The use of tag questions

1. Using Tag
Questions
FIFTH GRADE

2. What is a tag question?
• A tag question is a sentence with a question phrase connected at
the end.
Example:
It’s windy today, isn’t it?
Sentence part Tag

3. Tag questions have two purposes:
1. To clarify information
(the speaker expects an answer)
Example:
• We have a test tomorrow, don’t we?
• Mr. Smith is coming to the meeting, isn’t he?
• I’m permitted to park here, aren’t I?

4. Tag questions have two purposes:
2. To agree with someone
(the speaker does not expect an answer)
Example:
• You’re falling asleep, aren’t you?
• The party was a lot of fun, wasn’t it?
• I didn’t win the lottery, did I?

5. Forming Tag Questions
(6 easy steps)
Step 1:
Identify the verb in the sentence.
Sergio likes to eat at buffets, ______ ______?
verb

6. Forming Tag Questions
(6 easy steps)
Step 2:
Identify the type of verb.
(Is it the verb “to be”, an auxiliary verb, or the
main verb?)
Sergio likes to eat at buffets, ______ ______?
Main verb

7. Forming Tag Questions
(6 easy steps)
Step 3:
Identify the tense of verb.
(Is it in present or past tense?)
Sergio likes to eat at buffets, ______ ______?
Present tense

8. Forming Tag Questions
(6 easy steps)
Step 4: If in present tense, determine if 1st or 3rd person. If in
past tense, use auxiliary “to be” or “do” in past.
Sergio likes to eat at buffets , _ _ ______?
Use the auxiliary verb “does”.
Third person
does

9. Forming Tag Questions
(6 easy steps)
Step 5:
Is the verb affirmative or negative?
Sergio likes to eat at buffets, __________?
Write in the opposite.
Affirmative
doesn’t

10. Forming Tag Questions
(6 easy steps)
Step 6:
Add the pronoun at the end.
Sergio likes to eat at buffets, doesn’t ?
Noun
he

11. Overview
Step 1: Identify the verb in the sentence.
Step 2:Step 2: Identify the type of verb.Identify the type of verb.
Step 3:Step 3: Identify the tense.Identify the tense.
Step 4:Step 4: If in present tense, determine if 1If in present tense, determine if 1stst
or 3or 3rdrd
person. If in past tense, use auxiliaryperson. If in past tense, use auxiliary
“to be” or “do” in past.“to be” or “do” in past.
Step 5:Step 5: Affirmative or negative?Affirmative or negative?
Step 6:Step 6: Add pronoun.Add pronoun.

12. Let’s Practice
• Lunch was delicious, ?
• Spring break is next week, _________?
• Class finished quickly, _________?
wasn’t it
isn’t it
didn’t it

13. 1. You’ve called the movers,
2. They’re coming tomorrow,
3. This isn’t going to be cheap,
4. You haven’t finished packing,
5. We don’t need any more boxes,
6. Pablo is going to help us,
7. We can put some things in storage,
8. Jack isn’t buying our bookcases,
9. We need to disconnect the phone,
10. The movers aren’t packing the books
for us,
11. We can’t turn off the electricity yet,
12. Moving is hard,
a. can we?
b. do we?
c. is he?
d. isn’t it?
e. aren’t they?
f. have you?
g. isn’t he?
h. is it?
i. haven’t you?
j. don’t we?
k. can’t we?
l. are they?

14. He won the prize, didn’t he?
question tag
2.a. NEGATIVE QUESTION TAG:
If the sentence is positive, the question tag is negative:
You have seen that film, haven’t you?
+ -
2.b. POSITIVE QUESTION TAG:
If the sentence is negative, the question tag is positive:
You haven’t seen that film, have you?
- +
If the sentence contains a negative word (never, hardly…) the question
tag is positive:
Ann never goes anywhere, does she?
- +

15. FORM
3. Questions tags consist of …
AUXILIARY VERB + PRONOUN:
I shouldn’t laugh, shouldshould II?
Sarah was winning, wasn’twasn’t sheshe?
We use the auxiliary verb that is used in the previous sentence. If
there is no auxiliary verb, se use “do/does” (present tense) and
“did” (past tense):
You live near here, don’tdon’t you?
You turned left, didn’tdidn’t you?
The pronoun refers to the subject of the previous sentence.

16. FORM
4. Some verbs form question tags differently:
I am  aren’t I?
I’m helpful, aren’t I?
There is  isn’t there?
There is a chemist’s near here, isn’t there?
There are  aren’t there?
There are many shops in the area, aren’t there?
This is / That is  isn’t it?
That’s your wife over there, isn’t it?

17. FORM
5. When we answer question tags, we often use short answers:
A: You are French, aren’t you?
B: Yes, I amYes, I am. / No, I’m notNo, I’m not.  SHORT ANSWERS
A: She’s got a dog, hasn’t she?
B: Yes, she hasYes, she has. / No, she hasn’tNo, she hasn’t.  SHORT ANSWERS
A: You smoke, don’t you?
B: Yes, I doYes, I do. / No, I don’tNo, I don’t.  SHORT ANSWERS
Note: A comma is used between the main sentence and the ‘tag’
part, e.g.
This is your book isn’t it?

18. Some verbs / expressions have
different question tags.
For example:
 I am - I am attractive, aren't I?
 Positive imperative - Stop daydreaming, will / won't you?
 Negative imperative - Don't stop singing, will you?
 Let's - Let's go to the beach, shall we?
 Have got (possession) - He has got a car, hasn't he?
 There is / are - There aren't any spiders in the bedroom, are
there?
 This / that is - This is Paul's pen, isn't it?

19. MORE-------Tag-Questions
 You are my student. Statement Sentence positive
 You are not my student. Statement negative
 Are you my student? Question (interrogative)
 You are my student, aren’t you? Tag-question

20. Tag-Questions
• Whose books are these? – a true question
• These are your books, aren’t they?
-Tag-question – Positive
These are not your books, are they?
- Tag-question -- Negative

21. Tag-Questions
• Making a tag-question sentence:
• She is your friend
,
isn’t she
?
A positive tag-question sentence!

22. Tag-Questions
subject of the ‘tag’ part is always a corresponding PERSONAL
PRONOUN. e.g.
Mary isn’t your sister, is she?

23. Tag-Questions
• Point 2 (continued)
• John has gone home, hasn’t ?
‘John’ – proper noun – male – singular
he
pronoun – male – singular – subjective case

24. Tag-Question
• Point 2 (continued)
• Ted and Jerry got their books, didn’t ?
‘Ted and Jerry’ – Proper nouns – male – plural
they
Personal Pronoun – male -- plural

25. Tag-Questions
• REMEMBER---
• If the verb in the main sentence is in Positive
form, the verb in the ‘tag’ part will be in
Negative form.

26. Tag-Questions
 Point 3Point 3 (continued)(continued)
 SheShe isis your sister, she?your sister, she?
““is” – main verb – Simple Present Tense –is” – main verb – Simple Present Tense –POSITIVEPOSITIVE
isn’tisn’t
–– Simple present tense –Simple present tense – NEGATIVENEGATIVE

27. Tag-Questions
• Point 3 (continued)
• Brad hasn’t done his work, he?
‘hasn’t’ – Present perfect – NEGATIVE
has
Present perfect -- POSITIVE

28. Tag-Questions
 Point 3 (continued)
 Kate goesgoes to school, she?
‘goes’ – Simple present – POSITIVEPOSITIVE
‘does not go’ – Simple present – NEGATIVENEGATIVE
doesn’tdoesn’t
Point 4Point 4
The negative form of the verb in the ‘tag’ part is always
contracted:
does not = doesn’t; has not = hasn’t; will not = won’t

29. Tag-questions
• Point 3 (continued)
• James did not go to school, he?
‘did not go’ – Simple past – NEGATIVE
‘go’ – Simple past – Positive; however, in ‘tag’ part, the
auxiliary (helping) verb alone is used:
did

30. Tag-questions
• Point 5 -- Word order
• In the statement sentence (in the main sentence) the subject
comes first and the verb comes next; but in the ‘tag’ part, the
verb comes first and the subject comes next, just as in the
interrogative sentence.

31. Tag-Question
• Point 5 – word order (continued)
For example:
A woman fainted, didn’t she?
Main sentence
‘tag’ part
Subject first; verb next
Verb first; subject next

32. This is what we use…
• Shall
Ex: Let’s go out for a walk, shall we?
• Will/ would
Ex: Post this letter for me, will you?
• Aren’t
I’m younger than you, aren’t I ?

33. Think about question tags for these
statements:
• I’m right,_____________?
• You’ve been working late
again,_____________?
• You haven’t got a pen by any
chance,____________?
• Let’s have a break,_________?
• Sit down a moment, ________?
• You met your husband in
N.Y,___________?
• We’re going to London on Saturday,
______________?
• You haven’t broken that as well,
____________?

34. Tips!
• In replies to question tags we use
short answers.
You’ve been here before, haven’t you?
No, I haven’t, actually!
• Notice that when the information is
not correct people use actually after
the short answer.
• Notice the comma before the
question tag