Using Tag Questions

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Using Tag Questions
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• She's very beautiful, isn't she?

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• The baby doesn't want to eat her food, does she?

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• She's done something really interesting to her
  hair, hasn't she?

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TAG QUESTIONS

• A tag question is a question added at the end of
  a sentence. Speakers use it to make sure their
  information is correct.

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What is a tag question?

• A tag question is a sentence with a question
  phrase connected at the end.
• Example
• Its windy today, isnt it?

Sentence part
Tag
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Tag questions have two purposes

• To clarify information
• (the speaker expects an answer)
• Example
• We have a test tomorrow, dont we?
• Mr. Smith is coming to the meeting, isnt he?
• Im permitted to park here, arent I?

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Tag questions have two purposes

• To agree with someone
• (the speaker does not expect an answer)
• Example
• Youre falling asleep, arent you?
• The party was a lot of fun, wasnt it?
• I didnt win the lottery, did I?

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Forming Tag Questions
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• Step 1
• Identify the verb in the sentence.
• Sergio likes to eat at buffets, ______ __?

verb
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• Step 2
• Identify the type of verb.
• (Is it the verb to be, an auxiliary verb, or
  the main verb?)
• Sergio likes to eat at buffets, _____ ___?

Main verb
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• Step 3
• Identify the tense of verb.
• (Is it in present or past tense?)
• Sergio likes to eat at buffets, ______ ___?

Present tense
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• Step 4
• If in present tense, determine if 1st or 3rd
  person. If in past tense, use auxiliary to be
  or do in past.
• Sergio likes to eat at buffets , _ _ ____?
• Use the auxiliary verb does.

Third person
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• Step 5
• Is the verb affirmative or negative?
• Sergio likes to eat at buffets, __________?
• Write in the opposite.

doesnt
Affirmative
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• Step 6
• Add the pronoun at the end.
• Sergio likes to eat at buffets, doesnt ?

he
Noun
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Overview

• Step 1 Identify the verb in the sentence.

Step 2 Identify the type of verb. Step 3
Identify the tense. Step 4 If in present tense,
determine if 1st or 3rd person. If in past
tense, use auxiliary to be or do in
past. Step 5 Affirmative or negative? Step 6
Add pronoun.
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Affirmative sentence negative tag

• Mary is here, isnt she?
• They have left, havent they?
  
  

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• 1. She works for a big company, ____ _?
• 2. The movie started at 800, _____ ___?
• 3. This is a good apple, ____ _____?
• 4. You've eaten breakfast, _____ ____?
• 5. The students are going to take a test today,
  ____ ____?
• 6. He'll be at the party, ______ ___?
• 7. Your car is working now, ______ ____?
• 8. John has some money, _______ _____?
• 9. You made some coffee, ______ ____?
• 10. They've done that before, _____ ___?

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Negative sentence affirmative tag

• Edy cant sing, can he?
  
  You dont like tea, do you?

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• 1. You don't have to work today, ___ ___?
• 2. She won't get here on time, _____ __?
• 3. Your dog hasn't had puppies, ____ ____?
• 4. That wasn't a very good movie, _____ __?
• 5. The computer isn't on, _____ ____?
• 6. Tracy and Bill are getting back together, ___
  ____?
• 7. I'm not late, _____ ____?
• 8. The alarm didn't go off, _____ _____?
• 9. He can't move any heavy furniture, _ __?
• 10. It doesn't really matter, ____ ___?

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Lets Practice
wasnt it

• Lunch was delicious, ?
• Spring break is next week, ______?
• Class finished quickly, _________?

isnt it
didnt it
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1. Youve called the movers,
2. Theyre coming tomorrow,
3. This isnt going to be cheap,
4. You havent finished packing,
5. We dont need any more boxes,
6. Pablo is going to help us,
7. We can put some things in storage,
8. Jack isnt buying our bookcases,
9. We need to disconnect the phone,
10. The movers arent packing the books for us,
11. We cant turn off the electricity yet,
12. Moving is hard,

1. can we?
2. do we?
3. is he?
4. isnt it?
5. arent they?
6. have you?
7. isnt he?
8. is it?
9. havent you?
10. dont we?
11. cant we?
12. are they?

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Important Notes

• In the present tense, if the subject is "I", the
  auxiliary changes to are or aren't.
• I'm sitting next to you, aren't I?

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• With let's, the tag question is shall we.
• Let's go to the beach, shall we?

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• With an imperative, the tag question is will
  you.
• Close the window, will you?

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• We use a positive tag question after a sentence
  containing a negative word such as never, hardly,
  nobody.
• Nobody lives in this house, do they?You've never
  liked me, have you?

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• When the subject is nothing, we use it in the tag
  question.
• Nothing bad happened, did it?

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• When the subject is nobody, somebody, everybody,
  no one, someone, or everyone, we use they in the
  tag question.
• Nobody asked for me, did they?

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• If the main verb in the sentence is have (not an
  auxiliary verb), it is more common to use do in
  the question tag.
• You have a Ferrari, don't you?

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• With used to, we use didn't in the tag question.
• You used to work here, didn't you?

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• We can use positive question tags after positive
  sentences to express a reaction such as surprise
  or interest.
• You're moving to Brazil, are you?

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• Here are some mixed examples

• But you don't really love her, do you?
• This will work, won't it?
• Well, I couldn't help it, could I?
• But you'll tell me if she calls, won't you?
• We'd never have known, would we?
• The weather's bad, isn't it?
• You won't be late, will you?
• Nobody knows, do they?

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• 1. You should pay your credit card bill, ____
  ____?
• 2. They have to drive to Chicago next week, __
  __?
• 3. Those carrots aren't very good, ____ ______?
• 4. You love me, ___ ____?
• 5. You can't play the piano, ___ ____?
• 6. She has to work this evening, ____ ___?
• 7. She had to work yesterday too, ____ ___?
• 8. Rob will go fishing with us this weekend, __
  ___?
• 9. You were able to find it on the interent, __
  __?
• 10. This quiz wasn't too hard, _____ ____?