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Question Tags: (Made by Carmen Luisa)

This document discusses question tags, which are short questions added to the end of statements to check for confirmation or clarity. It notes that question tags use either a positive or negative auxiliary verb and pronoun depending on whether the statement is positive or negative. It provides examples of common question tags and how they are formed, including how certain verbs like "be" are tagged differently. It also explains that question tags are usually answered with short "yes/no" responses and that intonation rises or falls depending on whether the speaker is sure or unsure of the answer.

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Co Yiskāh
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228 views

Question Tags: (Made by Carmen Luisa)

This document discusses question tags, which are short questions added to the end of statements to check for confirmation or clarity. It notes that question tags use either a positive or negative auxiliary verb and pronoun depending on whether the statement is positive or negative. It provides examples of common question tags and how they are formed, including how certain verbs like "be" are tagged differently. It also explains that question tags are usually answered with short "yes/no" responses and that intonation rises or falls depending on whether the speaker is sure or unsure of the answer.

Uploaded by

Co Yiskāh
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Question tags

(made by Carmen Luisa)

USE
A question tag is a short question at the end of a statement: He won the prize, didnt he? question tag We use question tags when we want to check if information is correct.

FORM
1. Use question tags at the end of a sentence: He won the prize, didnt he? question tag

FORM
2.a. NEGATIVE QUESTION TAG:
If the sentence is positive, the question tag is negative:

You have seen that film, havent you?


+ -

2.b.

POSITIVE QUESTION TAG:

If the sentence is negative, the question tag is positive: You havent seen that film, have you? + If the sentence contains a negative word (never, hardly) the question tag is positive: Ann never goes anywhere, does she? +

FORM
3. Questions tags consist of AUXILIARY VERB + PRONOUN:

I shouldnt laugh,

should

I?
she?

Sarah was winning, wasnt

We use the auxiliary verb that is used in the previous sentence. If there is no auxiliary verb, se use do/does (present tense) and did (past tense): You live near here, dont you? You turned left, didnt you?

The pronoun refers to the subject of the previous sentence.

FORM
4. Some verbs form question tags differently: I am arent I?

Im helpful, arent I?
There is isnt there? There is a chemists near here, isnt there?

There are arent there?


There are many shops in the area, arent there? This is / That is isnt it? Thats your wife over there, isnt it?

FORM
5. When we answer question tags, we often use short answers: A: You are French, arent you? B: Yes, I am. / No, Im not.
SHORT ANSWERS

A: Shes got a dog, hasnt she? B: Yes, she has. / No, she hasnt. A: You smoke, dont you? B: Yes, I do. / No, I dont.
SHORT ANSWERS SHORT ANSWERS

FORM
6. Intonation: When we are sure of the answer, the voice goes down in the question tag: John doesnt like gold, does he? The speaker knows John doesnt like gold. When we are not sure of the answer, the voice goes up: They left for Milan, didnt they? The speaker doesnt know if they left for Milan or not.

Question tags

I hope you have understood how to use question tags.

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