QUESTION TAG
A small question is attached at the end of a sentence in order to
conform our statement.
Generally positive sentence takes negative
tag and negative sentence takes positive tag. Let’s see the points to be
remembered in question tag.
RULE 1:
Auxiliary verbs such as Be verbs, do
verbs, have verbs and modals directly take negative form by adding not. If
already “NOT” is there remove it.
Exception – Negative form of ‘am’ is
aren’t.
EG 1: I am a teacher. Aren’t i?
EG 2: 1 He is a doctor. Isn’t he?
EG 3: They are students. Aren’t they?
EG 4:
I was late. Wasn’t I?
EG 5:
Kavitha has a car. Hasn’t she?
EG 6: They have completed the work.
Haven’t they?
EG 7: He does the work. Doesn’t he?
RULE 2:
Modals directly take negative
1 We could win the match. Couldn’t we?
2 You should do it. Shouldn’t you?
RULE 3:
“can, will, shall” – changes while adding
not
1 I can drive a car. Can’t i?
2 He will come. Won’t he?
3 We shall go. Shan’t we?
RULE 4:
If there is “NOT” in the sentence remove
it.
1 I am not a lawyer. Am i?
2 Kumar has not come. Has he?
3 He must not fail. Must he?
4 They did not come. Did they?
RULE 5:
Main verbs can be split as follows,
Present tense – come: do + come comes : does + come
Past tense – came : did + come
Eg 1 Raju drinks tea. Doesn’t he?
2 Students completed the task. Didn’t
they?
3 Kaladid not sing well. Did she?
4 The dog does not bark. Does it?
RULE 6:
“No,none,little,few,rarely,barely,scarcely,neither,seldom,never,hardly”
are negative words and the sentence with these words will take only positives
tags.
Eg. 1 There is no water in the well. Is
there?
2 I never drink tea. Do I?
3 Amala hardly goes to movie. Does she?
4 They seldom go to park. Do they?
RULE 7:
Sentences with
“anyone,none,anybody,nobody,someone,somebody” take the plural pronouns.
Eg: Everyone is happy-Aren't they?
Somebody has come-Haven't they?
RULE 8:
The sentence begin “Let us” always used to
clear the doubt and hesitation, so the tag will be in positive as “Shall
we”
lets – shall we lets not – should we
Eg 1 lets go to temple. Shall we?
2 Lets not go there. Should we?
RULE 9:
In the imperative sentences, the question
tag can be formed by “will”, “Would” and “Woun’t”.
If the sentence is positive use “will
you?”. If the sentence is negative use
“Would you?” and the question tag is in the negative form use “Woun’t you?”.
Eg 1 Open the door. Will you?
2 Don’t go there. Would you?
3
Bring me a glass of
water. Won’t you?
4 Don’t tell lie. Would you?