Question Tag
Introduction
We use tags in spoken English but not in formal written English.
They are not really questions but are a way of asking the other person to make a comment and so keep the conversation open.
Making a tag is very mechanical. To make a tag, use the first auxiliary. If there is no auxiliary, use do, does or did. With a positive sentence, make a negative tag and with a negative sentence, make a positive tag.
Explanation:
Question tag consists of two words the first part is the auxiliary and second part consist ofpronoun.
Hence, it is compulsory for us to learn these auxiliaries.
So let’s start learning their positive and negative forms.
Positive form
|
Negative form
|
do
does did has have had is am are was were should could would shall will can |
don’t
doesn’t didn’t hasn’t haven’t hadn’t isn’t aren’t aren’t wasn’t weren’t shouldn’t couldn’t wouldn’t shan’t won’t can’t |
Let’s learn example by example and things will be very clear at the end,
Type 1: Sentence with auxiliary.
Example 1: We are going for a picnic
Step 1: Try to find the auxiliary in the sentence and see if you can find one…
Yes, there is an auxiliary in the sentence and that is – are.
Since, the auxiliary is in positive form we will use the negative form in the answer that is - aren’t.
Now, we just need to find out the pronoun in the sentence that’s it and we are done.
Step 2: Try to find the pronoun in the sentence.
Yes, there is a pronoun in the sentence and that is - We.
So, now we are done.
Our answer would be the combination of auxiliary and the pronoun.
That is: We are going for a picnic, aren’t we?
Example 2: Rahul has worked really hard to accomplish his goal.
Step 1:
Auxiliary found: has
Step 2 : There is no pronoun here in the sentence but we do have a noun that is Rahul.
Hence, we will use the pronoun” He” for the noun.
Answer: Rahul has worked really hard to accomplish his goal, hasn’t he?
Example 3; I am going to break all the records.
Step 1:
Auxiliary found: am whose negative form is “aren’t”.
Step 2:
Pronoun: I
Answer: I am going to break all the records, aren’t I?
Example 4: I am not going to tolerate this anymore.
Step 1:
Auxiliary found: am not
Since the auxiliary is in the negative form we will use its positive form
that is ‘am’.
Make sure we don’t use are in this case.
Answer: I am not going to tolerate this anymore, am I?
Type 2: Sentence without auxiliary.
Example 5: We worked all day and half of night to achieve success.
Step 1:
Find the auxiliary within the sentence
Oh no, there’s no auxiliary in the sentence, now whattt….
Solution: If there’s no auxiliary within a sentence than we need to use either
Do Does or Did
But, again which one to use out of these three depends upon the verb.
If the verb is in the past tense than we have to use did irrespective of the noun.
If the verb is in present tense than we have two options of do and does.
If noun is singular use does and if noun is plural use do.
Note: I and You are considered third person so we need to treat them as plural that is use Do in such case.
In this our verb is worked which is in past tense hence we use did as an auxiliary along with the pronoun we.
Answer: We worked all day and half of night to achieve success, didn’t we?
Example 6: She sings very well.
Auxiliary: no auxiliary.
Hence we will use either do, does or did based on the tense of the verb.
Our verb in this case is sings hich is in present tense.
So.we are left with two options that is do or does.
But since, our subject that is she is singular we will use does along with the pronoun she.
Answer: She sings very well, doesn’t she?
Example 7: They play cricket every day.
Auxiliary: no auxiliary
Hence, we will use do in this case along with pronoun they because verb is in present tense and our subject isplural.
Answer: They play cricket every day, don’t they?
Example 8: I play cricket every day.
Answer: I play cricket every day, don’t I?
Note: we use do for I even if it is singular.
Type 3: Sentences which are suggestion and order.
Example 9: Open the door.
This is an exception as well as rare kind of sentence.
It is like an order to some one and in such cases the answer will be “will you”.
Answer: Open the door, will you?
Example 10: Let us go for a picnic.
This again is as exception and rare kind of sentence.
It is like a suggestion to a group and in such case we answer will be
“Shall we”.
Answer; Let us go for a picnic, shall we?
