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Question Tags - Study and Practice - BACK TO STUDY ENGLISH

Question Tags are commonly used in English for 2 main functions:

1) To get someone involved in a conversation, to encourage a response

With this type of question tag, the speaker may often know the answer. 

Intonation tends to rise slightly and then fall at the end of the tag.

Example:

    That barman was a bit rude, wasn't he?  (falling intonation)

2) To confirm information that you think is true

With this type of question tag, the speaker expects the listener to know the answer and is asking a genuine question. 

Intonation tends to rise sharply at the end of the tag.

Example:

    I switched off the iron before we came out, didn't I?  (rising intonation)

How to Form Question Tags

Although other forms of tag, such as reinforcement tags, same-way tags and attention signals exist in English, most question tags follow the following logic:

Positive statements

Say a positive statement, repeat the auxiliary verb in the negative, add the subject:

He’s absolutely crazy, isn’t he?

Negative statements

Say a negative statement, repeat the auxiliary verb in the positive, add the subject:

He isn't crazy, is he?

Exceptions

There are many!  Note the following:

Let's go out, shall we?  (use shall after let's)

I'm older than you, aren't I?  (use aren't after I'm)

Sign here, please, will/would you?  (use will/would after imperatives)

Final Note

In many forms of spoken British English, a universal tag is sometimes preferred to all the above complications:

Examples:

He lives here, innit?  pronounced /init/

We didn't have enough money to get in, innit?

etc.

This is considered slang and incorrect by other speakers, and is rarely accepted in exams!

Grammar Notes by Jason Anderson (c) 2003.

Exercise 1  Insert a Tag

Complete each question or statement with an appropriate tag.  All the tags used in these examples are inverted.

Examples:

He’s absolutely crazy, isn’t he? Positive statement, negative tag

He isn't crazy, is he?  Negative statement, positive tag

1. You’re Russian, ___________?

2. The capital of Mongolia is Ulan Bator, _________?

3. You’ve done a lot of travelling, ___________?

4. You speak Farsi, _________?

5. Let’s play a trick on him, _________?

6. Oh, shut up, _________!

7. You wouldn’t hurt me, ___________?

8. Don’t be too upset about it, ________?

9. Let’s go to the pub tonight, _________?

10. You couldn’t lend me a fiver, __________?

11. There’ll be lots to see in Sicily, __________?

12. You can’t smoke at ‘Rose of York’, __________?

13. Say something to me in Greek, _________?

14. There isn’t any smog in the Highlands of Scotland, ________?

15. Your father works in Canada, ___________?

16. You met your husband in Canada, __________?

17. Help me with these bags, _________?

18. Shakespeare was born in Stratford-Upon-Avon, _________?

19. You haven’t broken that as well, __________?

20. There aren’t any theatres in Saudi Arabia, __________?

21. Sit down a moment, ________?

22. Look after this for a moment, _________?

23. You couldn’t help me with my homework, __________?

24. There won’t be too many people at the party, __________?

25. She looks really great, __________?

26. Your father doesn’t drink whisky, _________?

27. You haven’t got a dog, ________?

28. I’m a teacher, ___________?

29. There isn’t any soccer violence in your country, __________?

30. He’s got a very peculiar voice, __________?

31. Oh, shut the door, _________?

32. Soho isn’t a very nice area, ________?

33. You haven’t got a pen by any chance, _________?

34. Let’s take a break, _________?

35.You don’t like football, ________?

36. They’re not exactly slim, _________?

37. Your brother can’t drive, _________?

38. She’s never loved her parents, ________?

39. It’s extremely cold in Siberia in the winter, ________?

40. She’s going to have a baby soon, ________?

41. Let’s meet at 8, ________?

42. Some people are really crazy, _________?

43. We’re going to Bournemouth on Saturday, _________?

44. You’d like to win a fortune on the lottery, __________?

45. You've been working late again, ____________?

46. The night bus service is very convenient, ________?

47. I’ve been teaching for sixteen years, __________?

48. You must be careful when you go to Rio de Janeiro, __________?

49. It’s been raining for days now, _________?

50. I’m always right, _________?

Answers

Please Note:  This lesson was created and is owned by J. Morley (c) 2003. 

Answers

1. You’re Russian, aren't you?

2. The capital of Mongolia is Ulan Bator, isn't it?

3. You’ve done a lot of travelling, haven't you?

4. You speak Farsi, don't you?

5. Let’s play a trick on him, shall we?

6. Oh, shut up, will you!

7. You wouldn’t hurt me, would you?

8. Don’t be too upset about it, will you?

9. Let’s go to the pub tonight, shall we?

10. You couldn’t lend me a fiver, could you?

11. There’ll be lots to see in Sicily, won't there?

12. You can’t smoke at 'Rose of York’, can you?

13. Say something to me in Greek, will/would you?

14. There isn’t any smog in the Highlands of Scotland, is there?

15. Your father works in Canada, doesn't he?

16. You met your husband in Canada, didn't you?

17. Help me with these bags, will/would you?

18. Shakespeare was born in Stratford-Upon-Avon, wasn't he?

19. You haven’t broken that as well, have you?

20. There aren’t any theatres in Saudi Arabia, are there?

21. Sit down a moment, will/would you?

22. Look after this for a moment, will/would you?

23. You couldn’t help me with my homework, could you?

24. There won’t be too many people at the party, will there?

25. She looks really great, doesn't she?

26. Your father doesn’t drink whisky, does he?

27. You haven’t got a dog, have you?

28. I’m a teacher, aren't I?

29. There isn’t any soccer violence in your country, is there?

30. He’s got a very peculiar voice, hasn't he?

31. Oh, shut the door, will/would you?

32. Soho isn’t a very nice area, is it?

33. You haven’t got a pen by any chance, have you?

34. Let’s take a break, shall we?

35.You don’t like football, do you?

36. They’re not exactly slim, are they?

37. Your brother can’t drive, can he?

38. She’s never loved her parents, has she?

39. It’s extremely cold in Siberia in the winter, isn't it?

40. She’s going to have a baby soon, isn't she?

41. Let’s meet at 8, shall we?

42. Some people are really crazy, aren't they?

43. We’re going to Bournemouth on Saturday, aren't we?

44. You’d like to win a fortune on the lottery, wouldn't you?

45. You've been working late again, haven't you?

46. The night bus service is very convenient, isn't it?

47. I’ve been teaching for sixteen years, haven't I?

48. You must be careful when you go to Rio de Janeiro, mustn't you?

49. It’s been raining for days now, hasn't it?

50. I’m always right, aren't I?

Back

Please Note:  This lesson was created and is owned by J. Morley (c) 2003. 

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