Tag Question

What is Tag Question?

In a tag question, the speaker makes a statement, but is not completely certain of the truth, so he or she uses a tag question to verify the previous statement. Sentences using the tag questions should have the main clause separated from the tag by a comma. The sentence will always end with a question mark.

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF TAG QUESTION

Principle #01

If the sentence is affirmative then the question will be negative. And if the sentence is negative the question will be affirmative.

Example:

i.                   He is working hard these days, isn’t he?

ii.                 They have already completed this, haven’t they?

iii.              You are not happy at all, are you?

iv.               He has never fall in love before, has he?

v.                  You saw a bird, didn’t you?

vi.               We could not evaluate the freedom, could we?

Principle #02

The verb of tag question always comes from the sentence. If the sentence contains any auxiliary or modal verb then the verb of tag question will be formed by using that auxiliary or modal.

Example:

i.                   They are having fun, aren’t they?

ii.                 He is not at home, is he?

iii.              I have seen her, haven’t I?

iv.               You should study well, shouldn’t you?

v.                  He can not solve this problem, can he?

vi.               You will do this, won’t you?

vii.             John can speak Spanish, can’t he?

If the sentence contains only main verb then the tag question will be formed by using ‘do/did/dose’; considering the tense of sentence.

Example:

i.                   He slept a lot, didn’t he?

ii.                 They work hard, don’t they?

iii.              He tries heart and soul, doesn’t he?

Principle #03

The subject of tag question always comes from the sentence. Generally a suitable pronoun of the subject is used in the tag.

Example:

i.                   Students are not attentive, are they?

ii.                 The people of our country are not conscious of their rights, are they?

iii.              Students should remain serious about the admission test, shouldn’t they?

Principle #04

When tag question is negative then the tag should be formed in short form.

Example:

i.                   He will do this, won’t he?

ii.                 He can help us, can’t he?

iii.              I shall accomplish this, shan’t I?

SOME SHORT FORM OF SUBJECT AND VERB

Short form of subject and auxiliary verb	Short form of auxiliary verb and not
I am = I’m        You have = You’ve        We are, were = We’re        He is, was, has = He’s        She would, had = She’d        They will =  They’ll        Shall we =  Let’s	Am not =  aren’t      Are not =  aren’t     Is not = isn’t    Was not =  wasn’t     Were not = weren’t    Have not =  haven’t    Has not = hasn’t    Had not =  hadn’t	Shall not = shan’t       Will not =  won’t       Should not =  shouldn’t       Can not =  can’t       Must not =  mustn’t       Do not =  don’t       Does not =  doesn’t       Did not = didn’t

Tag question can be formed by using these four basic principles. But some critical situation often arises when it seemed difficult to form tag question. In that cases apply the following rules

Rule 01

If a sentence contains both of principal clause and subordinate clause then tag question will be formed by using the subject and verb of principal clause.

Example:

i.                   He told that you were not at home, didn’t he?

ii.                 When you go there, I will meet you, won’t I?

iii.              It is found that an ancient king had many wives, isn’t it?

iv.               I asked him if he had done his assignment, didn’t I?

Rule 02

Hardly, barely, rarely, scarcely, seldom, little, few etc. these adverbs generally gives negative sense. So the tag question of sentence which contains these adverbs would be affirmative.

Example:

i.                   I could hardly go there, could I?

ii.                 He rarely remembers his past, does he?

iii.              Few people were present there, were they?

iv.               There’s little we can do about it, is there?

v.                  It’s hardly rained this summer, has it?

Rule 03

Be careful in forming tag when the verb of statement is not clear.

Example:

i.                   He’s working now, isn’t he?

ii.                 He’s worked a lot, hasn’t he?

iii.              He’d go there, wouldn’t he?

iv.               He’d gone there, hadn’t he?

Rule 04

When ‘Have, has, and had’ appears as a main verb in a sentence then the tag question can be formed by using American style or British style.

Example:

i.                   The man has a lot of works to do, hasn’t he? (British)

ii.                 The man has a lot of works to do, doesn’t he (American)

iii.              He had a sharp look, hadn’t he? (British)

iv.               He had a sharp look, didn’t he? (American)

Rule 05

When ‘Here, there or it’ appears as a introductory subject in a sentence then tag question should be formed by using that subject.

Example:

i.                   Here is the money, isn’t here?

ii.                 There’s something wrong, isn’t there?

iii.              There weren’t any problem, were there?

iv.               It rains there, doesn’t it?

v.                  It was a tight game, wasn’t it?

Rule 06

It is better to use ‘they’ in forming tag when ‘somebody, someone, everybody, everyone, nobody, none, anybody, anyone’ appears as a subject of the statement.

Example:

i.                   Somebody built this castle, didn’t they?

ii.                 Everyone was present, wasn’t they?

iii.              Nobody has been found guilty, has they?

iv.               Nobody was there, was they?

v.                  Somebody wanted a drink, didn’t they?

It is better to use ‘it’ in forming tag when ‘something, everything, nothing, anything’ appears as a subject of the statement.

Example:

i.                   Something has happened to you, hasn’t it?

ii.                 Nothing can happen, can it?

Rule 07

Use ‘shall we’ when the statement begins with let’s or let us.

Example:

i.                   Let us have some fun, shall we?

ii.                 Let’s go for a picnic, shall we?

Rule 08

Use ‘will or can’ in forming tag question of imperative sentence.

Example:

i.                   Sit down, won’t you?

ii.                 Shut up, can’t you?

iii.              Give me a glass of water, could you?

iv.               Don’t tell a lie, will you?

v.                  Don’t make a noise, will you?

vi.               Open the book, won’t you?

** Some exceptional examples of tag question.

i.                   I’m right, aren’t I?

ii.                 We had to swim, didn’t we?

iii.              We ought to go, shouldn’t we?

 Checklist for three things in tag endings

**   Does the ending use the same person as the sentence verb? 
**    Does the ending use the same tense as the sentence verb?

**  If the same sentence verb is positive, is the ending negative? Or if the sentence verb is negative, is the ending positive?