Question Tags – Notes
What is a Question Tag?
A question tag is a short question added at the end of a statement to confirm or check
information.
Example:
She is a teacher, isn't she?
Basic Rules:
1. If the sentence has an auxiliary verb(is, am, are, was, were, has, have, can, will, etc.), or a
modal verb(can,could,may,might,must,etc.) use it in the tag.
Examples:
He is late, isn't he?
They couldn’t run fast, could they?
2. If the sentence is positive, the tag is negative.
Example:
You are coming, aren’t you?
3. If the sentence is negative, the tag is positive.
Example:
She didn’t come, did she?
4. Use 'do', 'does', or 'did' for simple tenses without helping verbs
Examples:
He plays football, doesn’t he?
They went home, didn’t they?
5. When the statement contains a word with a negative meaning(hardly, rarely, nobody, etc.) the
question tag has to be ‘positive’.
Example:
Nobody wanted to complain, did they?
6. Pronoun in the tag must match the subject
Example:
Riya is singing, isn’t she?
7. Use contractions in question tags (isn’t, don’t, hasn’t, etc.)
Example:
You have met her, haven’t you?
Special Cases:
‘I am’ takes ‘aren’t I’ in the tag.
Example:
I am your friend, aren’t I?
‘Let’s’ is followed by ‘shall we’.
Ex. Let’s go for a walk, shall we?
Imperative sentences (orders/requests):
Positive imperative - positive/negative tag
Negative imperative - positive tag
Examples.
Stop crying, will/won’t you?
Don’t be late, will you?
Have got - possession – use have,has
Example:
Your father has got a lot of money, hasn’t he?
Introductory ‘There’ - is/are/was/were+there
Example:
There was a problem with the car, wasn’t there?
That/This - form of ‘be’ + ‘it’
Example:
This is hilarious, isn’t it?
Worksheet
A. Add suitable question tags to the following sentences:
1. She is your sister,______________?
2. You don’t like coffee, ______________?
3. He went to school, ______________?
4. We are late, ______________?
5. They have finished their work, _______________?
6. I am your friend,______________?
7. Let’s go to the park, ______________?
8. He can speak French, _______________?
9. Riya sings well, ______________?
10. Don’t make noise, ______________?
B. Choose the correct question tag:
1. He is a doctor, ______________
a) isn’t he?
b) doesn’t he?
c) wasn’t he?
2. They won’t come late, ______________
a) will they?
b) do they?
c) don’t they?
3. She doesn’t like sweets, ______________
a) isn’t she?
b) does she?
c) didn’t she?
4. You have done your homework, _________
a) haven’t you?
b) don’t you?
c) didn’t you?
5. I am helping you, ______________
a) am I?
b) aren’t I?
c) isn’t it?
C. Correct the following question tags if they are wrong:
1. You like pizza, don’t you?
2. He can’t drive, can he?
3. Let’s start, will we?
4. The boys are playing, aren’t they?
5. I am right, amn’t I?
Answer Key
A. Add suitable question tags:
1. She is your sister, isn’t she?
2. You don’t like coffee, do you?
3. He went to school, didn’t he?
4. We are late, aren’t we?
5. They have finished their work, haven’t they?
6. I am your friend, aren’t I?
7. Let’s go to the park, shall we?
8. He can speak French, can’t he?
9. Riya sings well, doesn’t she?
10. Don’t make noise, will you?
B. Choose the correct question tag:
1. He is a doctor, a) isn’t he?
2. They won’t come late, a) will they?
3. She doesn’t like sweets, b) does she?
4. You have done your homework, a) haven’t you?
5. I am helping you, b) aren’t I?
C. Correct the question tags:
1. You like pizza, don’t you? (Correct)
2. He can’t drive, can he? (Correct)
3. Let’s start, will we? → shall we?
4. The boys are playing, aren’t they? (Correct)
5. I am right, amn’t I? → aren’t I?
