Question Tags

Question tags are a type of question that are used to confirm information we already know about or to show surprise.

Question tags are formed with an auxiliary verb and the appropriate personal pronoun. They take the same auxiliary as the statement or if there isn't an auxiliary in the statement they take 'do/does' in the present simple or 'did' in the past.

Affirmative and Negative Statements

After affirmative statements we use a negative interrogative tag and after negative statements we use an ordinary interrogative.
He works at the bank, doesn't he?
She didn't go to work yesterday, did she?

Let

'Let's' has the tag 'shall we?'
Let's go to the cinema tonight, shall we?

'Let me/him' has the tag 'will you/won't you?'
You'll let me use your car, won't you?

Have

'I have' used as a possessive has the tag 'haven't I?' but 'I have' when it is used idiomatically has the tag 'don't I?'
He has a flat in the centre, hasn't he?
Last week he had a party, didn't he?

This/That is

'This/That is' has the tag 'isn't it?'
This is the restaurant we went to for your last birthday, isn't it?

I am

'I am' has the tag 'aren't I?'
I am on time aren't I?
But the negative is:
I'm not late, am I?

Negative Imperative

A negative imperative has the question tag 'will you?'
Don't tell anyone, will you?

Lesson by Tristan, teacher at EC Malta English school

Now choose the correct tag for the following:

• 1. He bought her some flowers, _
  
  didn't he?
  did he?
  hasn't he?
  
  
• 2. Sarah hasn't called yet, _
  
  did she?
  hasn't she?
  has she?
  
  
• 3. Peter looks tired, _
  
  does he?
  doesn't he?
  isn't he?
  
  
• 4. Stop talking, _
  
  do you?
  will you?
  won't you?
  
  
• 5. Let's have dinner together, _
  
  haven't we?
  will we?
  shall we?
  
  
• 6. She will keep it to herself, _
  
  won't she?
  will she?
  does she?
  
  
• 7. You have booked the table, _
  
  have you?
  haven't you?
  did you?
  
  
• 8. We are going out tonight,_
  
  will we?
  aren't we?
  are we?
  
  
• 9. Jake will be on time, _
  
  won't he?
  will he?
  does he?
  
  
• 10. You won't forget, _
  
  won't you?
  do you?
  will you?