TAG QUESTIONS

AFFIRMATIVE SENTENCE + NEGATIVE TAG - > AFFIRMATIVE ANSWER EXPECTED

Mary is here , isn’t she ? Yes , she is.
You like tea , don’t you ? Yes , I do .
They have left , haven’t they ? Yes , they have.

NEGATIVE SENTENCE + AFFIRMATIVE TAG - > NEGATIVE ANSWER EXPECTED

Mary isn’t here , is she ? No , she isn’t.
You don’t like tea , do you ? No, I don’t .
They haven’t left , have they ? No , they haven’t.

• Functions

1. We use tag questions when we are already sure of the answer and just want confirmation
(falling intonation with the tag question).
Ex : This meal is horrible, isn't it?
That film was fantastic, wasn't it?
2. We use tag questions to check information.
Ex: You haven't got a piece of paper, have you?
You don't know where the boss is, do you?
The meeting's tomorrow at 9am, isn't it?
3. If we do not know the answer, these are real questions, and we use a rising intonation
with the tag question.

• Important points

Câu trả lời “ Yes ” là câu trần thuật khẳng định đúng , trà lời “ No” là câu trần thuật phủ
định đúng.
Ex : John works for a National Bank , doesn’t he ? – Yes , he does .( He works for a National Bank.)
Andrew hasn’t got many friends , has he ? – No, he hasn’t . (He hasn’t got many friends. )
- Yes , he has got many friends .

PRACTICE

I. With 'LET'S', the tag question is ' SHALL WE '.

1. Let's go to the beach, ……………………………………… ?

2. Yes. Let's go for a walk, ……………………………………… ?
3. Let's apologize, ……………………………………… ?
4. Let's not commit suicide , ……………………………………… ?
5. Let's go for a walk , ……………………………………… ?
6. Let's try again, ……………………………………… ?

II. We use a POSITIVE TAG QUESTION after a sentence containing a negative word such as
“ NEVER, HARDLY, NOBODY , NO ONE , SCARCELY, SELDOM, BARELY ”

1. Your parents never invited their neighbours, ……………………………………… ?

2. There was hardly anything to eat, ……………………………………… ?
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3. His grandfather could barely see, ……………………………………… ?
4. His wife seldom left him alone, ……………………………………… ?
5. Nobody lives in this house, ……………………………………… ?
6. You've never liked me, ……………………………………… ?
7. There was hardly anybody in the streets, ……………………………………… ?
8. Your brother never does the housework, ……………………………………… ?
9. No, I'd never cheat, ……………………………………… ?
10. They hardly stopped the car , ……………………………………… ?
11. I hardly speak French, ……………………………………… ?
12. He has never been to Dublin, ……………………………………… ?
13. He never sees his father, ……………………………………… ?
14. They never watch TV in the evening, ……………………………………… ?

III. With an imperative, the tag question is ' WILL YOU '.
1. Close the window, ……………………………………… ?
2. Open the window, ……………………………………… ?
3. Don't forget my phone number, ……………………………………… ?
4. Do listen, ……………………………………… ?

IV. When the subject is “ NOBODY, SOMEBODY, EVERYBODY, NO ONE, SOMEONE,

EVERYONE, NEITHER ” we use ' THEY ' in the tag question.

1. Nobody asked for me, ……………………………………… ?

2. Nobody screamed, ……………………………………… ?
3. Neither of the two, smiled, ……………………………………… ?
4. Nobody answered his letters , ……………………………………… ?
5. Nobody knows, ……………………………………… ?
6. Anyone can come, ……………………………………… ?
7. Everybody loves Miami, ……………………………………… ?
8. No one was there, ……………………………………… ?
9. Not everybody was invited to share in the harvest, ……………………………………… ?
10. No one would arrive late, ……………………………………… ?
11. Neither of them will see us, ……………………………………… ?

V. When the subject is “ NOTHING , EVERYTHING , SOMETHING ” we use ' IT ' in the tag
question.
1. Nothing bad happened, ……………………………………… ?
2. Nothing has been tempted to rescue her, ……………………………………… ?
3. Nothing will be done, ……………………………………… ?
4. Everything is OK , ……………………………………… ?

VI. In the present tense, if the subject is 'I', the auxiliary changes to 'are' or 'aren't'.
1. I'm sitting next to you, ……………………………………… ?
2. I am early, ……………………………………… ?
3. I am not early , ……………………………………… ?
VII . If the main verb in the sentence is 'have' (not an auxiliary verb), it is more common to
use 'do' in the question tag.
Tag questions for verbs : have , have to < -> doon’t , doesn’t , didn’t
have got < -> haven’t / has got < -> hasn’t
have / has + Ved / 3 < -> haven’t , hasn’t + Ved/ 3

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1. You have a new car , ……………………………………… ?
2. You have got two sisters , ……………………………………… ?
3. Kate has already replied, ………………………….. ?
4. You've lost your way, ………………………….. ?
5. We have to be off before ten , ………………………….. ?
6. The poor girls had to attend a boring course, ………………………….. ?
7. The poor boy has to copy a long list of words, ………………………….. ?
8. They haven't bought a house yet, ………………………….. ?
9. She has found out the secret, ………………………….. ?
10. You have already visited Paris, ……………………………………… ?

VIII. With “ USED TO” , we use ' DIDN'T ‘ in the tag question.
1. You used to work here, ……………………………………… ?

IX. THAT , THIS -> IT / THERE IS , THERE ARE -> ISN’T THERE , AREN’T THERE
1. That's cheap, ……………………………………… ?
2. There's not much we can do about it, ……………………………………… ?
3. There are enough chairs, ……………………………………… ?
4. This isn't what you expected, ……………………………………… ?
X. Add tag questions
1. I think he should be congratulated, ……………………………………… ?
2. I think that the new baker makes delicious cakes, ……………………………………… ?
3. I think you will be all right, ……………………………………… ?
4. If it had not been raining, she would have gone out, ……………………………………… ?
5. I told you he wasn't here, ……………………………………… ?
6. He didn't think you would run so fast, ……………………………………… ?
7. I can't afford that dress, neither can you, ……………………………………… ?
8. You'd rather carry on with volleyball, ……………………………………… ?
9. We'd never taken the plane before, ……………………………………… ?
10. The women had their dresses dyed black, ……………………………………… ?
11. She won't mind if I don't come, ……………………………………… ?
12. We'd better work hard , ……………………………………… ?
13. I'd rather not go to school , ……………………………………… ?
14. If you weren't so lazy, you could pass your exam, ……………………………………… ?
15. I hope she'll accept our invitation, ……………………………………… ?
16. You could have started learning Chinese before, ……………………………………… ?
17. I feel they have deserved a pay rise, ……………………………………… ?
18. What a nice weather, ……………………………………… ?
19. You may think you know the answer but you don't , ……………………………………… ?
20. You don't think he could be right, ……………………………………… ?
21. Open the window, ……………………………………… ?
22. Somebody came here, ……………………………………… ?
23. That was a lovely show, ……………………………………… ?
24. Let's go to the cinema, ……………………………………… ?
25. These dogs are very intelligent, ……………………………………… ?
26. Someone phoned her this morning, ……………………………………… ?
27. Let's buy a pizza for tonight, ……………………………………… ?
28. Everybody will come to your party, ……………………………………… ?
29. This new car is fantastic, ……………………………………… ?
30. Bring me my glasses over there, ……………………………………… ?

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KEY- TAG QUESTIONS ( 10 -11 )

I. With 'LET'S', the tag question is ' SHALL WE '.

1. Let's go to the beach, shall we?
2. Yes. Let's go for a walk, SHALL WE
3. Let's apologize, SHALL WE ?
4. Let's not commit suicide , SHALL WE?
5. Let's go for a walk , SHALL WE ?
6. Let's try again, SHALL WE ?
II. We use a POSITIVE TAG QUESTION after a sentence containing a negative word such as
“ NEVER, HARDLY, NOBODY , NO ONE , SCARCELY, SELDOM, BARELY ”
1. Your parents never invited their neighbours, DID THEY ?
2. There was hardly anything to eat, WAS THERE ?
3. His grandfather could barely see, COULD HE ?
4. His wife seldom left him alone, DID SHE ?
5. Nobody lives in this house, do they?
6. You've never liked me, have you?
7. There was hardly anybody in the streets, was there ?
8. Your brother never does the housework, DOES HE
9. No, I'd never cheat, WOULD I
10. They hardly stopped the car , DID THEY?
11. I hardly speak French, DO I ?
12. He has never been to Dublin, HAS HE ?
13. He never sees his father, does he ?
14. They never watch TV in the evening, DO THEY?
III. With an imperative, the tag question is ' WILL YOU '.
1. Close the window, will you?
2. Open the window, WILL YOU ?
3. Don't forget my phone number, WILL YOU ?
4. Do listen, will you?
IV. When the subject is “ NOBODY, SOMEBODY, EVERYBODY, NO ONE, SOMEONE,
EVERYONE, NEITHER ” we use ' THEY ' in the tag question.
1. Nobody asked for me, did they?
2. Nobody screamed, did they ?
3. Neither of the two, smiled, did they ?
4. Nobody answered his letters , DID THEY?
5. Nobody knows, DO THEY ?
6. Anyone can come, CAN'T THEY ?
7. Everybody loves Miami, DON'T THEY?
8. No one was there, WERE THEY?
9. Not everybody was invited to share in the harvest, WERE THEY ?
10. No one would arrive late, WOULD THEY ?
11. Neither of them will see us, WILL THEY ?
V. When the subject is “ NOTHING , EVERYTHING , SOMETHING ” we use ' IT ' in the tag
question.
1. Nothing bad happened, did it?
2. Nothing has been tempted to rescue her, HAS IT ?
3. Nothing will be done, will it ?
4. Everything is OK , isn’t it ?

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VI. In the present tense, if the subject is 'I', the auxiliary changes to 'are' or 'aren't'.
1. I'm sitting next to you, aren't I?
2. I am early, AREN'T I ?
3. I am not early , AM I ?
VII . If the main verb in the sentence is 'have' (not an auxiliary verb), it is more common to
use 'do' in the question tag.
1. You have a new car , don't you?
2. You have got two sisters , HAVENT YOU ?
3. Kate has already replied, HASN’T SHE ?
4. You've lost your way, HAVEN’T YOU ?
5. We have to be off before ten , DON’T WE ?
6. The poor girls had to attend a boring course, HADN’T THEY ?
7. The poor boy has to copy a long list of words, DOESN’T HE ?
8. They haven't bought a house yet, HAVE THEY ?
9. She has found out the secret, HASN’T SHE ?
10. You have already visited Paris, HAVEN’T YOU ?
VIII. With “ USED TO” , we use ' DIDN'T ‘ in the tag question.
1. You used to work here, didn’t you?
IX. THAT , THIS -> IT / THERE IS , THERE ARE -> ISN’T THERE , AREN’T THERE
1. That's cheap, ISN'T IT ?
2. There's not much we can do about it, IS THERE
3. There are enough chairs, AREN'T THERE ?
4. This isn't what you expected, IS IT ? ?
X. Add tag questions
1. I think he should be congratulated, shouldn't he ?
2. I think that the new baker makes delicious cakes, DOESN'T HE ?
3. I think you will be all right, won't you ?
4. If it had not been raining, she would have gone out, WOULDN'T SHE ?
5. I told you he wasn't here, DIDN'T I?
6. He didn't think you would run so fast, DID HE ?
7. I can't afford that dress, neither can you, CAN WE?
8. You'd rather carry on with volleyball, WOULDN'T YOU
9. We'd never taken the plane before, HAD WE ?
10. The women had their dresses dyed black, DIDN'T THEY ?
11. She won't mind if I don't come, WILL SHE ?
12. We'd better work hard , HADN'T WE?
13. I'd rather not go to school , WOULD I?
14. If you weren't so lazy, you could pass your exam, COULDN'T YOU?
15. I hope she'll accept our invitation, WON'T SHE ?
16. You could have started learning Chinese before, COULDN'T YOU ?
17. I feel they have deserved a pay rise, HAVEN'T THEY ?
18. What a nice weather, ISN'T IT?
19. You may think you know the answer but you don't , do you ?
20. You don't think he could be right, do you?
21. Open the window, WILL YOU ?
22. Somebody came here, DIDN'T THEY ?
23. That was a lovely show, WASN'T IT ?
24. Let's go to the cinema, SHALL WE ?
25. These dogs are very intelligent, AREN'T THEY ?
26. Someone phoned her this morning, DIDN'T THEY ?

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27. Let's buy a pizza for tonight, SHALL WE ?
28. Everybody will come to your party, WON'T THEY ?
29. This new car is fantastic, ISN'T IT ?
30. Bring me my glasses over there, WILL YOU ?

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