Using Tag Questions

She's very beautiful, isn't she?

 The baby doesn't want to eat her
food, does she?
She's done something really
interesting to her hair, hasn't she?
 TAG QUESTIONS
A tag question is a question
added at the end of a
sentence. Speakers use it to
make sure their information
is correct.
 What is a tag question?
A tag question is a sentence with a
question phrase connected at the end.
Example:
Its windy today, isnt it?

Sentence part Tag

 Tag questions have two purposes:

1. To clarify information
(the speaker expects an answer)

Example:

We have a test tomorrow, dont we?

Mr. Smith is coming to the meeting, isnt he?
Im permitted to park here, arent I?
 Tag questions have two
purposes:
2. To agree with someone
(the speaker does not expect an answer)

Example:
Youre falling asleep, arent you?
The party was a lot of fun, wasnt it?
I didnt win the lottery, did I?
Forming Tag Questions
Step 1:

Identify the verb in the sentence.

Sergio likes to eat at buffets, ______ __?

verb
Step 2:

Identify the type of verb.

(Is it the verb to be, an auxiliary verb, or
the main verb?)

Sergio likes to eat at buffets, _____ ___?

Main verb
Step 3:

Identify the tense of verb.

(Is it in present or past tense?)

Sergio likes to eat at buffets, ______ ___?

Present tense
Step 4:
If in present tense, determine if 1st or 3rd person.
If in past tense, use auxiliary to be or do in
past.

Sergio likes to eat at buffets , _ _ ____?

Third person

Use the auxiliary verb does.

Step 5:

Is the verb affirmative or negative?

doesnt
Sergio likes to eat at buffets, __________?

Affirmative

Write in the opposite.

Step 6:

Add the pronoun at the end.

Sergio likes to eat at buffets, doesnt he ?

Noun
 Overview
Step 1: Identify the verb in the sentence.
Step 2: Identify the type of verb.
Step 3: Identify the tense.
Step 4: If in present tense, determine if 1st
or 3rd person. If in past tense, use auxiliary
to be or do in past.
Step 5: Affirmative or negative?
Step 6: Add pronoun.
 Affirmative sentence +
negative tag

Mary is here, isnt she?

They have left, havent they?
1. She works for a big company, ____ _?
2. The movie started at 8:00, _____ ___?
3. This is a good apple, ____ _____?
4. You've eaten breakfast, _____ ____?
5. The students are going to take a test
today, ____ ____?
6. He'll be at the party, ______ ___?
7. Your car is working now, ______ ____?
8. John has some money, _______ _____?
9. You made some coffee, ______ ____?
10. They've done that before, _____ ___?
 Negative sentence +
affirmative tag

Edy cant sing, can he?

You dont like tea, do you?

1. You don't have to work today, ___ ___?
2. She won't get here on time, _____ __?
3. Your dog hasn't had puppies, ____ ____?
4. That wasn't a very good movie, _____ __?
5. The computer isn't on, _____ ____?
6. Tracy and Bill are getting back together,
___ ____?
7. I'm not late, _____ ____?
8. The alarm didn't go off, _____ _____?
9. He can't move any heavy furniture, _ __?
10. It doesn't really matter, ____ ___?
 Lets Practice

Lunch was delicious, wasnt it ?

isnt it
Spring break is next week, ______?

didnt it
Class finished quickly, _________?
1. Youve called the movers, a. can we?
2. Theyre coming tomorrow, b. do we?
3. This isnt going to be cheap, c. is he?
4. You havent finished packing, d. isnt it?
5. We dont need any more boxes, e. arent they?
6. Pablo is going to help us, f. have you?
7. We can put some things in g. isnt he?
storage, h. is it?
8. Jack isnt buying our bookcases, i. havent you?
9. We need to disconnect the j. dont we?
phone,
10. The movers arent packing the k. cant we?
books for us, l. are they?
11. We cant turn off the electricity
yet,
12. Moving is hard,
 Important Notes

In the present tense, if the

subject is "I", the auxiliary
changes to are or aren't.

I'm sitting next to you, aren't I?

 With let's, the tag question is shall
we.

Let's go to the beach, shall we?

 With an imperative, the tag
question is will you.

Close the window, will you?

 We use a positive tag question
after a sentence containing a
negative word such as never,
hardly, nobody.

Nobody lives in this house, do they?

You've never liked me, have you?
 When the subject is nothing, we
use it in the tag question.

Nothing bad happened, did it?

 When the subject is nobody,
somebody, everybody, no one,
someone, or everyone, we use they
in the tag question.

Nobody asked for me, did they?

If the main verb in the sentence is
have (not an auxiliary verb), it is
more common to use do in the
question tag.

You have a Ferrari, don't you?

 With used to, we use didn't in the
tag question.

You used to work here, didn't you?

We can use positive question tags
after positive sentences to express
a reaction such as surprise or
interest.

You're moving to Brazil, are you?

 Here are some mixed examples:

But you don't really love her, do you?

This will work, won't it?
Well, I couldn't help it, could I?
But you'll tell me if she calls, won't you?
We'd never have known, would we?
The weather's bad, isn't it?
You won't be late, will you?
Nobody knows, do they?
1.Youshouldpayyourcreditcardbill,________?
2.TheyhavetodrivetoChicagonextweek,____?
3.Thosecarrotsaren'tverygood,__________?
4.Youloveme,_______?
5.Youcan'tplaythepiano,_______?
6.Shehastoworkthisevening,_______?
7.Shehadtoworkyesterdaytoo,_______?
8.Robwillgofishingwithusthisweekend,_____?
9.Youwereabletofinditontheinterent,____?
10.Thisquizwasn'ttoohard,_________?