Question Tags Rules

Question tags are short questions at the end of statements.

They are mainly used in speech when we want to:

 confirm that something is true or not, or

 to encourage a reply from the person we are speaking to.

Question tags are formed with the auxiliary or modal verb from the statement and the appropriate
subject.

A positive statement is followed by a negative question tag.

 Jack is from Spain, isn't he?

 Mary can speak English, can't she?

A negative statement is followed by a positive question tag.

 They aren't funny, are they?

 He shouldn't say things like that, should he?

When the verb in the main sentence is in the present simple we form the question tag with do /
does.

 You play the guitar, don't you?

 Alison likes tennis, doesn't she?

If the verb is in the past simple we use did.

 They went to the cinema, didn't they?

 She studied in New Zealand, didn't she?

When the statement contains a word with a negative meaning, the question tag needs to
be positive
  He hardly ever speaks, does he?
 They rarely eat in restaurants, do they?

Question Tags Summary Charts

Positive Question Tags
Negative Question Tags

Exceptions
Some verbs / expressions have different question tags. For example:

I am - I am attractive, aren't I?

Positive imperative - Stop daydreaming, will / won't you?

Negative imperative - Don't stop singing, will you?

Let's - Let's go to the beach, shall we?

Have got (possession) - He has got a car, hasn't he?

There is / are - There aren't any spiders in the bedroom, are there?

This / that is - This is Paul's pen, isn't it?

 UNIT 3: TAG QUESTIONS

A. Finish these sentences by adding a tag question with the correct form
of the verbs and the subject pronoun.

1. You‟re going to school tomorrow, ____________?

2. Gary signed the petition, ___________________?

3. There‟s an exam tomorrow, _________________?

4. Beverly will be attending the university in September, ____________?

5. She‟s been studying English foe two years, ___________________?

6. It doesn‟t work, _______________?

7. He should stay in bed, _______________?

8. Let‟s go fishing, ____________?

9. Jill and Joe have been to Mexico, _______________?

10. You and I talked to the professor yesterday, ___________________?

11. You will stay in touch, ____________?

12. After the couple of the years the heat gets too much, ____________?

13. You didn‟t know I was an artist, _________________?

14. It is quite warm, ____________?

15. That hardly counts, ______________?

16. Oh, he wants us to make films as well, ____________________?

17. I‟ll tell you roughly, _____________?

18. You rarely see that sort of thing these days, ____________?

36
19. Women are very seldom convicted, ___________________?

20. Nobody knows the answer, _________________?

B. Choose the correct answer (A, B, C, or D).

1. We should call Rita, _______________?

A. should we B. shouldn‟t weC. shall we D. should not we

2. Monkeys can‟t sing, ______________?

A. can they B. can it C. can‟t they D. can‟t it

3. These books aren‟t yours, ____________?

A. are these B. aren‟t these C. are they D. aren‟t they

4. That‟s Bod‟s, ____________?

A. is that B. isn‟t it C. isn‟t that D. is it

5. No one died in the accident, ______________?

A. did they B. didn‟t they C. did he D. didn‟t he

6. The air-hostess knows the time she has been here, ______________?

A. does she B. isn‟t it C. doesn‟t she D. did she

7. This is the second time she‟s been here, ______________?

A. isn‟t this B. isn‟t it C. has she D. hasn‟t she

8. They must do as they are told, ________________?

A. mustn‟t they B. must they C. are they D. aren‟t they

9. He hardly has anything nowadays, _________________?

A. hasn‟t she B. has he C. doesn‟t he D. does she

37
10. You‟ve never been in Italy, _________________?

A. have you B. haven‟t you C. been you D. had you

11. Sally turned her report, ________________?

A. didn‟t she B. did she C. hadn‟t she D. didn‟t she

14. You have a ticket to the game, _______________?

A. have you B. don‟t you C. haven‟t you D. do you

15. Tom knows Alice, _____________?

A. doesn‟t he B. is he C. does he D. isn‟t he

16. Come into the kitchen, _____________?

A. do you B. will you C. won‟t you D. B and C

17. Everybody likes beauty, ___________________?

A. doesn‟t he B. do they C. don‟t they D. does he

18. Peter never comes to class late, ________________?

A. doesn‟t he B. doesn‟t Peter C. does he D. does Peter

19. I‟m going to see my grandparents in HCM City next week,

_______________?

A. aren‟t I B. am I not C. are you D. A and B

20. Your baby is very lovely, ______________?

A. is he B. isn‟t he C. is it D. isn‟t it

C. Choose the underlined part among A, B, C or D that needs

correcting.

38
ADVANCED QUESTION TAGS

Add suitable question tags.

1. Everyone’s ready to go, ______________?

2. Let’s be reasonable, ______________?

3. There’s no place like home, ______________?

4. Alan never took his work seriously, ______________?

5. Patricia hardly said a word, ______________?

6. Nobody has seen my wallet, ______________?

7. Everyone has secrets, ______________?

8. That’s such a shame, ______________?

9. Nothing surprises you anymore, ______________?

10. Nearly everyone came to the meeting, ______________?

11. I'm being silly, ______________?

12. Someone knocked at the door, ______________?

13. Let's try again, ______________?

14. Everything is just perfect, ______________?

15. It's no use, _______________?

16. This was a total waste of time, _______________?

© RecipesforEnglish.com September 2020

Answers

1. aren’t they?
2. shall we?
3. is there?
4. did he?
5. did she?
6. have they?
7. don’t they?
8. isn’t it?
9. does it?
10. didn’t they?
11. aren’t I?
12. didn’t they?
13. shall we?
14. isn’t it?
15. is it?
16. wasn’t it?

© RecipesforEnglish.com September 2020

RECIPESFORENGLISH.COM

ADVANCED QUESTION TAGS (2)

Level: Upper Intermediate (B2) , Advanced (C1)

Add suitable question tags.

1. Phew! That’s a relief, __________?

2. Hey! Someone has been using my computer, __________?

3. We seldom eat out nowadays, __________?

4. I’m such a fool, __________?

5. Everyone likes Italian food, __________?

6. Don’t watch too much TV, __________?

7. Nobody was expecting her to win, __________?

8. This is ridiculous, __________?

9. There’s no point carrying on, __________?

10. He barely speaks English, __________?

11. That was a stupid thing to do, __________?

12. Clean this mess up right now, __________?

13. You’ve never liked her boyfriend, __________?

14. Hi! Lovely day, __________?

© recipesforenglish.com 2021
Answers

1. isn’t it
2. haven’t they
3. do we
4. aren’t I
5. don’t they
6. will you
7. were they
8. isn’t it
9. is there
10. does he
11. wasn’t it
12. will you
13. have you
14. isn’t it

© recipesforenglish.com 2021