Question Tags

Use
frequently used in spoken English when you want s.o. to agree or disagree
Form
Positive statement ->question tag negative - You are Tom, aren't you?
Negative statement->question tag positive - He isn't Joe, is he?

Examples :
- with auxiliaries :
You've got a car, haven't you?
- without auxiliaries (use: don't, doesn't, didn't):
They play football on Sundays, don't they?
She plays football on Sundays, doesn't she?
They played football on Sundays, didn't they?

Questions tags are used to keep a conversation going. You can agree or refuse to a sentence with a question tag.
> You go to school, don't you?
-You agree : "Yes, I do"
-You refuse : "No, I don't"
> You aren't from Germany, are you?
-You agree : "Yes, I am"
-You refuse : "No, I'm not"



EXERCISE

Conversation 1

Duke : You didn’t have very good holiday, …. ?
Manna : No, but how do you know? Oh, I expect Jeff told you, …. ?
Duke : Yes, I met him in town last week. You went to Spain, …. ?
Manna : Yes, I like Spain, but not the weather.
Duke : That’s right, it rained all the time, …. ? And you didn’t like the hotel, …. ?
Manna : That’s right. You went to Spain last year, …. ?
Sasha : Yes, but we had a lovely time. In fact, we’ll probably go there again next year.

Conversation 2

Anna : Very hasn’t stopped smoking yet, …. ?
Basil : Not yet.
Anna : But he will stop, … ? I think he’s trying hard this time.
Basil : Yes, I gave him some advice just a few days ago. He hasn’t looked well for weeks, …. ? I told him to go and see a doctor.
Anna : Yes, he really should see a doctor, …. ? he’s running his health. But he won’t listen to advice, …. ? he always says he hasn’t got time.
Basil : Well, I’ve done my best. I can’t do any more, …. ? but I’m still worried about him. He’s overwork and he doesn’t get enough sleep.
Anna : And he look very pale. I tough he was going to fall asleep at the meeting. He couldn’t keep awake, …. ?
Basil : No, he’s been working day and night on the Osborne project.
Anna : He hadn’t even shaved this morning, …. ?
Basil : I’ll have a chat with Mr. Sony about him. That would be the best idea, …. ?
Anna : yes, he could give him a few days off, …. ?


ANSWER KEY:

Conversation 1:

Duke : You didn’t have very good holiday, did you ?
Manna : No, but how do you know? Oh, I expect Jeff told you, didn’t you ?
Duke : Yes, I met him in town last week. You went to Spain, didn’t you?
Manna : Yes, I like Spain, but not the weather.
Duke : That’s right, it rained all the time, didn’t it ? And you didn’t like the hotel, did you ?
Manna : That’s right. You went to Spain last year, didn’t you ?
Sasha : Yes, but we had a lovely time. In fact, we’ll probably go there again next year.

Conversation 2

Anna : Very hasn’t stopped smoking yet, has he ?
Basil : Not yet.
Anna : But he will stop, won’t he ? I think he’s trying hard this time.
Basil : Yes, I gave him some advice just a few days ago. He hasn’t looked well for weeks, has he ? I told him to go and see a doctor.
Anna : Yes, he really should see a doctor, shouldn’t he ? he’s running his health. But he won’t listen to advice, will he ? he always says he hasn’t got time.
Basil : Well, I’ve done my best. I can’t do any more, can I ? but I’m still worried about him. He’s overwork and he doesn’t get enough sleep.
Anna : And he look very pale. I tough he was going to fall asleep at the meeting. He couldn’t keep awake, could he ?
Basil : No, he’s been working day and night on the Osborne project.
Anna : He hadn’t even shaved this morning, had he ?
Basil : I’ll have a chat with Mr. Sony about him. That would be the best idea, wouldn’t it ?
Anna : yes, he could give him a few days off, couldn’t he ?