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Question Tags

English Grammar Rules

 

Question tags are short questions at the end of statements.

They are mainly used in speech when we want to:

• confirm that something is true or not, or

• to encourage a reply from the person we are speaking to.

 

Question tags are formed with the auxiliary or modal verb from the statement and the appropriate subject.

 

A positive statement is followed by a negative question tag.

• Jack is from Spain, isn't he?

• Mary can speak English, can't she?

 

A negative statement is followed by a positive question tag.

• They aren't funny, are they?

• He shouldn't say things like that, should he?

 

When the verb in the main sentence is in the present simple we form the question tag with do / does.

• You play the guitar, don't you?

• Alison likes tennis, doesn't she?

 

If the verb is in the past simple we use did.

• They went to the cinema, didn't they?

• She studied in New Zealand, didn't she?

 

When the statement contains a word with a negative meaning, the question tag needs to be positive

• He hardly ever speaks, does he?

• They rarely eat in restaurants, do they?

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