tag-questions usage and exercises for beginner

tag question

1. Tag questions

2. When do we use tag questions? We use tag questions when we want to confirm some information , don’t we? Yes, we do!

3. Compare: John is a teacher ( I know this is true ). John is a teacher, isn’t he? ( I’m 90% sure, I need confirmation ) Mary runs every day ( I know this ) Mary runs every day, doesn’t she? ( I’m not 100% sure )

4. When do we use tag questions? We also use tag questions when we think someone will agree with us , don’t we? Yes, we do!

5. This project is good for the environment, isn’t it? ( I know it’s good and I expect you have the same opinion ) It wasn’t a nice weather yesterday, was it? ( I think that the weather was bad yesterday and I expect you agree with me )

6. The formation of tag questions Sentence + COMMA (,) + a helping verb ( do, don’t, does, doesn’t, did, didn’t, have, haven’t, has, hasn’t, can, can’t, etc .) OR the verb TO BE ( is, isn’t, are, aren’t, was, wasn’t, were, weren’t, etc .) + a pronoun ( I, you, we, they, he, she, it ). Oxford is a school, isn’t it? sentence a helping verb a pronoun

7. The formation of tag questions If the sentence is AFFIRMATIVE ( + ), the tag will be NEGATIVE ( - ) Students are smart, aren’t they? If the sentence is NEGATIVE ( - ), the tag will be AFFIRMATIVE ( + ). Lazy pupils don’t like to study, do they?

8. The formation of tag questions To help you with the formation, use QUESTIONS ( ? ). Claire likes chocolate. simple sentence Does Claire like chocolate? question Claire likes chocolate, doesn’t she? tag question

9. The committee discussed the local regeneration project. simple sentence Did the committee discuss the local regeneration project? question The committee discussed the local regeneration project, didn’t it? tag question

10. I have a lot of ambitions towards the future. simple sentence Do I have a lot of ambitions towards the future? question I have a lot of ambitions towards the future, don’t I? tag question I haven’t got a lot of ambitions towards the future, have I? tag question

11. exceptions Some tag questions form differently ( they are irregular ): I’m right, aren’t I ? I’m lucky, aren’t I ? Nobody is here, are they ? ( nobody is NEGATIVE, that’s why the tag is AFFIRMATIVE ). Everybody has done the homework, haven’t they ? There is plenty of food, isn’t there ?

12. Short answers Michelle went to a restaurant, didn’t she? Yes, she did. OR No, she didn’t. We shouldn’t drink alcohol, should we? Yes, we should. OR No, we shouldn’t. (this person wants to drink alcohol) (this person agrees that we shouldn’t drink it)

13. practice You are French, _____ ___? You work at the university, _____ ___? Jack isn’t buying a new phone, _____ ___? We can put some things in storage, ____ __? Pablo is going to help us, _____ ___? They haven’t read the novel, _____ ___? You didn’t speak to the manager, ____ __? I’m tired, ____ __? There are a few documents that you have to sign, ____ ___? Nobody is here, ____ ___? It rains in September a lot, _____ ___?

14. Good job, isn’t it?