1. Question Tags
Teacher Silvino Sieben
2nd grade HS

2. What sort of questions are they?
Gordon Lam is dead, isn’t he?
The police don’t know who killed Mr Lam, do they?
What sort of questions are they?
They are Tag Questions.

3. Forming tag questions
Tag questions are formed by a statement and a question tag.
Jack isn’t your brother, is he?
Mabel lives in Central, doesn’t she?
They have finished their homework, haven’t they?

4. Question tags Formed by an auxiliary verb and a pronoun
Jack isn’t your brother, is he?
Mabel lives in Central, doesn’t she?
They have finished their homework, haven’t they?

5. Add a negative question tag to a positive statement
We get too much homework, don’t we?
Add a positive question tag to a negative statement.
The police don’t have many clues, do they?

6. The subject of the question tag must also match the subject in the statement.
Jack isn’t your brother, is he?
Mabel lives in Central, doesn’t she?
They have finished their homework, haven’t they?

7. The form of the verb in the question tag must be the same as that in the statement.
1) Question tags with verb “to be”
You aren’t feeling well, are you?
The police were investigating the murder, weren’t they?

8. 2) Question tags with verb to do
Dennis saw Mr Wong yesterday, didn’t he?
The police don’t have many clues, do they?
Jimmy likes eating chocolate, doesn’t him?

9. 3) Question tags with modal verbs
We should write our report today, shouldn’t we?
We can’t take pictures of the room, can we?
John mustn’t be late, must he?

10. Don’t make so much noise, will you?
(4) After an order or request with imperatives
Close the door, will you?
Don’t make so much noise, will you?
(5) After let’s, we use shall we? to make suggestions
Let’s go for a swim, shall we?
Let’s get something to eat, shall we?

11. Answering tag questions
You have coffee every morning, don’t you?
Agree
Disagree
Yes, I do.
No, I don’t.
You don’t like classical music, do you?
Agree
Disagree
No, I don’t.
Yes, I do.

12. Rising / falling tone?
Voice goes down: You are sure about the answer and want the other person to agree with you
The weather is fine today, isn’t it?
Voice goes up: It’s a real question
You haven’t seen my keys, have you?