What do you know about question tags?
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Rules for question tags
Question tags are short questions at the end of statements. They are mainly used in speech when we want to: - confirm that something is true or not, or
- to encourage a reply from the person we are speaking to.
Question tags are formed with the auxiliary or modal verb from the statement and the appropriate subject .A positive statement is followed by a negative question tag. Jack is from Spain, isn't he?Mary can speak English, can't she?A negative statement is followed by a positive question tag. They aren't funny, are they?He shouldn't say things like that, should he?
When the verb in the main sentence is in the present simple we form the question tag with do / does. - You play the guitar, don't you?
- Alison likes tennis, doesn't she?
If the verb is in the past simple we use did. - They went to the cinema, didn't they?
- She studied in New Zealand, didn't she?
When the statement contains a word with a negative meaning, the question tag needs to be positive - He hardly ever speaks, does he?
- They rarely eat in restaurants, do they?
ExceptionsSome verbs / expressions have different question tags. For example: I am - I am attractive, aren't I? Positive imperative - Stop daydreaming, won't you? Negative imperative - Don't stop singing, will you? Let's - Let's go to the beach, shall we? Have got (possession) - He has got a car, hasn't he? There is / are - There aren't any spiders in the bedroom, are there? This / that is - This is Paul's pen, isn't it?
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How to pronounce question tags
Tag Endings with Rising Intonation When someone asks a tag question and the tag has rising intonation, the person who asks the question is much less sure that the statement before the tag ending is correct. That's why he or she will expect some sort of confirmation. I might know the answer to question number 4, but am not very sure. I want to see if you agree with me (or if you will tell me what the answer is), so I say Q: Question 4 is difficult, isn't it? - A: Yes, it's difficult. / No, it isn't difficult. / I don't know. Q: Question 4 isn't difficult, is it?- A: Yes, it's difficult. / No, it isn't difficult. / I don't know.
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More about the pronunciation of question tags
When someone asks a tag question and the question tag has falling intonation, the person who asks the questions is fairly sure that the statement before the tag ending is correct. Although the person asking the question is 100% sure, he or she still wants confirmation.
Example:
I think a question is difficult and want to know if you feel the same way, so I say
Q: Question 4 is difficult, isn't it?A: Yes, it's difficult. / No, it isn't difficult. / I don't know.
Q: Question 4 isn't difficult, is it?A: Yes, it's difficult. / No, it isn't difficult. / I don't know.
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Information on youtube.
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Practise question tags.
http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=2520TAG QUESTIONS EXERCISE
Complete the sentences below with the correct tag question:
1. Paul is a good singer, ____________________ ? 2. Beto and Susan are in New York, ____________________ ? 3. You love this picture, ____________________ ? 4. We know your parents, ____________________ ? 5. Jimmy doesn’t speak Italian, ____________________ ? 6. Beth wasn’t happy yesterday, ____________________ ? 7. The boys are playing football, ____________________ ?8. Karin isn’t ready to move, ____________________ ?
9. There is enough food here, ___________________ ?10. Let’s start our homework, ___________________ ?
11. Your brother has been away for a long time, ____________________ ? 12. The scientists left for Rome yesterday, ____________________ ?13. I’m afraid Paul is a little confused, ____________________ ? 14. This work could be done in ten minutes, ____________________ ? 15. One should never harm any kind of people, ____________________ ? 16. Nobody called for me while I was out, ____________________ ? 17. Let’s not give them a second chance, ____________________ ? 18. Beth might not come tomorrow, ____________________ ? 19. Patricia, don’t close all the windows, ____________________ ? 20. There is some good news for the Gaviollis, ____________________ ?
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