Question Tags

Use of question tags

Question tags are used in spoken English, but not in written English. They are put at the end of the sentence.

To make a question tag, use the first auxiliary (forms of to be, have) or modal verb (must, can, will). If there isn’t an auxiliary or modal verb, use do, does or did.

Positive or negative question tags

If the sentence is positive, the question tag must be negative.

He is good at dancing, isn’t he?

They left yesterday afternoon, didn’t they?

She was surprised, wasn’t she?

If the sentence is negative, the question tag must be positive.

He isn’t good at dancing, is he?

They didn’t leave yesterday, did they?

She wasn’t surprised, was she?

Question tags with auxiliary verbs

They haven’t met him before, have they?

He is in the park, isn’t he?

They are studying at the moment, aren’t they?

She has a brother, hasn’t she?

They were in Paris last week, weren’t they?

Question tags with modal verbs

She can help him, can’t she?

He will tell me, won’t he?

They should study for the test, shouldn’t they?

It can’t be true, can it?

Question tags without auxiliary or modal verb

She left last Friday, didn’t she?

He works in your company, doesn’t he?

You don’t know him, do you?

NOTE:

with "I am" you have to use "aren’t I"

I am the best, aren’t I?

There is a new restaurant next to your company, isn’t there?

Let’s go to the shopping mall, shall we?

Use the same auxiliary, modal verb or do, does or did to reply:

Your holidays were really relaxing, weren’t they? Yes, they were. We really enjoyed them.

She visited her aunt last week, didn’t she? – Yes, she did. She went to her last Saturday.

You couldn’t help him in the garden, could you? No, I couldn’t. I had to work in the office.

EXERCISES

Question Tags in the present simple Exercise 1

Question Tags Exercise 2 - present simple, past simple, present perfect simple

Question Tags Exercise 3 - present simple, past simple, present perfect simple

Question Tags Exercise 4 - present simple, past simple

Question Tags Exercise 5 - present simple, past simple, simple future

Question Tags Exercise 6 - present simple, past simple, simple future

Question Tags with modal verbs exercise

Question Tags - grammar test - present simple