TAG QUESTION HSG , DAP AN

TAG QUESTIONS

AFFIRMATIVE SENTENCE + NEGATIVE TAG - > AFFIRMATIVE ANSWER EXPECTED
Mary is here , isn’t she ? Yes , she is.
You like tea , don’t you ? Yes , I do .
They have left , haven’t they ? Yes , they have.


NEGATIVE SENTENCE + AFFIRMATIVE TAG - > NEGATIVE ANSWER EXPECTED
Mary isn’t here , is she ? No , she isn’t.
You don’t like tea , do you ? No, I don’t .
They haven’t left , have they ? No , they haven’t.



Functions

1. We use tag questions when we are already sure of the answer and just want confirmation (falling intonation with the tag question).
Ex : This meal is horrible, isn`t it?
That film was fantastic, wasn`t it?
2. We use tag questions to check information.
Ex: You haven`t got a piece of paper, have you?
You don`t know where the boss is, do you?
The meeting`s tomorrow at 9am, isn`t it?
3. If we do not know the answer, these are real questions, and we use a rising intonation with the tag question.

Important points

Câu trả lời “ Yes ” là câu trần thuật khẳng định đúng , trà lời “ No” là câu trần thuật phủ định đúng.
Ex : John works for a National Bank , doesn’t he ? – Yes , he does .( He works for a National Bank.)
Andrew hasn’t got many friends , has he ? – No, he hasn’t . (He hasn’t got many friends. )
- Yes , he has got many friends .

PRACTICE

I. With `LET`S`, the tag question is ` SHALL WE `.

1. Let`s go to the beach, ……………………………………… ?
2. Yes. Let`s go for a walk, ……………………………………… ?
3. Let`s apologize, ……………………………………… ?
4. Let`s not commit suicide , ……………………………………… ?
5. Let`s go for a walk , ……………………………………… ?
6. Let`s try again, ……………………………………… ?

II. We use a POSITIVE TAG QUESTION after a sentence containing a negative word such as “ NEVER, HARDLY, NOBODY , NO ONE , SCARCELY, SELDOM, BARELY ”

1. Your parents never invited their neighbours, ……………………………………… ?
2. There was hardly anything to eat, ……………………………………… ?
3. His grandfather could barely see, ……………………………………… ?
4. His wife seldom left him alone, ……………………………………… ?
5. Nobody lives in this house, ……………………………………… ?
6. You`ve never liked me, ……………………………………… ?
7. There was hardly anybody in the streets, ……………………………………… ?
8. Your brother never does the housework, ……………………………………… ?
9. No, I`d never cheat, ……………………………………… ?
10. They hardly stopped the car , ……………………………………… ?
11. I hardly speak French, ……………………………………… ?
12. He has never been to Dublin, ……………………………………… ?
13. He never sees his father, ……………………………………… ?
14. They never watch TV in the evening, ……………………………………… ?

III. With an imperative, the tag question is ` WILL YOU `.
1. Close the window, ……………………………………… ?
2. Open the window, ……………………………………… ?
3. Don`t forget my phone number, ……………………………………… ?
4. Do listen, ……………………………………… ?

IV. When the subject is “ NOBODY, SOMEBODY, EVERYBODY, NO ONE, SOMEONE, EVERYONE, NEITHER ” we use ` THEY ` in the tag question.

1. Nobody asked for me, ……………………………………… ?
2. Nobody screamed, ……………………………………… ?
3. Neither of the two, smiled, ……………………………………… ?
4. Nobody answered his letters , ……………………………………… ?
5. Nobody knows, ……………………………………… ?
6. Anyone can come, ……………………………………… ?
7. Everybody loves Miami, ……………………………………… ?
8. No one was there, ……………………………………… ?
9. Not everybody was invited to share in the harvest, ……………………………………… ?
10. No one would arrive late, ……………………………………… ?
11. Neither of them will see us, ……………………………………… ?

V. When the subject is “ NOTHING , EVERYTHING , SOMETHING ” we use ` IT ` in the tag question.
1. Nothing bad happened, ……………………………………… ?
2. Nothing has been tempted to rescue her, ……………………………………… ?
3. Nothing will be done, ……………………………………… ?
4. Everything is OK , ……………………………………… ?

VI. In the present tense, if the subject is `I`, the auxiliary changes to `are` or `aren`t`.
1. I`m sitting next to you, ……………………………………… ?
2. I am early, ……………………………………… ?
3. I am not early , ……………………………………… ?
VII . If the main verb in the sentence is `have` (not an auxiliary verb), it is more common to use `do` in the question tag.
Tag questions for verbs : have , have to < -> doon’t , doesn’t , didn’t
have got < -> haven’t / has got <