tag question. mariana rodriguez y rossana guanipa

7/28/2019 Tag Question. Mariana Rodriguez y Rossana Guanipa

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1. What is a tag question?

A tag question is a short question added to the endof a positive or negative statement.

For example:

He is, isnt he.He does, doesnt he.He will, wont he.

He can, cant he.


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2. How are they formed?

Normally a positive statement is followed by anegative tag, and a negative statement is followedby a positive tag.

For example:

Positive statement+

Snow is white ,

Negative statement-

isnt it?

Negative statement

-You dont like me,

Positive statement

+do you?


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! The statement and the tag are always separated bya comma.

The verb in the statement should be the same tenseas the verb in the tag.

For example:

Present tense :You are a good singer, arent you?

Past tense:You didnt go to work yesterday, did you?

Present perfect tense,:You have been to London, haventyou?


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If the verb used in the statement is an auxiliaryverb, then the verb used in the tag must match it. If a modal(can, could, will, should, etc) is used in the statement, then

the same modal is used in the tag part. If the statementdoesn't use an auxiliary verb, then the auxiliary do is used inthe tag part.

For example:

Auxiliary verbShe is from England, isnt she.They arent very nice, are they?

Modal verbYou can sing, cant you?They shouldnt do that, should they?

No auxiliaryHe eats meat , doesnt he?He had a bath, didnt he?Nothing happened, did it?


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1. Why do we use them?

Tag questions are used to verify or checkinformation that we think is true or to checkinformation that we aren't sure is true. Sometimeswe just use them for effect, when we are trying to besarcastic, or to make a strong point. So be sure touse them with care.

We show the meaning of the tag question throughintonation.

If the tag is a real question it has a risingintonation. For example:

The chairman's coming at 3.00, isn't he?


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If the tag is not a real question it hasa flat or falling intonation. For

example:

It's a nice day today, isn't it?

! It is possible for a positive statement to befollowed by a positive tag for even moreeffect (sarcasm, anger, disbelief, shock,

concern etc).For example:

Oh you will, will you?You think you're funny, do you?


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There is one weird exception:

The question tag after I am is aren't I.

For example:

I'm in charge of the food, aren't I?


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Present simple 'be' We aren't late, are we?

Present simple other verbsShe doesn't have any children, doesshe?

Present continuous The bus isn't coming, is it?

Past simple 'be' She wasn't at home yesterday, wasshe?

Past simple other verbsThey didn't go out last Sunday, didthey?

Past continuous You weren't sleeping, were you?

Present perfect She hasn't eaten all the cake, has she?

Present perfect continuousHe hasn't been running in thisweather, has he?

Past perfectWe hadn't been to London before, hadwe?

Past perfect continuous You hadn't been sleeping, had you?

Future simple They won't be late, will they?

Future continuous He'll be studying tonight, won't he?

Future perfectShe won't have left work before six, willshe?

Future perfect continuousHe won't have been travelling allday, will he?

Modals She can't speak Arabic, can she?

Modals They mustn't come early, must they?
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4. Exercises

a) She is collecting stickers, ?

b) We often watch TV in the afternoon, ?

c) You have cleaned your bike, ?

d) John and Max don't like Maths, ?

a) Peter played handball yesterday, ?

b) They are going home from school, ?

c) He could have bought a new car, ?

d) Kevin will come tonight, ?

e) I'm clever, ?


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tag question. mariana rodriguez y rossana guanipa

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