Whether the given statement is right or wrong should be confirmed with the help of a question tag.
Syntax: 1. Sub+ H.V+ M.V + Obj, H.V +n’t + Sub +?
e.g: Swetha is playing chess, isn’t she?
If a statement is in affirmative, question tag will be negative.
e.g: Swetha is not playing chess, is she?
If a statement is in negative, question tag will be affirmative.
Verb in Statement
Verb in Question Tag
Negative Words: The following words are semi-negatives. If there is any semi negative in a statement, the question tag will be affirmative.No, Not, None, Nobody, Nothing, Never, Neither, Nil, Rarely, seldom, Hardly, Scarcely, Barely, few, little.
e.g:
i. I am a teacher, arent I?
ii. I am not a teacher, am I?
iii. Bheem will teach you, wont he?
iv. Bheem will not teach you, will he?
v. We shall go, shant we?
vi. We shall not go, shall we?
vii. Shreya Ghoshal can sing, cant she?
viii. He has a book, doesnt he?
ix. He has bought a book, hasnt he?
x. Student have doubts, dont they?
xi. Students have asked doubts, havent they?
xii. You had a car, didnt you?
xiii. You had driven a car,hadnt you?
xiv. He explains it, doesnt he?
xv. They explain it, dont they?
xvi. She explained it, didnt she?
Some more examples
1. He eats few fruits, does he?
2. He eats a few fruits, doesnt he?
3. I want little sugar, do I?
4. I want a little sugar, dont I?
5. He has money, doesnt he?
6. He has no money, does he?
7. She tells the truth, doesnt she?
8. She hardly tells the truth, does she?
9. We seldom watch the movies, do we?
10. We watch the movies, dont we?
Sentences with There:
2. There is no flower, is there?
3. There are beautiful girls, arent there?
4. There are no beautiful girls, are there?
1. Some of them are nice, arent they?
2. Some of them are not nice, are they?
3. Some of us are intelligent, arent we?
4. Some of you were very tall, werent you?
5. One must love ones country, mustnt one?
6. These are the finest apples, arent they?
7. Those were the great leaders, werent they?
8. This is my book, isnt it?
9. This is not my book, is it?
10. That was not theirs, was it?
Indefinite Pronouns
Subject in Question Tag
Somebody
they
Someone
Everybody
Nobody
None
Ex: 1. Somebody is knocking at the door,……? isnt they? (X), arent they? (
2. Nobody likes me…….? does they? (X), do they? (
3. Everyone was in Kurnool yesterday…..? wasnt they? (X), werent they? (
4. Someone has written a letter……? hasnt they? (x) havent they? (
Imperative Sentences:
Imperative positive sentences – Wont you?
Imperative negative sentences – Will you?
1. Lift the bag, cant you?
2 Shut up, cant you?
3. Don’t make a noise, will you?
4. Never come late, will you?
Ex:
1. Please close the window, will you?
2. Please dont close the window, will you?If a statement begins with Let + obj, ques tion tag will be shall + sub
1. Let me go, shall I?
2. Let not me go, shall I?
3. Let us enjoy, shall we?
4. Let not us enjoy, shall we?
question tags.
1) do you 2) did you
3) dont you 4) didnt you
1) will he 2) wont he
3) willnt he 4) does he
1) wouldnt you
2) havent you
3) would he
4) wouldnt he
1) dont you 2) does you
3) do you 4) did you
1) is it 2) isnt it
3) are they 4) arent they
1) is he 2) isnt he
3) wont he 4) willnt he
1) is he 2) isnt he
3) could I 4) couldnt I
1) am I 2) amnt I
3) are I 4) arent I
1) shall I 2) have they
3) shall we 4) do we
1) is he
2) doesnt he
3) isnt he 4) does he
Ramakrishna,
Senior English Faculty
RAMAIAH COMPITITIVE COACHING
CENTRE, Hyd