QUESTION

AND
ANSWER TAGS
Ghana Christian International
QUESTION TAGS
High School
LESSON OBJECTIVES

•By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:

 Explain the term ‘question tag’.
 Explain how to form question tags.
 State and explain rules governing the formation of question tags.
 Form question tags correctly.
 What is a
question tag?
• A question tag is a short interrogative
sentence placed at the end of a statement in
order to change the statement into a
question.
• It is the speaker’s means of ascertaining the
fact in the statement he makes.
Example
She can drive this car, can’t she?
Such sentences have two parts:
 the statement
the question tag.
•She can drive this car. (The statement).
•can’t she? (The question tag).
• How To Form Question Tags
•First, place a comma after the statement as in:
She can drive this car,
•Secondly, look for and copy the auxiliary verb in the statement.
She can drive this car, can
•Thirdly, check if the statement contains any negative marker, such as ‘not, no, never,
nobody, nothing.’
•If there is no negative marker in the statement, then add a negative marker to the
auxiliary verb
• Use the pronoun form of the subject in the statement or repeat the pronoun in the
statement as:
•She can drive this car, can’t she
•Janet can drive this car, can’t she
•Since it is a question, place a question mark at the end; it is compulsory.
•She can drive this car, can’t she?
Punctuations used:
• a comma (,)
• an apostrophe (’)
• a question mark(?)
Do you know all the auxiliary verbs in English?
 Auxiliary verbs
Present Past Present Past Present Past Present Past
tense
tense Tense tense Tense tense tense tense

is was Have had Do did can could

must must

are were has had does did shall should

may might

am was will would

 Rules governing the
formation of question
tags
Rule 1:
•If the statement is positive, the question tag
must be negative.
•In other words, if the tag does not contain any
negative marker such as ‘not, no, never,”
nobody, nothing, then add a negative marker
to the question tag.
•NB. Always use the contracted form. For
example:
1. She can drive this car, can’t she?
2. You are a student of this school, ……….?
3. You must tell those fools your mind, …………?
4. She should do the work before they eat, ………..?
5. They will eat jollof rice with kontomire stew, ……..?
Rule 2
•If the statement is negative, the question
tag must be positive.
•In other words, if the tag contains any
negative marker such as ‘not, no, never,”
nobody, nothing, do not add a negative
marker to the question tag.
•For example:
1. They will never eat jollof rice with kontomire stew, will they?
2. She knows nobody at Brewaniase and Kadjebi, ……..?
3. She should not do the work before eating, …………?
4. You must not tell those fools your mind, …………?
5. You are not a student of this school, ………….?
Rule 3:
The tense of the verb in the statement must be the same as the
one in the question tag.
This means that when the verb in the statement is in the
present tense form, the verb in the tag should also be in the
present tense form.
This also means that if the auxiliary verb in the statement is in
the past tense form, the one in the tag should also be in the
past form.
Identify the wrong tags in the sentences below.

1. We are ready for the work, aren’t we?

2. We are ready for the work, weren’t we?
3. They should do the work first, shouldn’t they?
4. They should do the work first, shan’t they?
5. I shall overcome every challenge in my life, shan’t I?
6. I shall overcome every challenge in my life, shouldn’t I?
Rule 4
When the subject of the statement is a noun, don’t
use it in the tag because the tags only use pronouns.
Replace the noun with a pronoun that agrees with the
noun in both gender and number.
It means that if the subject in the statement is
masculine or feminine or neuter, the pronoun you use
in the tag should also be masculine (he) or feminine
(she) or neuter (it) respectively.
1. Mr. Mensa must never say that again, must he?
2. Joycelyn has done a good work, …………….?
3. This sheep is bigger than yours, isn’t it?
4. Ghana is a peaceful country, …………?
5. The baby won’t disturb you, ………..?
Unless the gender of a baby is
known or mentioned, it is
considered a neuter noun hence,
replaced with a neuter pronoun.
1. The baby boy is disturbing you, isn’t he?
2. Baby Cynthia hasn’t slept today,……….?
3. The baby is disturbing you, isn’t it?
4. That baby hasn’t slept today, …………..?
Rule 5
If the subject in the statement is singular
or plural, the pronoun you use in the tag
should also be singular as I, you, he, she,
it, or plural as we, you, they respectively.
You want to see some examples?
1. Joycelyn and Musah have done a good work, haven’t they?
2. Ghana and Togo were peaceful countries, …………………?
3. The students must never say that again, ………………..?
4. You and Amegade have been friends, haven’t you?
5. These turkeys are bigger than yours, …………….?
6. The baby and I are disturbing you, ………………?
7. These red mice can kill an elephant, …………?
8. I did not insult the Compound Prefect, did I?
Rule 6
In a passive voice, use the object to form the
tag.
A sentence that has the object before the verb
and the subject (OVS) is called the passive voice.
In such sentences, use the object rather than
the subject in the tag.
 Look at this:
1. You were attacked by Mr. Kuadey’s dog, weren’t you?
2. That snake was killed by Mr. Tatabila, wasn’t it?
3. The man was beaten by these girls,………..?
4. He would have robbed us, …………………?
Rule 7
If the statement does not contain an
auxiliary verb, use the auxiliary ‘do’
according to the tense of the main verb in
the statement.
Do you know why?
This is because every main verb used in a
sentence has a hidden ‘do’ before it.
1. I write text books.
means
2. I do write text books.
3. Mr. Akyem likes his students.
means
4. Mr. Akyem does like his students.
5. Mr. Adade wrote his first text book in 2008.
means

6. Mr. Adade did write his first text book in 2008.

1. Mansa and I heard what Mama said, didn’t we?
2. Janet prayed for the class, ……….?
3. Serwa speaks French fluently,………..?
4. They speak good Latin,……………….?
Rule 8
 Did you know that though ‘has’, ‘have’ and ‘had’ are auxiliaries, they can
also act as main verbs some times.
 When ‘has’, ‘have’ and ‘had’ are the only verbs used in the statement, they
are not assisting any verb so they are not auxiliaries.
 In that case, they are the main verbs and so must not be used to form the
tags.
 Treat them as main verbs that do not have auxiliaries, so use the auxiliary
‘do’ according to the tense and number of the verb ‘have’ in the statement. .
 Remember that since ‘have’ goes with ‘do’;
 ‘has’ goes with ‘does’.
 ‘had’ goes with ‘did’.
1.Mummy and Daddy have a joint account, don’t they?
2.Pearl has a new car, doesn’t she?
3.Four years ago, I had a dog, ………….?
4.Benedicta has a mansion,……….....?
5.In JHS, Soale had ten notebooks…………………?
6.Azupogo and Herty have friends in the US……………?
Rule 9
When the verb in the statement is a
verb phrase that contains more than
one auxiliary verb, consider the first
auxiliary verb only in forming the tag.
1.You shouldn’t have beaten him, should you?
2.The men could have been being swindled
by that girl, ………..?
3.But for my intervention, Yaa would have
been robbed by those guys, ............?
Rule 10
When the verb phrase in the statement is a
form of ‘have + to-infinitive’, don’t use
the verb have/has to form the tag.
 Use ‘do’ according to the tense and
number of the verb ‘have’.
Are you wondering why this is
so?
 Remember that a question tag
is a short form of the statement.
I can do it, can’t i?
Means
I can do it, can’t I do it?
Ephraim has to pursue engineering at KNUST, doesn’t he?
Also means:
Ephraim has to pursue engineering at KNUST, doesn’t Ephraim
have to pursue engineering at KNUST?
Have you tried using ‘hasn’t’
in place of ‘doesn’t’ in the
above sentence?
 What did you realize?
1. Ephraim has to pursue engineering at KNUST, doesn’t he?
(ii) Ephraim has to pursue engineering at KNUST, hasn’t he? (WRONG)
1. (i) Eunice and I have to tell Kojo our mind, don’t we?
(ii) Eunice and I have to tell Kojo our mind, haven’t we? (WRONG)
1. (i) Since you forced me, I had to finally accept your request, ………………?
2. The boys have to sweep the class for a week,……………………………..?

3. You have to help us solve this question, …………………………….?

Rule 11
Sometimes, the statement is an imperative one
(invitation, request, order).
For polite requests, use ‘won’t you’ as the tag.

Can you tell why the subject “you” is used here?

1. Please, sit here for some time, won’t you?

2. I’m sure you are hungry; eat your food, won’t you?
Rule 12
In forming the question tag for
commands and harsh orders, use
‘will you, can’t you and would
you’.
1. Leave here before I open my eyes, will you?

2. Sit down, you fool, would you?

3. Talk now, can’t you?
Rule
13
•When the sentence is a suggestion, it
will begin with “Let’s” or “Let us”. In
such sentences, the correct tag is
“shall we.”
1. We are tired; let’s rest here, shall we?

2. Let us leave here before the police arrive, shall we?

3. Let’s inform the Principal about the misconduct of our

teacher…………….
Rule 14:
•When a speaker uses a positive tag for a positive statement, he
wants to sound sarcastic.
•Positive tag for a positive statement is used when the speaker
disagrees with a previous statement or view.
•If, for instance, someone praises or talks about how beautiful
she is but I don’t think she is beautiful, I’ll simply use a positive-
statement-positive tag to imply that she is not beautiful as she
claims.
•With this, I don’t have to say “You’re not beautiful.”
1. You are very beautiful, are you?

2. With all the F’s, your son passed the exam, ………..?

3. You always claim your school is the best, is it?

•Rule 15
•When existential ‘there’ forms the
subject of the statement use ‘there’ as
the subject of the question tag.
1. There is nothing wrong about that, is there?

2. There were problems all over Ghana in the 80s, weren’t there?

3. During your tenure, there was chaos in this school, wasn’t there?

4. That morning there weren’t teachers in the school, …………….?

5. There are problems relating to her appointment as a minister, …….

6. There have been instances of chaos in that country since………………

•Did you know that demonstrative pronouns (this, that,
these, those) can be used as subjects in sentences?
•When that happens in a sentence involving a question
tag, the subject of the question tag is ‘it’ or ‘they’
depending on the number – singular or plural – of the
pronoun.
1. This will be enough for you, won’t it?

2. That was the main cause of the problem, …………..?

3. These are the only surnames you gave us, aren’t they?

4. Those were the ones the lawyer spoke about,…………….?

•RULE 16
•When ‘something’ and ‘nothing’ serve as
the subject in the statement, the subject
of the question tag is the neuter pronoun,
‘it.’
•:
1. I think something strange happened that day, didn’t it?

2. Nothing has been found in his account, ………t?

3. Something pierced his chest, …………..?

•
•Rule 17
•Indefinite pronouns such as everyone, nobody,
somebody, everybody and no one are sometimes
treated as plural antecedents to nouns.
•As a result of this, when they serve as the subject
in the statement, the third person plural pronoun
‘they’ is used as the subject of the tag.
1. Nobody wants to die for Ghana, do they?

2. Everybody liked what the President said, …………?

3. No one is ready to fight the World Wrestling Champion, ………….?

Rule 16
•If the statement is a complex or
a compound-complex sentence,
use the verb in the principal
clause to form the tag.
1. If it rains, we can’t attend the party, can we?

2. We cried because we were hungry, didn’t we?

3. Before I was born, my father hadn’t bought his first car, ………….?

4. When he comes, I will not see him because I’ll be out of town, ………..?

5. The Class Prefect told us that the teacher would come to school late, ……….?
•When the statement is a compound sentence,
generally, the clause closer to the tag determines the
tag.
•Remember a compound sentence contains two main
clauses.
•However, sometimes, either of the clauses can
determine the tag depending on where the speaker’s
emphasis is.
1. I went to the restaurant with him but I didn’t eat anything, didn’t I?

2. I went to the restaurant with him but I didn’t eat anything, did I?

3. You called us so we’ve come, ………………………….?

4. Musah shot the gun but he missed his target……………?

END OF TOPIC
 CONCORD
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
Ghana Christian International
High School
 • Subject-verb
• Antecedent-pronoun
CORRECT THE SENTENCE BELOW

The president help

us always.
Fundamental Rule A

Singular
subject agrees
with singular
verb
 Examples
1. One student has four cars.
2. Kojo does his homework well.
3. I speak French and English well.
4. This goat chews cassava peels a lot.
5. I am your English teacher; respect me.
6. My doctor is an expert in tropical medicine.
7. He was a teacher at the Preset Pacesetters SHS.
8. Jones was trained in the United States of America.
9. I was a District Director of the CLUSA Project, Ghana.
10. Adelaide is a member of the 66 Artillery Regiment in
Ho.
 Fundamental Rule B

Plural subject agrees

with
plural verb.
 Examples
1. Two students have four cars.
2. These goats chew cassava peels a lot.
3. Kojo and Ken do their homework well.
4. We are your English teachers; respect us.
5. Mike and I speak French and English well.
6. My doctors are experts in tropical medicine.
7. They were teachers at Preset Pacesetters SHS.
8. We were trained in the United States of America.
9. You were District Directors of the CLUSA Project, Ghana.
10. Adelaide and Afi are members of the 66 Artillery Regiments in Ho.
 Rule 1

Compound subject agrees

with plural verb
 Examples
1. Isaac, Gideon, Mensa, Atsu and Emil are my brothers.

2.James, Juanita and Akos teach French in this school.

3. Afia and Beatrice does their assignments diligently.

4. Spiders and beetles catch and eat other insects.

 Rule 2

Two or more names referring to

the same thing agree with
singular verb
 Examples
1. His aunt and benefactor was not at his wedding.

2. The president, former student of PRESEC and member of

this club likes the idea.
3. My friend and my student are here.
EXERCISE
The president,
former student of
Cambridge and A. like
member of this B. likes
club……. the idea C. have liked
D. is liking
so no dissenting
views will be
welcomed.
 .
Their aunty and
my benefactor… A. are
not at the wedding B. is
this shocks every C. are
guest. D. has not been
.
Our president,
lawyer, and tax
A. vie
expert always B. vies
………………. For C. vied
the chairmanship D. have been vying

of the EU but
never wins.
 .

That day, their A. are

mentor and their B. were
benefactor……not at
C. was
their wedding; this
shocked every guest. D. is
 A. knows
My learned friend
B. know
and colleague of
C. knew
the legal
D. has known
service…… the
law; he should act
accordingly.
 Rule 3

Subjects joined by connective

phrases; VERB agrees with
FIRST NOUN
 SOME CONNECTIVE PHRASES

• together with
• with the help of
• in collaboration with
• in partnership with
• with assistance from
 Examples
1. My sister, with the help of my
mother, pays my school fees
every year.
2. My sisters, with the help of my
mother, pay my school fees
every year.
 Exercise
Select the correct verb forms from the brackets to complete the following
sentences.

1. The limping girl, with the support of her

mother, (walks/walk) home always after
the treatment.
2. The limping girls, with the support of their
mother, (walks/walk) home always after
the treatment.
1. This school, in collaboration with the PTA,
(has/have) bought a new school bus.
2. These schools, in collaboration with the PTA,
(has/have) bought a new school bus.
• 3. The Moderator and Leader of the Presby
Church, in partnership with all the pastors in the
church (supports/support) the He Cares Orphanage.
In 1066 AD, William The
.
Conqueror, with the help of
150,000 French soldiers, 1. 1. A. were
……………..able to defeat Britain B. is
and put them into colonization. C. was
This defeat, popularly known as D. was
the Norman Conquest of 1066, 2. A. are
together with other factors 2. B. is
………numerous problems C. were,
associated with the use of D. was
English language today.
.

The limping girl, with

the support of her A. Are walking
mother, her sisters
and her father, ……… B. have been walking
across the breath-
taking London Bridge
every morning after C. walks
receiving treatment at
a nearby clinic. D. had walked
RULE 4
Nouns joined by
“with” ; verb agrees
with first noun.
That hunter, with his
four dogs, has killed
four antelopes.
Those hunters, with
that dog, have killed
four antelopes.
I, with these students,
am/are/is ready to defend
the school.
 EXERCISE

Select the verb that agrees with the subject in each sentence
1.Mr. Antwi and the principal, with some students were/was at
the MPT.

2.The founder, leader and financier of the party, with some

party officials are/is to blame for our woes.

3. I, with my students, are/is/am ready to make the school

proud.
 Rule 5
Nouns joined by
“not”; verb
agrees with
first noun
EXAMPLE

1.That hunter, not the four dogs, has

killed four antelopes.
2.Those hunters, not that dog have killed
four antelopes.
 EXERCISE
1. I, not these students, am/are ready to defend the
school.
2. These students, not I, are/am ready to defend the
school.
3. The president, not the Ministers and the MP, is/are
very corrupt.
4. The Minister and MP, not the president, are/is very
corrupt.
5. The Minister and the MP, not the president, are/is
very corrupt.
Rule
6
Two subjects joined
by nor/or; verb
agrees with noun
closest
to verb.
 For example
1. Either Yawa or Senam sells/sell kerosene in the evenings.
2. Either my uncles or my mother pays/pay my school fees next
year.
3. Neither the passengers nor the driver was/were injured in the
accident.
4. Neither the driver nor his passengers were/wsa injured in the
accident.
5. Either Sister Joyce or one of her sons does/do the assignments
for you.
6. Neither banku with okro stew nor fufu with light soup
whets/whet my appetite.
 Exercise
1. Don’t force me to leave here because neither you nor I
(am/is/are) a member of the club.

2. Don’t force me to leave here because neither I nor you

(am/is/are) a member of the club.

3. Neither the nurses and the midwives nor the doctor

(have/has) any knowledge about your health condition.

4. Neither the doctor nor the nurses and the midwives

(have/has) any knowledge about your health condition.
5. Neither the country nor the church, in collaboration with
that NGO, (are/is) more powerful than God.
 Exercise
Select the correct verbs from the brackets to complete the sentences below
1. The teacher, not their students (is/are) to blame for the poor
performance in the class test.
2. The police officer said the passengers, not the driver (was/ were) the
cause of the accident.
3. I, with all my ten classmates, (am/is/are) here to help you.
4. The MP and Minister, not the Pastor and Chief Director (has/have) been
accused of theft.
5. I, not these students, (was/were) ready to defend the school.
6. Neither the stadia nor the auditorium, together with the assembly halls,
(is/are ) large enough for the crusade.

7. This, not those, (were/was) used for the titration experiment.

8. She, not they, (does/do) the assignment for me.
 Rule 7
Adjectival clause
containing noun;
verb agrees with
antecedent
 example
1. A teacher, whose job is to teach students, has to be on top of his
subject.

2. Teachers, whose job is to teach students, have to be on top of

their subjects.

3. The four men who brought that car to the house are/is eating in
the kitchen.

4. The fungi, discovered in 1200BC, are/is used for manufacturing

sugar.
 Rule 8

Noun phrase serving as

subject; verb agree with
head noun.
1. The car near those bicycles is an expensive German car.
2. The motorbike in front of those speeding trucks was in danger.
3. The women and the children in that store are talking about you.
4. The singers and dancers on the stage now are from the Ashanti
Region.
 Exercise

1. The books and pencils on that table (do/does) not

belong to me.
2. The women in your father’s office (is/are) our
secretaries.
3. The termite with horns on its forehead (is/are) deadly.
4. The geese on the lake (were/was) catching fingerlings.
5. Fighting in these shops and streets (has/have) been
banned.
6. The sale of toffee, sugar, coffee and biscuit (is/are) not
allowed here.
 Rule 9

Noun phrase beginning

with number serving as
subject; verb agrees
with number.
 Example
1. One of the five teachers is a millionaire.

2. Two of our pilots were on leave in January.

3. None of the students in that class does/do my exercise.

4. One of the men working here has/have found a bar of

gold.
 However, the verb in the
relative clause agrees with the
antecedent, not the number.
Actually, that verb is always in
the plural form. Are you getting
confused?
 EXERCISE

1. One of the men who were working here has/have found a

bar of gold.

2. Two of the men who were working here have/has found a

bar of gold.

3. One of the four teachers who teach/teaches Mathematics

in our school is/are wicked.

4. Three of the four teachers who teach Mathematics in our

school are wicked.
 Rule 10

Title serving as
subject agrees with
singular verb.
 Exercise
1. In the chest of a woman does not discuss religion.
2. The sun’s eyes was/were adjudged the best story of
that year.
3. “Goats and dogs” has/have been proscribed; it
was publishing profanity.
4. Both “The Daily Graphic” and “The Ghanaian
Times” are/is serious papers.
5. “Goats and dogs” and The sun’s eyes have/has
been nominated for awards.
 Rule 11

Retrospective agreement
………Kwame and Ama
ready for the work? Is/Are
1. There are parties for the outgoing prefects today
and tomorrow.

2. There is a party for the outgoing prefects today.

3. Here come the king and the queen of this

kingdom.

4. Here comes the king of this kingdom.

 EXERCISE
1. Near the Volta River at Sogakofe stand/stands tall, beautiful and mighty
buildings.
2. Near the Volta River at Sogakofe stand/stands a tall, beautiful and mighty
building.
3. In the famous Amedzofe Valley lie/lies very gigantic rocks of historical
importance.
4. On top of Mount Everest lies/lie a very huge crater created in the 1200BC.
5. In the centre of London, are/is clear testimonies of the Norman Conquest.
 Rule 12

Each, every, no + noun

agree with singular
verb.
1. Each of the teachers has been awarded.
2. Every man does that.
3. No student here speaks French.
 EXERCISE

1. In court, each founder and leader of the

various churches was/were allowed to
speak about the incident.
2. No student from the ten schools is/are
likely to win the Gold Medal.
3. Every member of the Debating Club and
the Drama Club has/have a laptop.
 Rule 13
Indefinite pronoun serving as
subject agrees with singular
verb
much, everybody, one, anyone, no one,
someone, little, anybody, somebody
agree with singular verbs
 Exercise
1. Much has/have been done to salvage the system.
2. Nobody does/do what you are doing; stop it now.
3. If one is/are ready, one can meet the technical team.
4. They were all at the party but none has/have returned yet.
5. Someone sees/see you in the school’s store room every night.
6. Ken tried to retrieve the ten cars from the robbers but none
was/were given to him.
RULE 14
Plural indefinite pronouns
agree with plural verbs
both, few, many, others,
several, etc.
 Examples
1. Volcano swept over Turu; many were feared dead.
2. These are some of the pilgrims; others have not
returned.
3. Pearl and Nightingale wrote the SAT; both were
successful.
4. Thousands of soldiers fought in that war; several
were killed.
Rule 15
Name of one meal
agrees with
singular verb.
 Examples
1. Waakye, gari and ‘wele’ is a good breakfast.
2. Banku with light soup does not appeal to me.
3. I know fried rice and chicken was served at the party.
4. Fried egg, bread and tea has been served for
breakfast.
 Thank you
Expect a Class test on our
next meeting.

We wish you
the best.