اللغة الإنجليزية — Question Tags: Formation and Usage — 2ثانوي — شعبة آداب — Algerian Curriculum

Question Tags: Formation and Usage

Question tags are short questions added at the end of a sentence to confirm information or ask for agreement. They are common in spoken English.

Rules for question tags

If the statement is positive, the tag is negative. If the statement is negative, the tag is positive. Use the same auxiliary verb. Example: You are a student, aren’t you? She isn’t here, is she?

Without auxiliary verb

For present simple (no auxiliary), use do/does: You like coffee, don’t you? He plays tennis, doesn’t he? For past simple, use did: She went home, didn’t she?

Special cases

• I am → aren’t I? I am right, aren’t I?
• Let’s → shall we? Let’s go, shall we?
• Imperative → will/won’t you? Open the door, will you?

Examples

• He is coming, isn’t he?
• You don’t like it, do you?

Exercises

1. Add a question tag: She can swim, ___? They didn’t go, ___?

2. Correct: He is your brother, is he?

See also Modals: Can, Must, Should and Reported Speech.