Question Tag in English





Basic Grammar

Question Tags 

A question tag is part of a sentence used to get a response or confirmation from the listener to the statement.
In the following examples, ‘isn't he’ and ‘does she’ are question tags. These question tags are used to recieve confirmation from the listener to the statement. 

Examples:
He is teaching, isn't he? 
She doesn't go to school, does she? 

Question Tag Structures 

1. Positive Statement + Negative Question Tag
 
Examples:
He teaches English, doesn't he? 
He is a farmer, isn't he? 
It's nice, isn't it? 

2. Negative Statement + Positive Question Tag 

Examples:
He doesn't teach English, does he? 
He is not a farmer, is he? 
It's not nice, is it?

Rules Regarding Subjects of Question Tag

Rule 1. The subjects of question tag are always pronouns. They can't be nouns. 

Examples:
Wrong: Ram is a teacher, isn't Ram? 
Right: Ram is a teacher, isn't he?

Rule 2. Subjects of question tags do not start with capital letters. 

Examples:
Wrong: He is a doctor, isn't He? 
Right: He is a doctor, isn't he? 

Rule 3. Auxiliary verbs used in question tags are used in contracted forms.

Examples:
Wrong: She is a teacher, is she not? 
Right: She is a teacher, isn't she?

Subjects Used in Question Tags 

Sub of Sent → Sub of Tag 
This               It 
That               It 
These            They
Those            They 
It                      It 
There              There
Somebody     They 
Everything      It 
Something      It
Nothing           It 

Examples:
This is your pen, isn't it? 
That's your office, isn't it?
These are your pens, aren't they? 
Those are your pens, aren't they? 
There is a man, isn't there? 
It is nice, isn't it? 
Somebody will come, won't they? 
Everything is possible, isn't it? 
Something will happen, won't it? 
Nothing will happen, will it?

Auxiliary Verbs Change in Question Tags

The auxiliary verbs used in the question tags are changed according to the tense of the statements. 

Present Simple
Examples:
He eats rice, doesn't he? 
He doesn't go to school, does he? 

Present Continuous
Examples:
He is eating rice, isn't he? 
He is not going to school, is he? 

Present Perfect
Examples:
He has gone, hasn't he? 
He has not gone, has he? 

Past Simple
Examples:
He went, didn't he? 
He didn't go, did he? 

Past Continuous
Examples:
He was going, wasn't he? 
He was not going, was he? 

Past Perfect
Examples:
He had gone, hadn't he? 
He hadn't gone, had he? 

Future Simple
Examples:
He will go, won't he? 
He will not go, will he?

Question Tags of Let and Imperative Sentences 

Examples:
Let us go, shall we? 
Let him go, will you? 
Open the door, will you/ won't you? 
Shut up, can't you?
Don't go, will you?

Exercise 1

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate question tags.  

1. She is your friend,.........?
2. I'm a teacher,..........?
3. He is not a doctor,........? 
4. He's going,........? 
5. He eats rice,........? 
6. He's gone,............? 
7. She invited me,.........?
8. He wasn't teaching,.......? 
9. He will go to the market,..........? 
10. He could not eat the entire cake,.......? 

Answer keys:- 
1. isn't she ?
2. aren't I ?
3. is he ?
4. isn't he?
5. doesn't he?
6. hasn't he? 
7. didn't she?
8. was he?
9. won't he? 
10. could he? 

Exercise 2
Fill in the blanks.

1. Let him come inside,.......? 
2. Don't break it,.........? 
3. Open the door,...........? 
4. Shut up your mouth,.......? 
5. Let's go to the market,.........? 

Answer keys:- 
1. Let him come inside, will you? 
2. Don't break it, will you? 
3. Open the door, will you/ won't you? 
4. Shut up your mouth, can't you? 
5. Let's go to the market, shall we?