Tag question

TAG QUESTIONS
A tag question is a special construction in English.It is a statement followed by a mini –question.The whole sentence is a “:Tag question” ,and the mini-question at the en is called a “question tag”
A,Functions :
1.We use tag questions to confirm information
Example: This meal is horrible,isn’t it?
2.We usetag questions when we already sure of answer and just want confirm
3.We use tag question to check information
Example:You haven’t got a piece of paper,haven’t you?
B.The Ba sic Structure is:
+
Positive Statement ,
 _
Negative tag?

 He is handsome,
 isn’t he?

 _
Negative Statement,
 +
Positive tag

 You don’t like her,
 do you?


C.Note:
1.If the auxiliary verb in the sentenceis positive, the tag is negative
2.If the auxiliary verb in the sentence is negative, the tag is oisitive
3.If there is no auxiliary verb in the sentence we use Do ,Dose
D.Some special form:
1.In the present tense,if the subject is “I”, the auxiliary changes to “are” or “aren’t”
EX;I’m a student,aren’t I?
2.With “Let’s”, the tag question is “shall we?”
EX: Let’s go to the beach,Shall we?
3.With an imperative , the tag question is “will you?”
Close the door,will you?
4.Weuse a positive tag question after a sentence containing a negative word such as : never, hardly, nobody..
EX; Nobody lives in this house, do they?
You ‘ve never liked me,have you?
5.When the subject is nothing , we use “it” in the tag question
EX; Nothing bab happened , did it?
6.When the subject is “nobody,somebody,everybody,noone, someone, or everyone, we use “they” in the tag question
EX: Nobody asked for me,did they?
7.If the main verb in the sentence is “have” (not an auxiliary verb) , it is more common to use “do” in the question
EX; you have many books,don’t you?
8.With “used to” , we use “didn’t” in the tag question
EX; He used to work hard, didn’t he?
9.We can’t use proname in the tag question
EX: Nam is a good student, isn’t Nam he?
E.Intonaton:
1.We can use tag question when we already sure of the answer and just won’t confirm.(falling intonation with the tag question)
2.If we do not know the answer , there are real question , and we use a rising intonation with the tag question

Intonation



You don’t know where my hat is,
do you?
7 rising
real question

It’s a beautiful shirt,
isn’t it?
 falling
not a real question



EXERCISE:
Choose the word that best completes each unfinished sentence below:
1.im’s in his office,………he?
a.isn’t b.is c.doesn’t d. does
2.you aren’t well ,………..you?
a.aren’t b.do c.are d.don’t
3.Jack doesn’t have any sister,………………
a.doesn’t Hack ? b.does he? C.is Jack ? d.isn’t he?
4.you like strong coffee,…..you?
a.do b.don’t c.are d.aren’t
5.your children don’t walk to school everyday,………they?
a.don’t b.do es c.do d.doesn’t
6.Minh went to Ha Noi ,……..he?
a.did b.does c.dosen’t d.didn’t
7.Tom isn’t studying hard,……..he?
a.is b.doesn’t c.isn’t d.does
8.It wasn’t raining,………………it?
a.was b.were c.wasn’t d.were
9.Mrs Lan’s students are singing in the class,…….?
a. don’t they b. do they c.aren’t d.are they
10.Everyone isn’t sting in the room,…….a.
a.are they b.is c.is she? D.aren’t they?
11.That was Hang’s idea,…………?
a.wasn’t he b.was he c.wasn’t it d.wasn’t it
12.Susan and Trang were waiting for us ……?
a.weren’t Susan a nd Trang b.weren’t they c.were Susan and Trang d.weren’t