work, he?
done his work, he?
‘
‘
hasn’t’ – Present perfect –
hasn’t’ – Present perfect –

NEGATIVE
NEGATIVE
has
has
Present perfect
Present perfect
POSITIVE
POSITIVE




Tag-Questions
Tag-Questions

Point 3
Point 3


(continued)
(continued)

Kate
Kate
goes
goes
to school, she?
to school, she?
‘
‘

goes’ – Simple present –
goes’ – Simple present –
POSITIVE
POSITIVE
‘
‘
does not go’ – Simple present –
does not go’ – Simple present –
NEGATIVE
NEGATIVE
doesn’t
doesn’t
Point 4
Point 4
The negative form of the verb in the ‘tag’ part is
The negative form of the verb in the ‘tag’ part is
always contracted:
always contracted:
does not = doesn’t; has not = hasn’t; will not = won’t
does not = doesn’t; has not = hasn’t; will not = won’t




Tag-questions
Tag-questions

Point 3
Point 3

(continued)
(continued)

James
James
did not go
did not go
to school, he?
to school, he?
‘
‘
did not go’ – Simple past – NEGATIVE
did not go’ – Simple past – NEGATIVE
‘
‘
go’ – Simple past – Positive; however, in
go’ – Simple past – Positive; however, in
‘tag’ part, the auxiliary (helping) verb
‘tag’ part, the auxiliary (helping) verb
alone is used:
alone is used:
did
did

Tag-questions
Tag-questions
•
Point 5
Point 5
Word order
Word order
•
In the statement sentence (in the main
In the statement sentence (in the main
sentence) the subject comes first and the
sentence) the subject comes first and the
verb comes next; but in the ‘tag’ part, the
verb comes next; but in the ‘tag’ part, the
verb comes first and the subject comes
verb comes first and the subject comes
next, just as in the interrogative sentence.
next, just as in the interrogative sentence.




Tag-Question
Tag-Question

Point 5
Point 5
– word order
– word order
(continued)

(continued)


For example:
For example:
A woman fainted, didn’t she?
A woman fainted, didn’t she?
Main sentence
Main sentence
‘
‘
tag’ part
tag’ part
Subj ect f irst; verb next
Subj ect f irst; verb next
Verb f irst; subject next
Verb f irst; subject next




Tag-Questions
Tag-Questions

There are some exceptions to some of the rules
There are some exceptions to some of the rules
(points) we have discussed so far. To understand
(points) we have discussed so far. To understand
those rules (points), first we have to master these
those rules (points), first we have to master these

points.
points.

Therefore, let’s master these rules (points) now, and
Therefore, let’s master these rules (points) now, and
then we can go for those exceptions later!
then we can go for those exceptions later!