Tag Questions – Lesson, FAQs, and Practice Quiz

Tag Questions – Lesson

A tag question is one where a statement is made, but the speaker wants a response from the listener. Like- Today’s lesson is hard, isn’t it? or The kids can’t sing that song, can they?

First of all, to understand tag questions, you need to know about affirmative and negative sentences.

Do you know what an affirmative sentence is? It is like this: Mary is at home. or The students work hard.

Do you know what a negative sentence is? It is like this: Mary isn’t at home. or The students don’t work hard.

Then, you need to know that if the sentence is affirmative, the tag will be negative. And if the sentence is negative, the tag will be positive.

And finally, you need to think about the kind of verb used in the sentence. Does it use a modal, like can or will or a form of to be? Your tag question will follow the verb in the sentence. If it is a regular verb, don’t forget it uses do, don’t, does, doesn’t when a question is asked.

Examples

Affirmative Sentence/ Negative Tag

Toshi likes fishing, doesn’t he?
Susan is sick today, isn’t she?
Mike can play the piano, can’t he?
You will go there, won’t you?

Negative Sentence/ Affirmative Tag

Andrew doesn’t study much, does he?
The dogs aren’t hungry, are they?
She can’t cook, can she?
You won’t see her, will you?

Practice Quiz on Tag Questions

Now that you’ve learned about tag questions, it’s time to put your knowledge to the test! The following ten-question quiz will help you practice forming and understanding tag questions. Pay attention to the tense and polarity of each statement to construct the appropriate tag. After each question, there will be a brief explanation to reinforce your learning.

Write the correct answer in the box. Check your answers by clicking on the arrows.

1. It’s going to rain, ____________?        

2. Mike is home, ____________?       

3. Sally doesn’t have a car, ____________?       

4. You can sing well, ____________?      

5. Mia can’t swim, ____________?       

6. She has homework today, ____________?       

7. Isaac isn’t sick, ____________?      

8. You guys aren’t going shopping, ____________?       

9. Harry will watch TV, ____________?    

10. You won’t go, ____________?       

Answer Key:

  1. isn’t it
  2. isn’t he  
  3. does she 
  4. can’t you 
  5. can she 
  6. doesn’t she
  7. is he
  8. are you 
  9. won’t he 
  10. will you

Frequently Asked Questions About Tag Questions

What is the basic structure of a tag question?

A tag question consists of an auxiliary verb and a pronoun, mirroring the structure of the main sentence. If the main sentence is positive, the tag is usually negative, and vice versa.

How do I form a tag question with a positive statement?

With positive statements, the tag is usually negative. For instance, “She can drive, can’t she?” Here, “can’t she” seeks confirmation of the positive statement.

What happens if the main sentence doesn’t have an auxiliary verb?

If there’s no auxiliary verb in the main sentence, use “do,” “does,” or “did” in the tag. For example, “He likes coffee, doesn’t he?”

How do tag questions change with different tenses?

The tense of the tag question must match the main sentence. For example, “She was working late, wasn’t she?” uses the past continuous tense.

Can tag questions be used to express irony or sarcasm?

Yes, tag questions can convey different tones, including sarcasm or irony, depending on the speaker’s intonation and context.