Tag Questions - Exercises/Test

Form

auxiliary verb + subject

1.      We use the same auxiliary verb in the tag as in the main sentence. If there is no auxiliary verb, we use do.

·         You live in Spain, don't you?

2.      If the auxiliary verb in the sentence is affirmative, the tag is negative.

·         You're Spanish, aren't you?

3.      If the auxiliary verb in the sentence is negative, the tag is affirmative.

·         You're not Spanish, are you?

 

Meaning

1.      We use tag questions to confirm or check information or ask for agreement.

·         You want to come with me, don't you?

·         You can swim, can't you?

·         You don't know where the boss is, do you?

·         This meal is horrible, isn't it?

·         That film was fantastic, wasn't it?

2.      We use tag questions to check whether something is true.

·         The meeting's tomorrow at 9am, isn't it?

·         You won't go without me, will you?

 

Additional points

1.      In the present tense if the subject is I, the auxiliary changes toare or aren't.

·         I'm sitting next to you, aren't I?

2.      With let's, the tag question is shall we.

·         Let's go to the beach, shall we?

3.      With an imperative, the tag question is will you.

·         Close the window, will you?

4.      We use an affirmative tag question after a sentence containing a negative word such as never, hardly, nobody.

·         Nobody lives in this house, do they?

·         You've never liked me, have you?

5.      When the subject is nothing, we use it in the tag question.

·         Nothing bad happened, did it?

6.      When the subject is nobody, somebody, everybody, no one, someone or everyone, we use they in the tag.

·         Nobody asked for me, did they?

7.      If the main verb in the sentence is have (not an auxiliary verb), it is more common to use do in the tag question.

·         You have a Ferrari, don't you?

8.      With used to, we use didn't in the tag.

·         You used to work here, didn't you?

9.      We can use affirmative tag questions after affirmative sentences to express a reaction such as surprise or interest.

·         You're moving to Brazil, are you?

 

Pronunciation

1.      If we don't know the answer, it is a real question and we use arising intonation with the tag question.

·         --You don't know where the boss is, do you? ↗

2.      

       If we know the answer and are just confirming the information we use a falling intonation with the tag question.

 ·         --That film was fantastic, wasn't it? ↘