Question Tags

Understanding Question Tags

Question tags are a common feature in spoken and written English. They are used to turn a statement into a question, often to seek confirmation or encourage a response.

Key Concepts

• Structure: Generally, a question tag consists of an auxiliary verb (or modal verb) and a pronoun.
• Polarity: If the statement is positive, the tag is usually negative, and vice versa.
• Auxiliary Verb: The auxiliary verb in the tag matches the one in the main statement.

Deep Dive

The formation of question tags depends on the verb used in the statement. For ‘be’ verbs, the tag uses ‘be’. For other verbs, ‘do’, ‘does’, or ‘did’ are used. Modal verbs like ‘can’, ‘will’, ‘should’ are repeated.

Statement: You are happy. Tag: Aren't you?
Statement: He likes pizza. Tag: Doesn't he?
Statement: They can swim. Tag: Can't they?

Applications

Question tags are vital for engaging in conversations, checking understanding, and softening requests. They make communication more interactive and less direct.

Challenges & Misconceptions

A common mistake is incorrect polarity. Another is using the wrong pronoun or auxiliary verb. Understanding verb tenses is crucial for correct tag formation.

FAQs

• What if the statement has no auxiliary verb? Use ‘do’, ‘does’, or ‘did’.
• What about ‘I am’? The tag is ‘aren’t I?’.
• Can tags be positive? Yes, for surprise or disbelief, but it’s less common.