Also called question tags, at tag questions are questions asked to confirm something was said in the previous sentence.
Example: It's very cold today, isn't it? (It's pretty cold today, isn't it?)
Do the exercises below and check out the commented feedback.
Question 1: question tag at the Simple Present
He isn’t a baseball player, ____________?
a) is he
b) has he
c) did he
d) will he
Correct alternative: a) is he
The most correct way to identify the verb to be used in a question tag it is through the observation of the three forms (affirmative, negative and interrogative) of the sentence before the comma. Look:
- affirmative: he is a baseball player.
- Negative: he isn’t a baseball player.
- Interrogative: Is he a baseball player?
As the sentence preceding the comma is in negative form, the question tag must be done in the interrogative form. Therefore, we have as a correct answer the alternative a) is he:
He isn’t a baseball player, is he?
See too: Simple Present
Question 2: question tag at the Simple Past
You went to the beach with him, ____________?
a) aren’t you
b) haven't you
c) didn't you
d) won't you
Correct alternative: c) didn’t you
The sentence that precedes the comma is a statement that talks about the past. This is indicated by the use of the verb went, which is the inflection of the past of the Simple Past.
Let's see:
- affirmative: You went to the beach with him.
- Negative: You didn’t go to the beach with him.
- Interrogative: Did you go to the beach with him?
To learn how to form a question tag, we need to identify in which form the sentence before the comma is (affirmative or negative). In the example sentence, the sentence before the comma is in the affirmative form, so we need a negative indicative in the question tag.
Note that the negative form of the sentence is composed of a subject (you), an auxiliary (didn’t) and a main verb (go). When this occurs, we only use the auxiliary + the subject to form the question tag:
You went to the beach with him, didn’t you?
It is important to mention that, although the auxiliary is used in its negative form, the structure of the question tag it will always be interrogative, that is, the order will always be auxiliary + subject, in this case, didn’t + you.
See too: Simple Past
Question 3: question tag in the future with going to
They aren’t going to arrive late, ____________?
a) are they
b) shall they
c) aren’t they
d) havent they
Correct alternative: a) are they
Note that the sentence before the comma is in negative form (aren’t). Whenever this occurs, the question tag must be formed with the interrogative. Let's see:
- affirmative: they are going to arrive late.
- Negative: They aren’t going to arrive late.
- Interrogative: Are they going to arrive late?
So, if in the sentence that precedes the comma we have they aren't, at question tag we must have the option The) are they:
They aren’t going to arrive late, are they?
See too:going to
Question 4: question tag in the future with will
He won’t spend Christmas with us, ____________?
a) will he
b) has he
c) shall he
d) is he
Correct alternative: a) will he
He won’t spend Christmas with us. is a negative phrase that expresses the idea of the future. Therefore, the question tag that will come after her must follow the interrogative form. Note the three forms of the sentence:
- affirmative: He will spend Christmas with us.
- Negative: He won’t spend Christmas with us.
- Interrogative: Will he spend Christmas with us?
Now that you've seen the interrogative form of the sentence before the comma, see how the answer for this exercise looks like:
He won’t spend Christmas with us, will he?
See too:Simple Future
Question 5: question tag at the Present Continuous
She is studying for the math exam, ____________?
a) isn’t she
b) hasn’t she
c) she didn't
d) she won't
Correct alternative: a) isn’t she
To find out which verb we should use in the question tag, just convert the sentence that precedes the comma. That is, if it is in the affirmative form, we need to convert it to the negative form to identify the verb, and to the interrogative form to identify the structure. Look:
- affirmative: She is studying for the math exam.
- Negative: She is not studying for the math exam.
- Interrogative: Is she studying for the math exam?
The structure of this denial is formed by a subject (she), an auxiliary verb (isnt) and a main verb (studying). In cases like this, where there is an assistant, the question tag it will be formed only by the auxiliary and the subject; the main verb is not included.
It is important to remember that, although the auxiliary is used in the negative form (isn't), the structure of the question tag follows the interrogative form, that is, it follows the auxiliary + subject order.
She is studying for the math exam, isn’t she?
See too: Present Continuous
Question 6: question tag at the Past Continuous
We were good students, ____________?
a) we didn't
b) aren’t we
c) weren’t we
d) don’t we
Correct alternative: c) weren’t we
To identify the correct answer, we need to convert the sentence that precedes the comma. Since it is in the affirmative form, we have to convert it to the negative form (remember that we must always opt for the contracted form) and also look at the structure of its interrogative form. Look:
- affirmative: We were good students.
- Negative: We weren’t good students.
- Interrogative: Were we good students?
The verb of the sentence in the negative form (weren’t) is what will be used in the question tag. Therefore. Don't forget that although the verb is used in the negative form, the structure of the question tag will always be the interrogative, that is, first the verb (in this case the weren’t) and then the subject (we):
We were good students, weren’t we?
See too: Past Continuous
Question 7: question tag at the Present Perfect
You haven't been to the U.S., ____________?
a) did you
b) of you
c) were you
d) have you
Correct alternative: d) have you
To identify which of the alternatives fill the sentence with the question tag correct, we need to analyze the forms of the sentence that precedes the comma.
- affirmative: You have been to the U.S.
- Negative: You havent been to the U.S.
- Interrogative: Have you been to the U.S.?
As the sentence of the exercise is in negative form, the question tag must be done with the interrogative form, in this case, with the alternative d) have you. Soon:
You haven’t been to the U.S., have you?
See too: Present Perfect
Question 8: question tag at the Past Perfect
The movie had started by the time you arrived, ____________?
a) isn’t it
b) hadn’t it
c) didn’t it
d) won’t it
Correct alternative: b) hadn’t it
The sentence before the comma is an affirmative sentence. For this reason, the question tag it will always have a negative phrase, expressed by a verb or an auxiliary.
Let's look at the three forms of the sentence:
- affirmative: The movie had started by the time you arrived.
- Negative: The movie hadn’t started by the time you arrived.
- Interrogative: Had the movie started by the time you arrived?
Note that the negative form is made up of the auxiliary hadn’t and by the main verb started. When this happens, in the question tag only the helper will be used.
However, it is important to keep in mind that, although the auxiliary is used in its negative form, the structure of the question tag follows the interrogative form. That is, we first use the helper (hadn’t) and then the subject (it).
It is the pronoun used in tag questions to refer to the indefinite pronoun nothing, objects, things, places and animals. In this exercise it is used to reference the word movie (film).
Therefore, we have the correct answer to the alternative B) hadn’t it:
The movie had started by the time you arrived, hadn’t it?
Question 9: question tag with modal verbs
He can speak German really well, ____________?
a) he didn't
b) isn’t he
c) wasnt he
d) can't he
Correct alternative: d) can’t he
To know how to write a question tag correctly, it is essential that we pay attention to the sentence placed before the comma.
In the exercise in question, He can speak German really well., note that the use of the modal verb can indicates that a sentence is inflected in the affirmative form.
This is an indication that, in the question tag, it will be used in the negative form. Note the three forms of the sentence:
- affirmative: He can speak German really well.
- Negative: He can’t speak German really well.
- Interrogative: Can he speak German really well?
See the negative form of can é can’t. Therefore, the correct answer for this exercise is the alternative d) can’t he:
He can speak German really well, can’t he?
See too:Modal verbs
Question 10: question tag after imperative
Open the window, ____________?
a) won't you
b) will you
c) are you
d) aren’t you
Correct alternative: b) will you
In the sentence open the window, we have an imperative verb (open).
The imperative is used when we want someone to do something for us. It is a verbal mode used, for example, to give orders, make requests, make suggestions, etc.
THE question tag that follows a sentence in the imperative mood is usually formed with modal verbs (would, could, can,...), mainly with the verb will.
Therefore, the alternatives ç) are you and d) aren’t you are discarded and only the alternatives remain The) won't you and B) will you.
IMPORTANT: at tag questions used after sentences in the imperative mode, they are always inflected in the affirmative form. Therefore, the correct answer is the alternative B) will you:
Open the window, will you?
Question 11: question tag after opinion
I guess they are tired, ____________?
a) are they
b) have they
c) aren’t they
d) havent they
Correct alternative: c) aren’t they
The sentences beginning with I guess (I think) indicate opinion, something you're not sure about.
To learn how to form the question tag, ignore it I guess and check the three forms of the remaining sentence:
- affirmative: They are tired.
- Negative: They aren’t tired.
- Interrogative: Are they tired?
Bearing in mind that, in the exercise, the verb of the sentence that precedes the comma is in the affirmative form (are), a question tag must be done with the negative form of this verb (aren’t). However, remember that the structure to be followed is that of the interrogative sentence, that is, verb (aren’t) + subject (they).
Therefore, the answer that fills the gap correctly is ç) arent they:
I guess they are tired, aren’t they?
Question 12: question tag after suggestion
Let’s invite him to the party, ____________?
a) did we
b) are we
c) shall we
d) will we
Correct alternative: c) shall we
when a sentence starts with let’s, someone is making a suggestion to someone else.
In this case, the question tag consists in the use of shall we.
In the sentence of the exercise, Let’s invite him to the party. (We'll invite you to the party), an invitation to a celebration is made. Then the question tag is used to confirm whether making such an invitation would be a good idea.
See the complete sentence, filled in by the alternative ç) shall we:
Let’s invite him to the party, shall we? (Are we going to invite him to the party? What about?)
Question 13: question tag after indefinite pronoun
Everybody loves chocolate, ____________?
a) of they
b) have they
c) aren’t they
d) don’t they
Correct alternative: d) don’t they
When the subject of the sentence before the comma is an undefined pronoun (todo Mundo, everyone, somebody, someone, nobody or no one), a question tag is formed with the personal pronoun they (they).
To know which verb to use in question tag, we need to know the three forms (affirmative, negative and interrogative) in which the verb of the sentence before the comma is used. To do this, just replace the indefinite pronoun by they and inflect the verb correctly:
- affirmative: They love chocolate.
- Negative: They don’t love chocolate.
- Interrogative: Do they love chocolate?
As the sentence preceding the comma is in the affirmative, the question tag must be formed with a negative call (don’t), but respecting the order of the structure of an interrogative sentence, that is, auxiliary (don’t) + subject (they).
Therefore, the correct answer is the alternative d) don’t they:
Everybody loves chocolate, don’t they?
See too: indefinite pronouns
Question 14: question tag after pronoun Iam
I am your best friend, ____________?
a) aren’t I
b) havent I
c) I didn't
d) won’t I
Correct alternative: a) aren’t I
When the sentence before the comma is an affirmative sentence and its subject and verb is the construction I am (I am/I am), the question tag is formed with aren’t I.
Therefore, we must fill in the exercise gap with the option The) aren’t I:
I am your best friend, aren’t I?
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