1. Toomas Runtal
Form 11
2013

2. Tag-Questions
• A ‘tag-question’ or ‘question tag’ is not a true
question.
A tag question is used at the end of a
Statement Sentence to get the confirmation
from the listener, or just to express one’s
doubt.
A question sentence, on the contrary, is used
to get the answer.

3. Tag-Questions
 You are my student. Statement Sentence positive
 You are not my student. Statement negative
 Are you my student? Question (interrogative)
 You are my student, aren’t you? Tag-question

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

5. Tag-Questions
Making a tag-question sentence:
She is your friend
,
isn’t she
?
A positive tag-question sentence!

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

7. Tag-Questions
► Point 2:
► Even if the subject of the main sentence is a
noun – proper noun or common noun – the
subject of the ‘tag’ part is always a
corresponding PERSONAL PRONOUN. e.g.
Mary isn’t your sister, is she?

8. Tag-Question
 Point 2 (continued)
 Ted and Jerry got their books, didn’t ?
‘Ted and Jerry’ – Proper nouns – male – plural
they
Personal Pronoun – male -- plural

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

10. Tag-Questions
 Point 3 (continued)
 Brad hasn’t done his work, he?
‘hasn’t’ – Present perfect – NEGATIVE
has
Present perfect -- POSITIVE

11. Tag-questions
• Point 4 -- Word order
• In the statement sentence (in the main
sentence) the subject comes first and the verb
comes next; but in the ‘tag’ part, the verb
comes first and the subject comes next, just as
in the interrogative sentence.

12. Tag-Question
 Point 4 – word order (continued)
For example:
A woman fainted, didn’t she?
Main sentence
‘tag’ part
Subject first; verb next
Verb first; subject next

13. Exercises
 Mr McGuinness is from Ireland, ?
 The car isn't in the garage, ?
 You are John, ?
 She went to the library yesterday, ?
 He didn't recognize me, ?
 Cars pollute the environment, ?
 Mr. Pritchard has been to Scotland recently, ?
 The trip is very expensive, ?
 He won't tell her, ?
 Hugh had a red car, ?

14. Key
 Mr McGuinness is from Ireland, isn't he ?
 The car isn't in the garage, is it ?
 You are John, aren't you ?
 She went to the library yesterday, didn't she ?
 He didn't recognize me, did he ?
 Cars pollute the environment, don't they ?
 Mr. Pritchard has been to Scotland recently, hasn't he ?
 The trip is very expensive, isn't it ?
 He won't tell her, will he ?
 Hugh had a red car, didn't he ?

15. References
http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar/qu_tags.htm
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/question-
tags

16. Thank you for your attention