Read the following sentences.
1. Rituja is very intelligent, isn’t she?
2. The heat has become scorching, hasn’t it?
3. The guests have not-arrived yet, have they?
We often use these kind of sentences in our daily conversations. These sentences contain a statement and a question part for confirmation. This part containing a question is called ‘question tag.
Types of a Question Tag
A question tag is of two types
1. Positive Question Tag
2. Negative Question Tag
Positive Tags
When the statement is negative, the question tag is positive.
e.g.
1. Sahil is not home, is he?
2. I don’t often make mistakes, do I?
Negative Tags
When the statment is positive, the question tag is negative. ,
e.g.
1. You don’t need any medicine, do you?
2. This machine does not speak, does it?
General Rules for Question Tags
Rule 1
The subject of a question tag can never be a noun. If the subject of statement is a noun then it must be changed into pronoun of same number and gender when it is to be used in the tag part.
e.g.
1. Rohit is deceiving us.
QT Rohit is deceiving us, isn’t he?
Here Rohit is the subject of statement and it is a noun. When tag is made Rohit is . changed into ‘he’
2. Sayali is not mad.
Sayali is not mad, is she?
Rule 2
When a negative tag is formed then the contracted form is used in the tag part.
e.g.
1. She is eating, is not she? (Incorrect)
She is eating isn’t she? (Correct)
Using expanded form is not appropriate in tag. So, contracted forms should be used
Note: Amn’t is not accepted in usage. Whenever am + not is used in the sentence then its contracted form is aren’t.
Rule 3
If the statement has V1, V2 or V1 + s/es then during the tag formation the auxiliary will be as follows.
V1 → do
V2 → did
V1 → s/es → does
Chapter Practice
Question 1:
Identify positive and negative tags from among the following sentences.
1. Vyom looks nice, doesn’t he?
2. You are responsible for this entire mess-up, aren’t you?
3. These ridiculous ideas are not at all welcome, are they?
4. You are quite puzzled, aren’t you?
5. The movie will not release in the next month, won’t it?
Answer:
1. Negative tag
2. Negative tag
3. Positive tag
4. Negative tag
5. Positive tag
Question 2:
Match the following.
List 1 | List II |
(i) India will win the World Cup. | (a) am I? |
(ii) The lecturer slapped a boy. | (b) doesn’t she? |
(iii) I am not going to wait for you. | (c) haven’t they? |
(iv) Vaibhavi likes to paint her daughter. | (d) didn’t he? |
(v) These methods have become archaic now. | (e) won’t they? |
Answer:
List I | List II |
(i) India will win the World Cup. | (e) won’t they? |
(ii) The lecturer slapped the boy. | (d) didn’t he? |
(iii) I am not going to wait for you. | (a) am 1? |
(iv) Vaibhavi likes to paint her daughter. | (b) doesn’t she? |
(v) These methods have become archaic now. | (c) haven’t they? |
Question 3:
Add a question tag to each of the following statements.
1. You think I am a fool.
2. This was purchased last year.
3. Prabhu hates smoking and smokers.
4. I will never forget this.
5. They will not excuse us.
6. Jyoti works very hard.
7. Vineet doesn’t rely on his cousins when it comes to start a business in partnership.
8. We all enjoyed ourselves a, lot during the tour.
9. The lady keeps bandening around to everybody. .
10. She is not as dull as she pretends to be.
Answer:
1. You think I am a fool, don’t you?
2. This was purchased last year, wasn’t this?
3. Prabhu hates smoking and smokers, doesn’t he?
4. I will never forget this, will I?
5. They will not excuse us, will they?
6. Jyoti works very hard, doesn’t she?
7. Vineet doesn’t rely on his cousins, when it comes to start a business in partnership, does he?
8. We all enjoyed ourselves a lot during the tour, didn’t we?
9. The lady keeps bandening around to everybody, doesn’t she?
10. She is not as dull as she pretends to be, is she?
Question 4:
In the questions given below there are four options for each sentence. Choose the option which is correct.
1. Did everything quite speadily…………………….. ?
(a) did
(b) didn’t
(c) does
(d) don’t
2. He……….. blame anybody, did he?
(a) does
(b) is not
(c) didn’t
(d) was not
3. These topics were taught in the class………………… ..?
(a) were they
(b) wasn’t it
(c) were they not
(d) weren’t they
4. Raghav’s joy knew no bounds,……………………. ?
(a) did he
(b) didn’t he
(c) did it
(d) None of these
5. Pixie didn’t find the remark very offensive ?
(a) did she
(b) didn’t she
(c) was she
(d) wasn’t she
6. Happy wan’t picking up the call………………………. ?
(a) was he
(b) were he
(c) wasn’t he
(d) None of these
7. Indian culture…………………… loved by everyone, isn’t it?
(a) was
(b) is
(c) were
(d) does
8. London airport has the highest number of escalators in the world………….it?
(a) was
(b) isn’t
(c) is
(d) doesn’t
9. The cat moved its tail to indicate something……….?
(a) didn’t it
(b) did it
(c) didn’t she
(d) did she
10. Saree is the most graceful Indian dress, ?
(a) is it not
(b) is not it
(c) isn’t it
(d) None of these
Answer:
1. (b) didn’t
2. (c) didn’t
3. (d) weren’t they
4. (c) did it
5. (a) did she
6. (a) was he
7. (b) is
8. (d) doesn’t
9. (a) didn’t it
10. (c) isn’t
Question 5:
Frame appropriate question tags for the answers provided.
1. She’s from a small town in Tamil Nadu.
2. We are late again.
3. The weather is really bad today.
4. John is a very good student.
5. She doesn’t work in a hotel.
Answer:
1. She’s from a small town in Tamil Nadu, isn’t she?
2. We are late again aren’t we?
3. The weather is really bad today, isn’t it?
4. John is a very good student, isn’t he?
5. She doesn’t work in a hotel, does she?
Question 6:
Fill in the blanks to frame questions.
1. ………… are you?
2. ………… are you going?
3. ………… are you late?
4. ………… will dad be back?
5. ………… many apples do you want
Answer:
1. How
2. Where
3. Why
4. When
5. How
Either way the teacher or student will get the solution to the problem within 24 hours.