The document discusses tag questions, which are questions added to the end of declarative sentences. It provides examples of positive and negative tag questions and explains five points about constructing tag questions: 1) a comma is used between the main sentence and tag, 2) the subject pronoun in the tag matches the subject of the main sentence, 3) the verb in the tag depends on the tense and polarity of the verb in the main sentence, 4) the verb in the tag is contracted, and 5) the word order is reversed with the verb preceding the subject in the tag unlike the main sentence. Tag questions are used to engage the listener, verify understanding, or confirm an action.

1. Tag-QuestionsTag-Questions
 A question added to a declarative sentence, usually at the
end, to engage the listener, verify that something has
been understood, or confirm that an action has occurred.
A tag question is used at the end of a Statement Sentence toA tag question is used at the end of a Statement Sentence to
get the confirmation from the listener, or just to expressget the confirmation from the listener, or just to express
one’s doubt.one’s doubt.
A question sentence, on the contrary, is used to get theA question sentence, on the contrary, is used to get the
answer.answer.

2. Tag-QuestionsTag-Questions
 YouYou areare my student. Statement Sentencemy student. Statement Sentence positivepositive
 You areYou are notnot my student. Statementmy student. Statement negativenegative
 AreAre you my student? Question (interrogative)you my student? Question (interrogative)
 You are my student,You are my student, aren’t youaren’t you? Tag-question? Tag-question

3. Tag-QuestionsTag-Questions
 Whose books are these? – a true questionWhose books are these? – a true question
 These are your books,These are your books, aren’t theyaren’t they??
-Tag-question – Positive-Tag-question – Positive
These are not your books,These are not your books, are theyare they??
- Tag-question -- Negative- Tag-question -- Negative

4. Tag-QuestionsTag-Questions
 Making a tag-question sentence:Making a tag-question sentence:
 SheShe isis your friendyour friend,,
isn’t sheisn’t she??
AA positivepositive tag-question sentence!tag-question sentence!

5. Tag-QuestionsTag-Questions
 There are five simple points we shouldThere are five simple points we should
follow when we use a Tag-question:follow when we use a Tag-question:
 Point 1Point 1
 A comma is used between the mainA comma is used between the main
sentence and the ‘tag’ part, e.g.sentence and the ‘tag’ part, e.g.
 This is your book isn’t it?This is your book isn’t it?

6. Tag-Tag-
QuestionsQuestions

7. Tag-Tag-
QuestionsQuestions
 Point 2Point 2 (continued)(continued)
 SureshSuresh has gone home, hasn’t ?has gone home, hasn’t ?
‘‘suresh’ – proper noun – male – singularsuresh’ – proper noun – male – singular
hehe
pronoun – male – singular – subjective casepronoun – male – singular – subjective case

8. Tag-QuestionTag-Question
 Point 2Point 2 (continued)(continued)
 Ajay and SwethaAjay and Swetha got their books, didn’t ?got their books, didn’t ?
‘‘Ajay and Swetha’Ajay and Swetha’ – Proper nouns – male – plural– Proper nouns – male – plural
theythey
Personal Pronoun – male -- pluralPersonal Pronoun – male -- plural

9. Tag-Tag-
QuestionsQuestions Point 3Point 3
 The verb in the ‘tag’ part depends on the verb in theThe verb in the ‘tag’ part depends on the verb in the
main sentence:main sentence:
 If the verb in the main sentence is in Present Tense,If the verb in the main sentence is in Present Tense,
the verb in the ‘tag’ part will be 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,and the verb in the main sentence is in Past Tense,
the verb in the ‘tag’ part will be in Past, and so on.the verb in the ‘tag’ part will be in Past, and so on.
 If the verb in the main sentence is in Positive form,If the verb in the main sentence is in Positive form,
the verb in the ‘tag’ part will be in Negative form.the verb in the ‘tag’ part will be in Negative form.

10. Tag-QuestionsTag-Questions
 Point 3Point 3 (continued)(continued)
 She is your sister, she?She is your sister, she?
““is” – main verb – Simple Present Tense –POSITIVEis” – main verb – Simple Present Tense –POSITIVE
isn’tisn’t
–– Simple present tense – NEGATIVESimple present tense – NEGATIVE

11. Tag-Tag-
QuestionsQuestions
 Point 3Point 3 (continued)(continued)
 Suresh hasn’t done his work, he?Suresh hasn’t done his work, he?
‘‘hasn’t’ – Present perfect – NEGATIVEhasn’t’ – Present perfect – NEGATIVE
hashas
Present perfectPresent perfect -- POSITIVE-- POSITIVE

12. Tag-QuestionsTag-Questions
 Point 3Point 3 (continued)(continued)
 AjayAjay goesgoes to school, he?to school, he?
‘‘goes’ – Simple present –goes’ – Simple present – POSITIVEPOSITIVE
‘‘does not go’ – Simple present –does not go’ – Simple present – NEGATIVENEGATIVE
doesn’tdoesn’t
Point 4Point 4
The negative form of the verb in the ‘tag’ part isThe negative form of the verb in the ‘tag’ part is
always contracted:always contracted:
does not = doesn’t; has not = hasn’t; will not = won’tdoes not = doesn’t; has not = hasn’t; will not = won’t

13. Tag-questionsTag-questions
 Point 3Point 3 (continued)(continued)
 SureshSuresh did not godid not go to school, he?to school, he?
‘‘did not go’ – Simple past – NEGATIVEdid not go’ – Simple past – NEGATIVE
‘‘go’ – Simple past – Positive; however, ingo’ – Simple past – Positive; however, in
‘tag’ part, the auxiliary (helping) verb‘tag’ part, the auxiliary (helping) verb
alone is used:alone is used:
diddid

14. Tag-questionsTag-questions
• Point 5Point 5 -- Word order-- Word order
• In the statement sentence (in the mainIn the statement sentence (in the main
sentence) the subject comes first and thesentence) the subject comes first and the
verb comes next; but in the ‘tag’ part, theverb comes next; but in the ‘tag’ part, the
verb comes first and the subject comes next,verb comes first and the subject comes next,
just as in the interrogative sentencejust as in the interrogative sentence

15. Tag-QuestionTag-Question
 Point 5Point 5 – word order– word order (continued)(continued)
For example:For example:
A woman fainted, didn’t she?A woman fainted, didn’t she?
Main sentenceMain sentence
‘‘tag’ parttag’ part
Subject first; verb nextSubject first; verb next
Verb first; subject nextVerb first; subject next

19. Aren’t
I ?
amn’t
I ?
WILL
NOT

20. Say let’s …
If both are in same
mood
For urgency…
Always ask