TAG AND ECHO QUESTIONS

1. When we use Tag Questions?

These short questions are used to check information. We use a positive

statement followed by a negative tag when we expect the answer YES.

Example: "You are American, aren't you?"

We use a negative statement followed by a positive tag when we expect the
answer NO. E.g. "They haven't arrived yet, have they?"

MORE EXAMPLES:

1. I told you, didn't I?

2. It'll be sunny tomorrow, won't it?
3. He can't dive, can he?
4. They don't eat meat, do they?
5. She cooks well, doesn't she?
6. I am slim, aren't I?
LET´S PRACTICE: Tag questions

(PART 1)

1. Mary has answered the teacher's

question,

2. Andrew isn't
sleeping,

3. Tom and Maria will arrive at Heathrow,

4. She has a brother,
5. The boy is from Turkey,
6. You are Indian,
7. Sue wasn't listening,
8. Peggy didn't use the pencil,
9. They had a nice weekend,
10. He sometimes reads the newspaper,

(PART 2)

1. He's been to Texas,

2. Dogs like meat,
3. There are some apples left,
4. I'm late,
5. Let's go,
6. Don't smoke,
7. He does sing in the bathroom,
8. He'll never know,
9. I think he's from India,
10. Lovely day today,
ANSWERS: (PART 1)

1. Mary has answered the teacher's question, hasn't she?

2. Andrew isn't sleeping, is he?
3. Tom and Maria will arrive at Heathrow, won't they?
4. She has a brother, doesn't she?
5. The boy is from Turkey, isn't he?
6. You are Indian, aren't you?
7. Sue wasn't listening, was she?
8. Peggy didn't use the pencil, did she?
9. They had a nice weekend, didn't they?
10. He sometimes reads the newspaper, doesn't he?

ANSWERS: (PART 2)

1. I think he's from India, isn't he?

2. There are some apples left, aren't there?
3. I'm late, aren't I?
4. Lovely day today, isn't it?
5. Don't smoke, will you?
6. Dogs like meat, don't they?
7. He's been to Texas, hasn't he?
8. Let's go, shall we?
9. He'll never know, will he?
10. He does sing in the bathroom, doesn't he?
2. When we use Echo Questions?

We use echo questions to show interest or surprise. For this purpose, the
listener makes a short question using the auxiliary or helping verb of the
statement the speaker has just said.

EXAMPLE:
S: She is visiting relatives at this moment.

L. Is she?
S: They bought a new Television set last week.

L. Did they?

S: I live in the center of New York.

L. Do you?
S: Alan´s got a job as a lifeguard.
L. Has he?

MORE EXAMPLES:

A: I got a full mark in my last test.

B: Oh! Did you?

A: I’m going to Turkey this summer

B: Are you? That’s great

A: They live in this enormous house in right in the centre.

B: Do they?!

LET´S PRACTICE: ECHO QUESTIONS

Practice responding with echo questions:

a) Add follow up questions

1. Paul didn’t pass his exam again Oh, didn’t he? Is he going to try again?

2. Jane’s going to Morocco next spring.

3. Her brother’s a famous sportsman.

4. I couldn’t do the exercise.

5. They live in a tiny flat with their 5 children.

6. She had a bad fall when she went skiing.

7. The postman hasn’t been here yet.

8. It’s the biggest waterfall in the world.

 Special cases IN GENERAL

Let’s start, shall we?
Pass me the salt, will you?
I’m late, aren’t I?

Nota: Ten cuidado con los verbos “to have” y “to have got”.

FOR EXAMPLE:
To have got:
They’ve got a dog, haven’t they? (Tienen un perro, ¿no?)
To have:
They have a dog, don’t they? (Tienen un perro, ¿no?)

Excepción: Con el verbo “to be” en la primera persona de oraciones

negativas, se usa “aren’t” en la pregunta coletilla.

EXAMPLE:
I am not wrong, am I?
I am wrong, aren’t I?

American English • They simply use right.

You’ve already been to Paris, right?

It’s cold in there, right?

You wouldn’t do that, right?

TAGS: so you're Andy's sister, aren't you?)

ECHO QUESTIONS: A. I went to India last summer B. Did you?