Tag question: English Standard 7

LEARNING TAG QUESTIONS

Definition: A tag question is a small question added to the end of a statement. It is used to turn a statement into a question or to ask for agreement/confirmation.

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1. THE GOLDEN RULE OF TAG QUESTIONS

The most important rule to remember is the Positive-Negative Switch:

• Rule A: If the statement is Positive (+), the tag must be Negative (-).
• Rule B: If the statement is Negative (-), the tag must be Positive (+).

Statement Type	Tag Type	Example
Positive (+)	Negative (-)	You are a student, aren’t you?
Negative (-)	Positive (+)	You are not a student, are you?

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2. FORMING THE TAG

To create a tag question, you need two things: An Auxiliary (Helping) Verb + a Pronoun.

A. Using Auxiliary Verbs

If the sentence already has a helping verb (is, are, was, were, have, has, can, will, should), use that same verb in the tag.

• He is coming, isn’t he?
• They were happy, weren’t they?
• She can swim, can’t she?
• You have finished, haven’t you?

B. Sentences Without Auxiliary Verbs

If the sentence is in the Present Simple or Past Simple and has no helping verb, use do, does, or did.

• Present (Singular): He plays football, doesn’t he?
• Present (Plural): They play football, don’t they?
• Past: She played football, didn’t she?

C. Using Pronouns

The tag always uses a pronoun (I, you, he, she, it, we, they), never a proper name.

• Incorrect: Juma is tall, isn’t Juma?
• Correct: Juma is tall, isn’t he?

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3. SPECIAL CASES (IMPORTANT)

There are a few “tricky” tags that students must memorize:

1. I am: The tag for “I am” is aren’t I? (Not “amn’t I”).
   • Example: I am late, aren’t I?
2. Let’s: The tag for “Let’s” is always shall we?
   • Example: Let’s go home, shall we?
3. Imperatives (Commands/Requests): Use will you? or won’t you?
   • Example: Close the door, will you?
4. Negative words: Words like never, hardly, rarely, nobody, and seldom make a sentence negative even if there is no “not.” The tag must be positive.
   • Example: He never lies, does he?

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4. PRACTICE EXERCISE (MCQs)

1. You are coming to the meeting, _______? A. are you B. aren’t you C. do you D. don’t you Answer: B. aren’t you
2. She doesn’t like milk, _______? A. doesn’t she B. isn’t she C. does she D. is she Answer: C. does she
3. They visited the museum yesterday, _______?A. didn’t they B. don’t they C. did they D. weren’t they Answer: A. didn’t they
4. I am invited to the party, _______? A. am not I B. aren’t I C. don’t I D. am I Answer: B. aren’t I
5. Let’s start the lesson, _______? A. will we B. don’t we C. shall we D. won’t we Answer: C. shall we
6. Open the window, _______? A. shall you B. will you C. do you D. don’t you Answer: B. will you
7. Nobody called for me, _______? A. did they B. didn’t they C. did he D. does he Answer: A. did they (Note: “Nobody” is negative and treated as plural “they” in the tag.)
8. It is a beautiful day, _______? A. is it B. wasn’t it C. isn’t it D. doesn’t it Answer: C. isn’t it
9. You haven’t seen my pen, _______? A. have you B. haven’t you C. did you D. do you Answer: A. have you
10. Cats like fish, _______? A. do they B. don’t they C. are they D. aren’t they Answer: B. don’t they