Tag Question, isn’t it?

What is Tag
Questions
A tag question is a special construction in English.

It is a statement followed by a mini-question.

We use tag questions to ask for confirmation. They mean something like: "Is that right?" or "Do

you agree?"

They are very common in English

Tag questions with be, have, or
modal
Positive statement Negative tag answer

Statement with be, Have, or Be, have, or modal + Subject Affirmative Negative
Modal Not

I’m right, Aren’t I? Yes, you are No, you aren’t

He was tried, Wasn’t He? Yes, he was No, he wasn’t

We have finished, Haven’t We? Yes, you have No, you haven’t

They should come, Shouldn’t They? Yes, they No, they

should shouldn’t
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Positive statement Negative tag answer

Statement with be, Have, or Be, have, or modal Subject Affirmative Negative
Modal

I’m not right, am I? Yes, you are No, you aren’t

He wasn’t tried, Was He? Yes, he was No, he wasn’t
We haven’t finished, Have We? Yes, you have No, you haven’t

They shouldn’t come, Should They? Yes, they No, they

should shouldn’t
 Tag Questions with
Do
Positive statement Negative tag answer

Simple present or past Do/does + Not Subject Affirmative Negative

statement

I play badly, Don’t I? Yes, you do. No, you don’t.

It costs a lot, Doesn’t It? Yes, it does. No, it doesn’t.

You live nearby, Don’t You? Yes, we do. No, we don’t.

They sang well, Don’t They? Yes, they did. No, they didn’t.
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Negative statement Positive tag answer

Statement with be, Have, or Do/does Subject Affirmative Negative

Modal

I don’t play badly, Do I? Yes, you are No, you aren’t

It doesn’t cost a lot, Does It? Yes, he was No, he wasn’t

They didn’t sang well, Did They? Yes, they No, they
should shouldn’t
 Note:
After simple present or past statement with all verbs except be, use the correct form of do in
the tag.

You live nearby, don’t you? It doesn’t cost a lot, does it?

They sang well, didn’t they? They didn’t sing well, did
they?

 Answer tag questions with do in the same way you answer YES/NO questions with do.

A. It cost a lot, doesn’t it? B. They didn’t sing well, did they?

B: yes, it does. Or No, it doesn’t B. yes, they did. OR No, they didn’t.
 Subject Pronouns In Tag Questions
Statement Tag

He seems shy, Doesn’t he?

John seems shy Doesn’t he?

This is fun, Isn’t it?

These are Ana’s, Aren’t they?

Those are mine, Aren’t they?

There’s more hot water Isn’t there?

Note:
• When a personal pronoun is used in the statement, it is always repeated in the tag.

• When a noun is used in the statement, use the appropriate pronoun in the tag.

Gina is nice, isn’t she? His car is really old, isn’t it?

• When this or that is used in the statement, substitute it in the tag.

• When these or those is used in the statement, substitute they in the tag.

• When there is used in the statement, substitute there in the tag

Meaning and use notes
1. Tag questions VS. Yes/No Questions

 Tag questions are different from Yes/No questions

Use a tag question when you have a previous idea or opinion about something and want to
confirm.

 Use Yes/No question when you have no previous idea or opinion

 tag questions are more common in spoken English than in writing English.
2. Intonation patterns and certainty
2 A. use tag question with falling intonation if you are very certain of your pervious idea or
opinion.
Use tag question with rising intonation if you are less certain.
Falling intonation Rising intonation
He makes a lot money, doesn’t he? He makes a lot money, doesn’t he?
(I’m sure he makes a lot of money.) (I think he makes a lot of money, but not sure.)
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2 B. we often use tag questions with rising intonation to express doubt or surprise.

We also use them to make polite requests with modals, especially when we’re not sure that the
listener will agree to our request.

Expressing doubt or surprise

That box won’t fit in the trunk, will it?

Making a polite request

You couldn’t lend me five dollars, could you?

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2 C. We often use tag question with falling intonation information we are already sure of, or to
ask for agreement.

Confirming information

we’ve met before, haven’t we?

Asking for agreement

We haven’t had rain for a long time, have we?

Negative words in affirmative
statements
3. an affirmative statement that uses a negative adverb of frequency (such as rarely, hardly,

seldom, and never) or a word with no (such as nobody, nowhere, and nothing) has a negative

meaning. It requires an affirmative tag.

You never go to class, do you?

There’s nobody here, is there?

1. He is late this morning, _______________________? ISN’T HE?
2. The hotel was quite good, ________________________? WASN’T IT?
3. She cooks well, _______________________? DOESN’T SHE?
4. You can’t tell the difference, _________________________? CAN YOU?
5. They always sleep after lunch, __________________________? DON’T
THEY?
6. You’re coming with us, _______________________?AREN’T YOU?
7. Mary plays football, ________________________? DOESN’T SHE/
8. You didn’t have any lessons this morning, DID YOU?
9. Ann is on holiday, ______________________? ISN’T SHE?
The students see it every day, ________________________?DON’T THEY?
Present simple 'be' She's Italian, isn't she?

Present simple other verbs They live in London, don't they?

Present continuous We're working tomorrow, aren't we?

Past simple 'be' It was cold yesterday, wasn't it?

Past simple other verbs He went to the party last night, didn't he?

Past continuous We were waiting at the station, weren't we?

Present perfect They've been to Japan, haven't they?

Present perfect continuous She's been studying a lot recently, hasn't she?

Past perfect He had forgotten his wallet, hadn't he?

Past perfect continuous We'd been working, hadn't we?

Future simple She'll come at six, won't she?

Future continuous They'll be arriving soon, won't they?

Future perfect They'll have finished before nine, won't they?

Future perfect continuous She'll have been cooking all day, won't she?

Modals He can help, can't he?

Modals John must stay, mustn't he?