Question Tags
Las preguntas coletilla
En inglés es frecuente terminar las frases con otra frase corta, de signo contrario, la cual tiene la
intención de pedir la opinión o buscar la aprobación del interlocutor: son las llamadas question
tags (preguntas coletillas). Estas frases equivalen a: ¿verdad?, ¿no es verdad?, ¿no?, ¿no es
así? ¿en serio?
Ejemplos:
You eat meat, don’t you? (Comes carne, ¿verdad?)
She doesn’t like to dance, does she? (No le gusta bailar, ¿no?)
Alex and Sergio are friends, aren’t they? (Alex y Sergio son amigos, ¿no?)
Grammatical Rules (Reglas gramaticales)
Para formar esta pregunta corta utilizaremos el auxiliar de la frase principal y su sujeto pero de
signo contrario. Si no tuviera auxiliar entonces utilizaríamos el auxiliar “to do”.
Si la oración es afirmativa, la pregunta coletilla es negativa y viceversa.
Peter never liked Susan, did he? (A Peter nunca le gustó Susan, ¿verdad?)
You worked yesterday, didn’t you? (Trabajaste ayer, ¿no?)
Sarah likes ice cream, doesn’t she? (A Sarah le gusta el helado, ¿no?)
You can’t dance, can you? (No puedes bailar, ¿no?)
Nota: Ten cuidado con los verbos “to have” y “to have got”.
Ejemplos:
To have got:
They’ve got a dog, haven’t they? (Tienen un perro, ¿no?)
To have:
They have a dog, don’t they? (Tienen un perro, ¿no?)
Resultados
She has got 2 brothers, hasn't she?
Respuesta correcta
You can't swim, can you?
Respuesta correcta
Megan is married, doesn't he?
Respuesta incorrecta: La respuesta correcta es:
Megan is married, isn't she?
Para formar esta pregunta corta utilizaremos el auxiliar de la frase principal y su sujeto pero
de signo contrario. Si no tuviera auxiliar entonces utilizaríamos el auxiliar “to do”. Si la
oración es afirmativa, la pregunta coletilla es negativa y viceve
Kate doesn't teach Spanish, does she?
Respuesta correcta
They aren't here, are they?
Respuesta correcta
I'm clever, aren´t I? There is 'm in the first part of the sentence. This is the contracted form for the auxiliary am.
There is a special form of the question tag: aren't I
He could have bought a new car, couldn´t he? There is an auxiliary in the first part of the sentence could.
Negate could → couldn't, because the first part of the sentence is affirmative.
Put the pronoun he at the end.
Mary didn't do her homework last Monday, do she? There is an auxiliary in the first part of the sentence didn't.
Drop n't, because the first part of the sentence is negative → did.
Put the pronoun for Mary → she at the end.
Kevin will come tonight, doesn´t he? There is an auxiliary in the first part of the sentence will.
Negate will → won't, because the first part of the sentence is affirmative.
Put the pronoun for Kevin → he at the end.
Peter played handball yesterday, doesn´t he? The first part of the sentences is in the Simple Past. There is no
auxiliary, so usedid.
Negate did → didn't, because the first part of the sentence is affirmative.
Put the pronoun for Peter → he at the end.
She is collecting stickers, doesn´t she? There is an auxiliary in the first part of the sentence is.
Negate is → isn't, because the first part of the sentence is affirmative.
Put the pronoun she at the end.