Tag-Questions or Question Tags Statement Sentences with short questions at the end with a question mark!

Tag-Questions A ‘tag-question’ or ‘question tag’ is not a true 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.

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

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

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

Tag-Questions There are five 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? ,

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?

Tag-Questions Point 2 (continued) John has gone home, hasn’t ? ‘John’ – proper noun – male – singular he pronoun – male – singular – subjective case

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

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.

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

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

Tag-Questions Point 3 (continued) Kate goes to school, she? ‘goes’ – Simple present – POSITIVE ‘does not go’ – Simple present – NEGATIVE doesn’t Point 4 The negative form of the verb in the ‘tag’ part is always contracted: does not = doesn’t; has not = hasn’t; will not = won’t

Tag-questions Point 3 (continued) James did not go to school, he? ‘did not go’ – Simple past – NEGATIVE ‘go’ – Simple past – Positive; however, in ‘tag’ part, the auxiliary (helping) verb alone is used: did

Tag-questions Point 5 -- 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.

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

Tag-Questions There are some exceptions to some of the rules (points) we have discussed so far. To understand those rules (points), first we have to master these points. Therefore, let’s master these rules (points) now, and then we can go for those exceptions later!