1. Tag Questions
Ms. Suthiya Mano

2. When do we use tag questions?
We use tag questions when we want to confirm some information, don’t we?
Yes, we do!

3. Compare: John is a teacher (I know this is true).
John is a teacher, isn’t he? (I’m 90% sure, I need confirmation)
Mary runs every day (I know this)
Mary runs every day, doesn’t she? (I’m not 100% sure)

4. When do we use tag questions?
We also use tag questions when we think someone will agree with us, don’t we?
Yes, we do!

5. exceptions Some tag questions form differently (they are irregular):
I’m right, aren’t I? I’m lucky, aren’t I?
Nobody is here, are they? (nobody is NEGATIVE, that’s why the tag is AFFIRMATIVE).
Everybody has done the homework, haven’t they?
There is plenty of food, isn’t there?

6. Short answers Michelle went to a restaurant, didn’t she?
Yes, she did. OR No, she didn’t.
We shouldn’t drink alcohol, should we?
Yes, we should. OR No, we shouldn’t.
(this person wants to drink alcohol) (this person agrees that we shouldn’t drink it)

7. Complete the following sentences with a suitable question tag.
Jane isn’t sleeping in the car, _____________________?
Your brother has a new watch,_____________________?
There’ll be snow on the ground in a few hours, _____________________?
You haven’t heard this joke yet, _____________________?
Stop shouting at each other, _____________________?
Little David doesn’t look like his mother, _____________________?
You parked in the wrong place, _____________________?

8. Complete the following sentences with a suitable question tag.
Nobody has called, _____________________?
You weren’t in London last summer, _____________________?
You could help me with these boxes, _____________________?
He found his wallet in the kitchen, _____________________?
The children hadn’t returned from school when I called, _____________________?
Don’t forget to buy the newspaper, _____________________?
She couldn’t have made such a mistake, _____________________?

9. Answers Answer key 1 …is she? … hasn’t he? …won’t there? …have you?
…will you?
…does he?
…didn’t you?
…have they?
…were you?
…couldn’t you?
…didn’t he?
…had they?
… could she?

10. Question tags 1. Form:
How can you form question tags in the following cases?
He can't hear very well, _________?
I'm wrong, _________?
Let's go home, _________?
She's got a brother, _________?
You always have cereal and coffee for breakfast, _________?
Be quiet, _________?
Don't shout, _________?
There's a cinema near your house, _________?
There were a lot of people at the beach, _________?
That's Mary's car, _________?
These are your sunglasses, _________?
Everyone was at the party, _________?
No one saw us, _________?

11. When there is a modal verb in the
clause, the question tag is formed by using this.
He can't hear very well, can he?
► The question tag for I am is aren't I?
I'm wrong, aren't 1?
I'm X
► The question tag for let's is shall we?
Let's go home, shall we?
► When the clause is in the imperative, the question tag both in the positive and the negative is will you?
Be quiet, will you?
Don't shout, will you?

12. ► The question tag for have got is
formed using have or has. But when have is the main verb, the question tag is formed using the auxiliary verb
do/does/did.
She's got a brother, hasn't she? You always have cereal and coffee for breakfast, don't you?
► When we have there is/are, there was/were, there will be etc., the
question tag in the clause, the
question tag is formed using there,
not it or they.
There's a cinema near your house, isn't there?
There's a einema near your house,
isn't it:? X
There were a lot of people at the beach, weren't there?
There were a lot of peoPle at th-e X
► When the subject of the clause are the words this/that or these/those, we use
it or they in the question tag.
That's Mary's car, isn't it?
These are your sunglasses, aren't they?

13. When the subject of the clause is a
word such as somebody, everyone, no one, we use they and a plural verb
in the question tag.
Everyone was at the party, weren't
they?
► When the subject of the clause is a negative word such as nothing, no one, nobody, the question tag is
positive.
No one saw us, did they?

14. 2. Position
They always go at the end of the clause and are separated from this by a comma.

15. When do we use question tags?
- when we are not absolutely sure about something and we want to confirm it, to find out whether or not it applies. You live in London, don't you? - Often we use them when we are sure about something and are simply waiting for our fellow speaker to agree with us. It's a lovely day, isn't it?