TAG QUESTIONS

WHEN DO WE USE TAG QUESTIONS?

We use tag questions when we want to

confirm some information, dont we?
Yes, we do!

COMPARE:

John is a teacher (I know this is true).

John is a teacher, isnt he? (Im 90%
sure, I need confirmation)
Mary runs every day (I know this)
Mary runs every day, doesnt she? (Im
not 100% sure)

WHEN DO WE USE TAG QUESTIONS?

We also use tag questions when we

think someone will agree with us, dont
we?
Yes, we do!

This project is good for the

environment, isnt it? (I know its good
and I expect you have the same
opinion)

It wasnt a nice weather yesterday, was

it? (I think that the weather was bad
yesterday and I expect you agree with
me)

THE FORMATION OF TAG QUESTIONS

Sentence + COMMA (,) + a helping verb (do,

dont, does, doesnt, did, didnt, have,
havent, has, hasnt, can, cant, etc.) OR the
verb TO BE (is, isnt, are, arent, was, wasnt,
were, werent, etc.) + a pronoun (I, you, we,
they, he, she, it).
Oxford is a school,
isnt
it?
sentence
a helping verb a
pronoun

THE FORMATION OF TAG QUESTIONS

If the sentence is AFFIRMATIVE (+), the

tag will be NEGATIVE (-)
Students are smart, arent they?
If the sentence is NEGATIVE (-), the tag
will be AFFIRMATIVE (+).
Lazy pupils dont like to study, do they?

THE FORMATION OF TAG QUESTIONS

To help you with the formation, use

QUESTIONS (?).

Claire likes chocolate.

simple sentence
Does Claire like chocolate?
question
Claire likes chocolate, doesnt she?
tag question

The committee discussed the local

regeneration project.
simple sentence
Did the committee discuss the local
regeneration project?
question
The committee discussed the local
regeneration project, didnt it?
tag question

I have a lot of ambitions towards the future.

simple sentence
Do I have a lot of ambitions towards the future?
question
I have a lot of ambitions towards the future,
dont I?
tag question
I havent got a lot of ambitions towards the
future, have I?
tag question

EXCEPTIONS

Some tag questions form differently (they are

irregular):

Im right, arent I? Im lucky, arent I?

Nobody is here, are they? (nobody is
NEGATIVE, thats why the tag is AFFIRMATIVE).
Everybody has done the homework, havent
they?
There is plenty of food, isnt there?

Were you?

Will we?

Shouldnt they?

Can you?

Do they?

Doesnt he?

Wasnt she?

Didnt they?

Werent you?

Hasnt she?

Havent they?

Didnt we?

Do you?

Was he?

Did she?

Did you?

Have you?

Wont it?

Doesnt she?

Havent you?

Hasnt he?

Shouldnt I?

Cant they?

Dont you?

Is he?

Is she?

Can they?

Shouldnt I?