Question tags are short questions added to declarative or negative sentences to check understanding or agreement. They usually use an auxiliary verb and either a positive or negative tag depending on the main clause. There are rules for forming question tags based on whether the main clause is positive or negative and what auxiliary verb it contains. Questions tags are a grammatical structure used in English to engage the listener and confirm shared understanding.

1. Question Tags
question added to a declarative sentence or
negative sentence usually at the end, to engage
the listener, verify that something has been
understood, or confirm than an action is agreed.
Example:
You speak English, don’t you?
You don’t like dogs, do you?

2. Basic Structures
Positive
statement
(+)
Negative tag? Answers
(expectation)
Snow is white, isn’t it ? Yes, it is.
Negative
statement
(-)
Positive tag ?
You are not a
student,
are you ? No, we aren’t.

3. Position of statements
Positive statement (+) Negative tag (-)
Sub Aux Main V Aux Not Personal
pronoun
You are coming, are n’t You ?
We have finished, have n’t We ?
He likes coffee, does n’t He ?
She loves you, does n’t She ?
John was there, was n’t He ?
I am right, are n’t I ?

4. Negative of statements
Negative statement (-) Positive tag (+)
Sub Aux Main V Aux Personal
pronoun
It is not raining, is it ?
We have never seen that, have we ?
He will not help, will he ?
You are not stupid, are you ?
John should not drive so
fast,
should he ?
I am not stupid boy, am I ?

5. Question Tags rules
1. We use helping verbs in the main clause to
form a question tag.
You will come to my party,__________
We are going to holiday tomorrow,_________
Tom has cut the grass neatly, __________
2. We use verb to do for no helping verb sentence.
He likes drawing, __________
Your cat liked fish,_________
You buy a new book,________
won’t you ?
aren’t we?
hasn’t he?
doesn’t he?
didn’t it?
don’t you ?

6. Question Tags rules
5. When the sentence is a complex sentence, use
the verb in the main clause.
Example:
They never said that Terry would come,_________
Mike said that he wouldn’t dare to do it, ________
did they?
didn’t he?

7. Question Tags rules
6. When the sentence has negative word, question
tag must be positive tag.
Example:
Nothing is interesting ,_____
You never skip class, _______
is it?
do you ?

8. Question Tags rules
7. When the helping verb is “am”, tag question must
be_________
Example:
I am late,
It the helping verb is “am not”, tag question must
Be________
I am not the tallest in all classes,
aren’t I ?
“aren’t I ?”
“am I ?”
am I ?