QUESTION TAG
There are 2 types of question tags.
[Link] question tag
[Link] question tag
A question tag consists of a helping verb, a pronoun and question mark.
When we add question tag to a statement, we have to follow some rules.
They are as follows:
Rule 1-If the statement is positive,the question tag will be negative. It is formed by adding not to the
helping verb.
[Link] is hardworking.
[Link] is hardworking, isn't she?
[Link] is tall,isn't he?
[Link] guys were amazing, weren't you?
[Link] has a pet, hasn't she?
[Link] did a party,didn't they?
Rule 2-If the sentence is negative,then the question tag will be positive.
[Link] are not coming with us,are they?
2.I am not very good at this,am I?
[Link] hasn’t eaten anything,has she?
[Link] won’t come, will we?
[Link] and Reshma did’t ask this to us,did they?
Rule 3-To follow the first 2 rules we must know the abbreviation of negative words.
verb+not=abbreviation
am+not= aren't
is+not=isn't
are+not=aren't
was+not=wasn't
were+not=weren't
has+not=hasn't
have+not=haven't
had+not=hadn't
do+not=don't
does+not=doesn't
did+not=didn't
will+not=won't
would+not=wouldn't
can+not=can't
could+not=couldn't
shall+not=shan't
should+not=shouldn’t
must+not=mustn’t
Rule 4- There is no abbreviation of am not in English grammar. So when there is 'I am' in the
sentence we use aren't for it and not amn't.
1.I am a teacher,aren't I?
2.I am making a cup of tea,aren't I?
3.I am preparing for my entrance exam,aren't I?
4.I am making timetable,aren't I?
5.I am a sportsperson,aren't I?
Rule 5-If the sentence starts with let's/let us,we have to use shall we to form the question tag.
[Link] us play Kaun Banega Crorepati,shall we?
[Link]'s go to the park,shall we?
[Link]'s sit here for a while,shall we?
[Link]'s not do this,shall we?
rule 6-In imperative sentences,we have to use modal auxiliaries to form question tag.
[Link] the window,can you?
[Link] on the chair,will you?
[Link] him,could you?
[Link] him the notes,would you?
Rule 7-Collective nouns takes singular nouns and pronoun in the question tag.
[Link] flock of flamingoes is migrating,isn't it?
[Link] board of directors has declared its decision,hasn't it?
[Link] jury has selected their favorite movie, hasn't it?
4.A bunch of sticks was floating in the water, wasn't it?
Rule 8-If a sentence starts with a word 'there' then we have to use this word in the question tag at
the place of pronoun.
[Link] is a tree,isn't there?
[Link] was a boy standing behind the truck,wasn't there?
[Link] was no one willing to help,was there?
[Link] are lots of fruits on the tree, aren't there?
[Link] is no food left,is there?
Rule 9-Everyone,everybody,every,each, nothing,no one,nobody are singular pronouns so they will
take singular verbs with [Link] their question tags will take plural verbs and pronouns.
[Link] is busy,aren't they?
[Link] one of them was interested, weren't they?
[Link] is going to the trip,are they?
[Link] of these plans will work,will they?
[Link] has arrived,haven't they?
Rule 10-If auxiliary verb is not present in the sentence,we have to use 'to do form'
verbs(do,did,does)to form its question tag.
[Link] works fast,doesn't she?
[Link] went to a mall,didn't they?
[Link] go to walk everyday,don't they?
[Link] never exercises,does he?
[Link] never eat anything like this,do they?
Rule 11-Words which are negative in meaning will take positive question tag after them.
[Link],barely,hardly,seldom,scarcely etc.
are treated as negative words. So we have to add positive question tag after them.
1.I rarely go to gym,do I?
[Link] hardly said anything,did she?
[Link] seldom talk to us,do they?
[Link] barely gets anything to eat,does he?
[Link] scarcely studies,does she?