QUESTION TAGS

QUESTION TAGS

Question tag is a technique to focus or emphasize on the meaning of a sentence.

Rules: 1) The tag should use the same ‘person’ as in the sentence.

2) If the sentence verb is negative, the tag verb should be positive and 

vice-versa.

3) The tag should use the same ‘tense’ as the sentence verb.

List of 24 Auxiliary verbs, their negatives with short forms:

1. is – is not – isn’t 2. am – am not - aren’t 3. are – are not - aren’t 4. was – was not – wasn’t 5. were – were not – weren’t 6. do – do not – don’t 7. does – does not – doesn’t 8. did – did not – didn’t 9. has – has not – hasn’t 10. have – have not – haven’t 11. had – had not – hadn’t 12. will – will not – won’t

13. would - would not – wouldn’t 14. shall – shall not – shan’t 15. should – should not – shouldn’t 16.can – cannot – can’t 17. could – could not – couldn’t 18. may – may not – mayn’t 19. might – might not – mightn’t 20. need – need not – needn’t 21. ought – ought not – oughtn’t 22.must – must not – mustn’t 23. dare – dare not – daren’t 24. used – used not – usedn’t

Sentence Verb (Past tense)	did (Tag Verb)
Sentence Verb (Present tense)	do (Plural subjects: I, You) (Tag Verb)
	does (Singular subjects)           (Tag Verb)

Exceptions:

i) You ought to work hard, shouldn’t you?

ii) I am ready, aren’t I?

iii) Let’s get started, shall we?

Exercises:

1) Mary sings, ________________?

2) He went to the market, _________________?

3) Ravi never drinks coffee, ________________?

4) They planned the picnic, __________________?

5) Karuna has not bought a car yet, _____________?

6) This is my book, _______________?

7) The birds are flying, _____________?

8) The ship sank in the sea, ___________?

9) The servant swept the floor, ____________?

10) Diwali is the festival of lights, ___________?

11) They play Tennis, ____________?

12) The sun rises in the east, _____________?

13) The stars twinkle at night,______________?

14) You come to college by bus, _____________?

15) I am tall, __________________?