Question Tag

1. What's a question tag?

  • Simple Explanation: A question tag is a short question added to the end of a sentence. It is used to check a fact or ask for agreement.
  • New Example: You are from Egypt, aren't you?

2. Form

  • Simple Explanation: If the main sentence is affirmative, the tag is negative. If the main sentence is negative, the tag is positive. The tag uses a helping verb and a subject pronoun.
  • New Example (Affirmative): Samy broke that window, didn't he?
  • New Example (Negative): You don't know much about Peru, do you?

3. How to check the helping verb in a sentence?

(A) With Verbs:

  • TO BE (am, is, are, was, were)
  • TO HAVE (have, has, had)
  • MODAL VERBS (can, should, will, etc.)
  • Simple Explanation: Use these helping verbs only when you find them in the sentence.
  • New Example: Aly is from Egypt, isn't he?
  • New Example: He hasn't left a note, has he?
  • New Example: She can swim well, can't she?

(B) With other verbs like (see – sees – go – goes – live – lives / saw – went – lived):

  • Simple Explanation: Use (do / does) for verbs in the present and (did) for verbs in the past.
  • New Example: He lives in Cairo, doesn't he?
  • New Example: They don't come late, do they?
  • New Example: She did her homework, didn't she?

4. Special Cases

  • I am your friend, aren't I?
    • Simple Explanation: Use "aren't I" for "I am."
  • This is an interesting film, isn't it?
    • Simple Explanation: "This" becomes "it."
  • That was a nice answer, wasn't it?
    • Simple Explanation: "That" becomes "it."
  • There isn't a subway in town, is there?
    • Simple Explanation: "There" is repeated as "there."
  • Let's go on a holiday, shall we?
    • Simple Explanation: "Let's" becomes "shall we."
  • Take the garbage out, will you?
    • Simple Explanation: Affirmative order → "will you."
  • Don't drop litter, will you?
    • Simple Explanation: Negative order → "will you."
  • She has a nice car, doesn't she?
    • Simple Explanation: "Has" (main verb = own) → "does."
  • We have a big house, don't we?
    • Simple Explanation: "Have" (main verb = own) → "do."
  • We had fun, didn't we?
    • Simple Explanation: "Had" (main verb = got) → "did."
  • We have to go early, don't we?
    • Simple Explanation: (have, has, had to) → do, does, did.
  • She has never won a prize, has she?
    • Simple Explanation: (never = negative) → has (not: hasn't).
  • They never go to school early, do they?
    • Simple Explanation: (never = negative) → do (not: don't).
  • She'd like to come, wouldn't she?
    • Simple Explanation: ('d + inf.) = would.
  • She'd gone there before, hadn't she?
    • Simple Explanation: ('d + p.p.) = had.
  • He's watching TV, isn't he?
    • Simple Explanation: ('s + ing) = is.
  • He's watched the match, hasn't he?
    • Simple Explanation: ('s + p.p.) = has.
  • I think she can come, can't she?
    • Simple Explanation: (can't) according to the main sentence.
  • We will be late, won't we?
    • Simple Explanation: (will not) wrong.
  • No one likes her, do they?
    • Simple Explanation: (no one = negative) & plural pronoun.
  • Everyone liked the party, didn't they?
    • Simple Explanation: (everyone = plural pronoun).
    • Note: Everyone / everybody – No one / Nobody – Someone / Somebody → they.
  • Everything is prepared, isn't it?
    • Simple Explanation: (everything) → it.
  • Nothing is perfect, is it?
    • Simple Explanation: (nothing = negative) (nothing → it).
    • Note: Everything – Nothing – something → it.