Question tags

The basic structure is: + Positive statement, Snow is white, Negative statement, You don't like me, negative tag? isn't it? + positive tag? do you?

A tag question is a special construction in English. It is a statement followed by a mini-question. The whole sentence is a "tag question", and the mini-question at the end is called a "question tag". A "tag" is something small that we add to something larger. For example, the little piece of cloth added to a shirt showing size or washing instructions is a tag. We use tag questions at the end of statements to ask for confirmation. They mean something like: "Am I right?" or "Do you agree?" They are very common in English. The basic structure is: + Positive statement, Snow is white, Negative statement, You don't like me, negative tag? isn't it? + positive tag? do you?

Look at these examples with positive statements: positive statement [+] main verb coming, finished, negative tag [-] personal pronoun (same as subject) you? we?
notes:

subject

auxiliary

auxiliary

not

You We

are have

are have

n't n't

You You They I We He You John

do

like like

coffee, coffee,

do do wo can must

n't n't n't 't n't n't n't n't

you? you? they? I? we? he? you? he?

no auxiliary for main verb be present & past You (do) like... won't = will not

will can must should

help, come, go, try are was harder, English, there,

should are was

Look at these examples with negative statements: negative statement [-] subject It We You They They I We He You John auxiliary is have do will wo can must should n't never n't not n't never n't n't main verb raining, seen like help, report do tell drive are was n't not us, it right, her, so fast, English, there, that, coffee, positive tag [+] auxiliary is have do will will can must should are was personal pronoun (same as subject) it? we? you? they? they? I? we? he? you? he?

Some special cases: I am right, aren't I? You have to go, don't you? aren't I (not amn't I) you (do) have to go...

I have been answering, haven't I? use first auxiliary Nothing came in the post, did it? Let's go, shall we? He'd better do it, hadn't he? 1) She is collecting stickers,

treat statements with nothing, nobody etc like negative statements let's = let us he had better (no auxiliary) ?

2) We often watch TV in the afternoon, 3) You have cleaned your bike,

? ? ? ?

4) John and Max don't like Maths, 5) Peter played handball yesterday,

6) They are going home from school, 8) He could have bought a new car, 9) Kevin will come tonight, 10) I'm clever,

7) Mary didn't do her homework last Monday,

? ?

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Mr McGuinness is from Ireland, The car isn't in the garage, You are John,

? ?

She went to the library yesterday, He didn't recognize me,

? ?

Cars pollute the environment, The trip is very expensive, He won't tell her,

Mr. Pritchard has been to Scotland recently, ? ? ?

Hugh had a red car,

2. They arent on their way already, ________________ ? 3. Were late again, ________________ ?

4. Im not the person with the tickets, ________________ ? 5. Julie isnt an accountant, ________________ ? 6. The weather is really bad today, ________________ ? 7. Hes very handsome, ________________ ? 8. They arent in Mumbai at the moment, ________________ ? 9. You arent from Brazil, ________________ ? 10. Johns a very good student, ________________ ? 11. I like chocolate very much, ________________ ? 12. She doesnt work in a hotel, ________________ ? 13. They need some new clothes, ________________ ? 14. We live in a tiny flat, ________________ ? 15. She studies very hard every night, ________________ ? 16. David and Julie dont take Chinese classes, ________________ ? 17. I often come home late, ________________ ? 18. You dont like spicy food, ________________ ? 19. She doesnt cook very often, ________________ ? 20. We dont watch much TV, ________________ ?

Relatives

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