Tag Question

Tag Question

Definition of Tag Question: This is used frequently in conversation to verify a statement.
Examples:
I write a letter, don’t I?
They can read, can’t they?

Details on Tag Question:

Short forms of Auxiliary Verb:
(am= aren’t, is= isn’t, are= aren’t, was= wasn’t, were= weren’t, do= don’t, does= doesn’t, Did= didn’t, have= haven’t, has= hasn’t, had= hadn’t, shall= shan’t, will= won’t, can= can’t, Could= couldn’t, must= mustn’t, might= mightn’t, dare= daren’t)

Auxiliary Verbs:
Primary Auxiliary: am, is, are, was, were, have, has, had, do, does, did.

Modal Auxiliary: 
can, could, may, might, shall, should, will, would, etc.

Pronouns:
I, me, my, we, us, our, you, your, he, him, his, she, her, they, them, their, it etc.

Structure of Tag Question:   Auxiliary Verb + (n’t) + Pronoun +?

Rule 1: If statement is affirmative then the tag is negative.
Examples:
I can go there, can’t I ?    
He reads in this school, doesn’t he ?        

Rule 2: If statement is negative then the tag is affirmative.
Examples:
He has no cow, has he ?   
You are not intelligent, are you ?

Rule 3: If we get any primary or modal auxiliary verb in the statement then we have to use those auxiliary verbs.
Examples:
Roy is going there, isn’t he  ?    
You can do it, can’t you  ?
             
Rule 4: If we do not find any Auxiliary Verb in the statement then we have to use do, does (for present statement) & did (for past statement).
Examples:
They go to the school, don’t they ?   
He plays football, doesn’t he ?                 
She went there, didn’t she  ?

Rule 5: If we get ‘let us’ (let’s) in the statement then we have to use ‘Shall we’ as a tag question.
Examples:
Let us go home, shall we  ?   
Let’s go for a walk, shall we ?
        
Rule 6: If a statement begins with ‘It’ or ‘There’ then as a pronoun of the tag, ‘it’ or ‘there’ is used.
Examples:
There is no pond in this village, is there ?  
It is a good idea, isn’t it ?
         
Rule 7: If we find neither, none, no one, nobody, anyone, anybody, no, not, nothing, scarcely, barely, hardly, seldom, hardly ever etc. in the statement then the tag is affirmative, because those word give a negative meaning.
Examples:
Nothing was done, was it ?   
None can do this, can they ?

Rule 8: If we find everyone, everybody, someone, and somebody etc. in the Statement, then the tag is negative and ‘they’ is used as a pronoun of the tag.
Examples:
Everybody saw you, didn’t they ? 
Someone has stolen his pen, hasn’t they ?

Rule 9: If there is the word ‘nothing’ in the statement then as a pronoun of the tag ‘It’ is used. Because the word ‘nothing’ indicate inanimate object.
Examples:
Nothing is possible without hard work, is it ?   
               
Rule 10: If the statement is imperative sentence and affirmative then the tag is- won’t you.
Examples:
Sit down, won’t you ?   
Have it, won’t you ?

Rule 11: If the statement is imperative sentence and negative then the tag is- will you.
Examples:
Don’t shut up, will you ?   
Don’t spit in the class room, will you ?
          
Rule 12: If the statement is a complex sentence, then we have to make Tag Question
from the principal clause.
Examples:
It was found, that David walked at the age of two, wasn’t it ?
 

Thank You