What is a Tag Question?
A tag question is a
short question added to the end of a sentence, usually to confirm, check
information, or encourage a
reply.
You're coming
to the party, aren’t you?
It’s often used in spoken English
to seek agreement or clarification.
Basic Rules of Tag Questions
Rule 1: Positive Sentence →
Negative Tag
If the main sentence is positive,
the question tag is negative.
She is a nurse, isn’t she?
They play football, don’t they?
Rule 2: Negative Sentence →
Positive Tag
If the main sentence is negative,
the tag is positive.
He doesn’t like coffee, does he?
You aren’t coming, are you?
Note:
Negative sentences with words like never,
hardly, rarely,
seldom, barely,
etc., also take positive tags (see
advanced rules).
Helping Verb in Tag
The tag
must match the helping/auxiliary verb of the main sentence. If
there is no helping verb, we use do/does/did.
Examples:
|
Sentence |
Tag |
|
She is
tired, |
isn’t she? |
|
He has
finished, |
hasn’t he? |
|
You don’t
like tea, |
do you? |
|
They play
well, |
don’t they? |
|
She came
late, |
didn’t she? |
Pronoun Agreement
The subject of the tag must match
the subject of the sentence.
Gita is a dancer, isn’t she?
The boys played well, didn’t they?
A complete table
of auxiliary verbs with "not" in both full form and contraction
form (short form):
|
Full Form |
Contraction (Short Form) |
|
is not |
isn't |
|
are not |
aren't |
|
was not |
wasn't |
|
were not |
weren't |
|
have not |
haven't |
|
has not |
hasn't |
|
had not |
hadn't |
|
do not |
don't |
|
does not |
doesn't |
|
did not |
didn't |
|
will not |
won't |
|
would not |
wouldn't |
|
shall not |
shan't |
|
should not |
shouldn't |
|
cannot |
can't |
|
could not |
couldn't |
|
may not |
mayn't (rare,
formal) |
|
might not |
mightn't |
|
must not |
mustn't |
|
need not |
needn't |
|
dare not |
daren't |
|
ought not |
oughtn't |
|
used not |
usedn't (rare/old-fashioned) |
Notes:
- "Won’t" is a
special contraction of "will not", not willn't.
- Some
contractions like "shan’t", "mayn’t", "daren’t"
are considered formal, old-fashioned, or less common in modern English.
- "Can
not"
is usually written as one word: "cannot” and its contraction
is "can't".
Advanced Rules of Tag Questions
1. Imperative Sentences
(Commands/Requests)
Use "will
you?", "won’t
you?", "can
you?", or "could
you?" depending on tone.
Open the door, will you? (polite)
Help me with this, won’t you?
(friendly)
If it's a request
with "let's", use "shall
we?"
Let’s go for a walk, shall we?
2. Sentences with ‘Nothing’,
‘Nobody’, ‘None’, ‘No one’ → Use “they” in the tag
Nobody called me, did they?
Nothing is wrong, is it?
3. Sentences with Indefinite
Pronouns (someone, everyone, etc.) → Use “they”
Someone stole my bag, didn’t they?
Everyone was happy, weren’t they?
4. With “I am” — Tag is “aren’t
I?”
I’m your friend, aren’t I?
Note:
"Amn't I?" is not used in standard English.
5. With “Used to” – Tag is
“didn’t”
He used to live here, didn’t he?
6. With Negative Words (never,
hardly, seldom, etc.) — Treat as Negative
He never lies, does he?
She seldom comes here, does she?
7. With "There" as
Subject
There is a problem, isn’t there?
There weren’t any people, were there?
8. With “Have got” (British
English)
She has got a car, hasn’t she?
They haven’t got a clue, have they?
Common Tag Question Patterns with Examples
|
Sentence Type |
Example Sentence |
Tag |
|
Positive (present simple) |
You like tea, |
don’t you? |
|
Negative (present simple) |
You don’t like tea, |
do you? |
|
Positive (past simple) |
He came late, |
didn’t he? |
|
Negative (past simple) |
He didn’t come, |
did he? |
|
Present perfect |
She has finished, |
hasn’t she? |
|
Modal verbs |
You can drive, |
can’t you? |
|
With “Let’s” |
Let’s go now, |
shall we? |
|
Imperative |
Close the window, |
will you? |
Practice (from book)
Rewrite the following sentences adding appropriate question tag.
a. Gill does not know Ann, does he?
b. I’m very patient, aren’t I?
c. They’d never met me before, had they?
d. Listen carefully, will you?
e. Let’s have a break, shall we?
f. Let us invite them, will you?
g. Hari used to live in France as a boy, didn’t he?
h. You’d better not take a hard drink, had you?
i. Sheep eat grass, don’t they?
j. Mr. Pande can speak nine languages, can’t he?
k. She’s finished her classes, hasn’t she?
l. She barely managed to reach the goal, did she?
m. Don’t let him swim in that pond, will you?
n. There are lots of people here, aren’t there?
Read the following situations. What do you say in these situations? Use question tags.
a. The sky is full of cloud. You can see lightning and hear thunder.
It’s going to rain soon, isn’t it?
b. You want to pay the taxi fare but you are short by 100 rupees.
Shyam, you have to lend me Rs. 100, haven’t you?
c. You have met a stranger at a party and you want to have a chat with him/ her.
We will talk later, won’t we?
d. You came out of the film hall with your friend. You enjoyed the film.
The film was very enjoyable, wasn’t it?
e. You and your friend listened to a comedian on the stage and felt spellbound by his/her performance.
He gave an excellent presentation, didn’t he?
f. You think your friend’s father has arrived from the US but you are not sure.
Your father has not arrived from US, has he?
g. You think Susan will join the new job tomorrow but you are not sure.
Susan will go to her new job tomorrow, won’t she?
h. Your friend’s hair looks too short.
You have got too short hair, haven’t you?
i. You want to go for a picnic with your friends in class.
Let’s go to picnic, shall we?
j. You want permission from your father to go for a walk.
Let me go for a evening walk, will you?
Practice Questions (Try Yourself)
1. He plays guitar, ___?
2. You don’t like spicy food, ___?
3. Let’s study together, ___?
4. She has never been abroad, ___?
5. I’m right, ___?
6. Someone left the door open, ___?
7. The sun rises in the east, ___?
8. They won’t come to the party, ___?
9. There is a book on the table, ___?
10. Nobody was late, ___?
Writing
Writing
Write an email to your friend explaining an interesting class you had.
From : balramshah12@gmail.com
Subject:
An Amazing Class Experience
Dear
David,
I
hope you are doing well. Today I just had one of the most interesting classes,
and I could not wait to share it with you. It was our English literature class,
and our teacher introduced us to a thought-provoking short story that sparked
lively discussions.
The
lesson began with the teacher narrating the story in a very engaging way.
Instead of simply reading, she used expressions, gestures, and questions to
make us feel like we were part of the scene. The story dealt with human
emotions and everyday struggles, which made it easy for everyone to relate.
After the narration, she divided us into small groups and asked us to discuss
the main theme and the characters’ choices. This group activity was both fun
and educational. I realized how differently people can interpret the same
story.
What
I enjoyed most was the debate session at the end. Some of us argued that the
main character was wise, while others thought he was careless. The teacher
encouraged every opinion and guided us toward deeper understanding. I also got
a chance to speak, and it felt great to share my ideas confidently.
This
class was special because it was not just about memorizing facts but about
thinking critically and expressing ourselves. It reminded me how much I enjoy
learning when lessons are interactive.
I
wish you had been there! Let’s catch up soon and I’ll tell you more.
Best
wishes,
Balram
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