TAG QUESTION

·        Definition

A tag question is a short question added to the end of a positive or negative statement.

·        Form

Sentence, auxiliary verb + subject ?

1.   If the sentence is positive, the tag is negative. 

You are Spanish, aren't you?

2.   If the sentence is negative, the tag is positive. 

You're not Spanish, are you?

Ø Exception

1.  If in the statement there are words that mean negative, such as:

-   Scarcely                             -     Hardly

-   Rarely                                -     Never

-   Seldom                              -     Little

-   Few                                   -     Hardly ever

So the tag question is positive.

Example : She seldom invites him, does she?

2.  If the subject/object of the statement in the form of Nothing, No body, No one, No…, so the tag question must be positive.

     Example : Nothing happens, does it?

3.  Combination from subject of statement

                            a.     I / We + You

We

                                    I / We + They

                                    I / We + She

                                    I / We + It                   

            Example:  They and I play a game, don’t we?

                            b.    You + They

You

                                   They + You

                                    You + She

                                    You + It                                              

           Example: You and They were in trouble, weren’t You?

                            c.     She + He

They

                                    It + It

                                    It + He

                                    They + He

           Example: He and His cat aren’t  in that house, are They?

                            d.    Something

It

                                    Everything

                                    Nothing

                                    Anything

           Example:  Everything needs money, doesn’t it?

e.     Some one

Some body

They

Any one

Everybody

Nobody

People

Those/These

            Example: Everybody go to the party, don’t They?

      f.    Pronoun that is used in Tag Question

I                        He                  We                   She You                   It                    They                There

                                 Example: There are a lot of people in that building, aren’t There?

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

     Example:  You're moving to Brazil, are you?

1.   In the present tense, if the subject is 'I', the auxiliary changes to 'are' or'aren't'. 

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

Ø Form of Tag Question

1.      Statement + Q.T.

a.       Positive Q.T.

Example:  Tom doesn’t kill the dog, does He?

                             Statement              Q.T.

b.      Negative Q.T.

Example:  She will be coming here, won’t She?

                             Statement              Q.T.

2.      Imperative + Q.T.

If the statement is imperative, so the tag question must use “Will You”.

a.       Negative Imperative

Example:  Don’t invite her, will You?

                Negative Imp.       Q.T.

b.      Positive Imperative

Example:  Open the door, will You?

                 Positive Imp.      Q.T.

3.      Let’s + Q.T.

If the statement is invitation (Let’s), so the tag question must use “Shall We”.

Example:  - Let’s go for a walk, shall we?

                - Let’s be hurried, shall we?

·        Functions

1.  We use tag questions to confirm information. 

2. We use tag questions when we are already sure of the answer and just want confirmation (falling intonation with the tag question). 

3. We use tag questions to check information. 

4. If we do not know the answer, these are real questions, and we use a rising intonation with the tag question.