Tag-Questions

A tag-question or question tag is not a true

question.
A tag question is used at the end of a Statement
Sentence to get the confirmation from the
listener, or just to express ones doubt.
A question sentence, on the contrary, is used to
get the answer.
Tag-Questions
You are my student. Statement positive
You are not my student. Statement negative
Are you my student? Question (interrogative)

You are my student, arent you? Tag-question
Tag-Questions
Whose books are these? a true question

These are your books, arent they?
-Tag-question Positive
These are not your books, are they?
- Tag-question -- Negative


Tag-Questions
Making a tag-question sentence:

She is your friend, isnt she?

A positive tag-question sentence!
Tag-Questions
There are five simple points we
should follow when we use a Tag-
question:
Point 1
A comma is used between the main
sentence and the tag part, e.g.
This is your book , isnt it?



Tag-Questions
Point 2:

Even if the subject of the main sentence is a
noun proper noun or common noun the
subject of the tag part is always a
corresponding PERSONAL PRONOUN. e.g.

Mary isnt your sister, is she?
Tag-Questions
Point 2 (continued)

John has gone home, hasnt he?
John proper noun male singular

he - pronoun male singular
Tag-Question
Point 2 (continued)

Ted and Jerry got their books, didnt they?
Ted and Jerry Proper nouns male plural

they - Personal Pronoun male -- plural
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Point 3

The verb in the tag part depends on the verb in the
main sentence:
If the verb in the main sentence is in Present Tense,
the verb in the tag part will be in Present Tense; and
the verb in the main sentence is in Past Tense, the verb
in the tag part will be in Past, and so on.
If the verb in the main sentence is in Positive form, the
verb in the tag part will be in Negative form.
Tag-Questions
Point 3 (continued)

She is your sister, isnt she?

is main verb Simple Present Tense POSITIVE

isnt Simple present tense NEGATIVE
Tag-Questions
Point 3 (continued)

Brad hasnt done his work, has he?
hasnt Present perfect NEGATIVE

has - Present perfect -- POSITIVE
Tag-Questions
Point 3 (continued)

Kate goes to school, doesnt she?

goes Simple present POSITIVE
does not go Simple present NEGATIVE

Point 4
The negative form of the verb in the tag part is
always contracted:
does not = doesnt; has not = hasnt; will not = wont
Point 3 (continued)

James did not go to school, did he?

did not go Simple past NEGATIVE
go Simple past Positive
However, in tag part, the auxiliary
(helping) verb alone is used: did

Tag-Questions

Point 4
The negative form of the verb in the tag part is
always contracted:

You are a doctor, arent you?


does not = doesnt; has not = hasnt; will not = wont
Tag-questions
Point 5 -- Word order

In the statement sentence (in the main
sentence) the subject comes first and the
verb comes next; but in the tag part, the
verb comes first and the subject comes
next, just as in the interrogative sentence.
Tag-Question
Point 5 word order (continued)
For example:
Main sentence tag part
A woman fainted, didnt she?
Subject first; verb next Verb first; subject next