Question Tags: Formation and Usage
In this lesson, we study question tags in English for 2nd Year Secondary School (Literary Stream). Question tags are short questions at the end of statements, used to confirm information or seek agreement.
What are Question Tags?
A question tag is a short question added to the end of a statement. It consists of an auxiliary verb and a pronoun. If the statement is positive, the question tag is negative, and vice versa.
Basic Rules
| Statement | Question Tag |
|---|---|
| Positive statement | Negative tag |
| Negative statement | Positive tag |
Examples
Positive statement + Negative tag:
– You are a student, aren’t you?
– He speaks English, doesn’t he?
– They have finished, haven’t they?
Negative statement + Positive tag:
– You aren’t tired, are you?
– She doesn’t like coffee, does she?
– They haven’t arrived, have they?
Special Cases
1. I am
With “I am”, the tag is aren’t I?
I am right, aren’t I?
2. Let’s
With “Let’s”, the tag is shall we?
Let’s go for a walk, shall we?
3. Imperatives
With imperative sentences, we use will you? or won’t you?
Open the door, will you?
Don’t be late, will you?
4. There is/are
There is a book on the table, isn’t there?
There are many students, aren’t there?
Intonation
When the speaker is sure and expects agreement, the voice goes down (falling intonation). When the speaker is not sure, the voice goes up (rising intonation).
Exercises
Exercise 1: Add the correct question tag:
1. You like reading, ______?
2. He isn’t coming, ______?
3. They have visited Paris, ______?
4. Let’s start the lesson, ______?
5. I am early, ______?
Exercise 2: Correct the mistakes:
1. She can swim, can she?
2. You don’t know him, don’t you?
For more lessons, check Linking Words and Writing Formal and Informal Letters.
???? دروس مشابهة
- اللغة العربية — الأدب: شعر المناسبات في العصر الجاهلي: المعلقات — الأولى ثانوي — آداب
- العلوم الفيزيائية — الكهرباء: الوشيعة والدارة RL — الثالثة ثانوي (بكالوريا) – شعبة علوم تجريبية — المنهاج الجزائري
مدونة التربية و التعليم في الجزائر – دروس، فروض، نتائج امتحانات مدونة التربية والتعليم في الجزائر | تحضير الدروس، فروض واختبارات، نتائج البكالوريا وBEM، مسابقات التوظيف، والتوجيه المدرسي للطلاب وأولياء الأمور.