Question Tags: Rules, Formation and Practice with Exercises — English — First Year Secondary — Algerian Curriculum

Question Tags: Rules, Formation and Practice

Learning Objectives:

• Understand what question tags are and why we use them
• Form question tags correctly (positive/negative)
• Use appropriate auxiliary verbs in tags
• Practice with various exercises

1. What is a Question Tag?

A question tag is a short question added at the end of a statement. We use it to confirm information or ask for agreement.

Examples:

• “You are a student, arent you?”
• “She doesnt like coffee, does she?”

2. Basic Rules

Statement	Tag	Example
Positive statement	Negative tag	You are tired, arent you?
Negative statement	Positive tag	He isnt here, is he?

3. Forming Question Tags

Step 1: Identify the auxiliary verb (be, have, do, modal).

Step 2: Use the same auxiliary in the tag.

Step 3: If no auxiliary, use do/does/did.

Step 4: Reverse polarity (positive + negative tag, negative + positive tag).

Examples with different auxiliaries:

Statement	Tag
She is a teacher	isnt she?
They are playing	arent they?
You have finished	havent you?
He can swim	cant he?
She likes pizza	doesnt she?
They went home	didnt they?
You dont smoke	do you?
He wont come	will he?

4. Special Cases

• I am: “I am right, arent I?” (not am not I)
• Lets: “Lets go, shall we?”
• Imperatives: “Open the door, will you?” / “Dont be late, will you?”
• Everybody/someone: “Everybody is here, arent they?”
• Nothing/nobody: “Nobody called, did they?”

Exercises with Answers

Exercise 1: Add the correct question tag

1. You are from Algeria, ____________?

2. She doesnt speak French, ____________?

3. They have finished their homework, ____________?

4. He can drive a car, ____________?

5. We should leave now, ____________?

Answers: 1. arent you, 2. does she, 3. havent they, 4. cant he, 5. shouldnt we

Exercise 2: Complete the sentences

1. You went to the cinema yesterday, ____________?

2. She isnt coming with us, ____________?

3. I am correct, ____________?

4. Lets have a break, ____________?

5. Dont forget your book, ____________?

Answers: 1. didnt you, 2. is she, 3. arent I, 4. shall we, 5. will you

Exercise 3 (BAC-style): Correct the mistakes

1. You like football, dont it? -> ______________

2. She is a doctor, is she? -> ______________

3. They went home, dont they? -> ______________

Answers: 1. dont you, 2. isnt she, 3. didnt they

Summary

• Question tags use the same auxiliary as the main statement.
• Positive statement + negative tag / Negative statement + positive tag.
• Use do/does/did when there is no auxiliary.
• Special forms: arent I, shall we (with lets), will you (imperatives).

Related Lessons

• Articles (A, An, The): Rules and Practice
• Personal Pronouns and Possessive Adjectives