Tag-Questions or Question Tags

Tag-QuestionsorQuestion Tags

Statement Sentences with short questions at the end with a question mark!

Tag-Questions • A ‘tag-question’ or ‘question tag’ is not a true question. A tag question is used at the end of a Statement Sentence to get the confirmation from the listener, or just to express one’s doubt. A question sentence, on the contrary, is used to get the answer.

Tag-Questions • You are my student. Statement Sentence positive • You are not my student. Statement negative • Are you my student? Question (interrogative) • You are my student, aren’t you? Tag-question

Tag-Questions • Whose books are these? – a true question • These are your books, aren’t they? -Tag-question – Positive These are not your books, are they? - Tag-question -- Negative

Tag-Questions • Making a tag-question sentence: • She is your friend , isn’t she ? A positive tag-question sentence!

Tag-Questions • There are five simple points we should follow when we use a Tag-question: • Point 1 • A comma is used between the main sentence and the ‘tag’ part, e.g. • This is your book isn’t it? ,

Tag-Questions • Point 2: • Even if the subject of the main sentence is a noun – proper noun or common noun – the subject of the ‘tag’ part is always a corresponding PERSONAL PRONOUN. e.g. Mary isn’t your sister, is she?

Tag-Questions • Point 2 (continued) • Johnhas gone home, hasn’t ? ‘John’ – proper noun – male – singular he pronoun – male – singular – subjective case

Tag-Question • Point 2(continued) • Ted and Jerrygot their books, didn’t ? ‘Ted and Jerry’ – Proper nouns – male – plural they Personal Pronoun – male -- plural

Tag-Questions • Point 3 • The verb in the ‘tag’ part depends on the verb in the main sentence: • If the verb in the main sentence is in Present Tense, the verb in the ‘tag’ part will be in Present Tense; and the verb in the main sentence is in Past Tense, the verb in the ‘tag’ part will be in Past, and so on. • If the verb in the main sentence is in Positive form, the verb in the ‘tag’ part will be in Negative form.

Tag-Questions • Point 3(continued) • She is your sister, she? “is” – main verb – Simple Present Tense –POSITIVE isn’t – Simple present tense – NEGATIVE

Tag-Questions • Point 3(continued) • Brad hasn’t done his work, he? ‘hasn’t’ – Present perfect – NEGATIVE has Present perfect -- POSITIVE

Tag-Questions • Point 3(continued) • Kate goes to school, she? ‘goes’ – Simple present – POSITIVE ‘does not go’ – Simple present – NEGATIVE doesn’t

Tag-questions • Point 3(continued) • James did not go to school, he? ‘did not go’ – Simple past – NEGATIVE ‘go’ – Simple past – Positive; however, in ‘tag’ part, the auxiliary (helping) verb alone is used: did

Point 4 The negative form of the verb in the ‘tag’ part is always contracted: does not = doesn’t; has not = hasn’t; will not = won’t

Tag-questions Point 5-Modal Questions tags consist of … AUXILIARY VERB + PRONOUN: I shouldn’t laugh, shouldI? Sarahwas winning, wasn’tshe? We use the auxiliary verb that is used in the previous sentence. If there is no auxiliary verb, se use “do/does” (present tense) and “did” (past tense): You live near here, don’t you? You turned left, didn’t you? The pronoun refers to the subject of the previous sentence.

Tag-questions Point 6-Exception Some verbs form question tags differently: I am  aren’t I? I’m helpful, aren’t I? There is  isn’t there? There is a chemist’s near here, isn’t there? There are  aren’t there? There are many shops in the area, aren’t there? This is / That is  isn’t it? That’s your wife over there, isn’t it?

Exercise (Make a correct tag questions of each sentence) • This campus is so great,....................? • Transmission and network influence the effectivity of a modem, ...............? • He can speak Sundanese well, .....................? • Students did their mid test a few months ago,..........? • The price of petrol (BBM) has been decided, .........? • The government is building a good facility in telecommunication nowadays,................? • Indonesia is not a part of East Asian, ..............? • There are some factors to increase productivity,...........? • You should obey the regulation of your campus,........? • They came to the seminar of AEC 2015 yesterday,.........?

Exercise (Make a correct tag questions of each sentence) • This campus is so great,....................? • Product, price, promotion and place influence the marketing, ..............? • He can speak Sundanese well, .....................? • Students did their mid test a few months ago,..........? • The price of petrol (BBM) has been decided, .........? • The government is running a good business environment by building creative industry,..................................? • Indonesia is not a part of East Asian, ..............? • There are some factors to increase productivity,...........? • You should obey the regulation of your campus,........? • They came to the seminar of AEC 2015 yesterday,.........?

Practice • Make a short conversation between you and your friend to confirm the lecture schedule! (using tag questions)

References • Nick Brieger and Simon Sweeney.The Language of Business English. 1994. Prentice Hall Publisher, London –UK • www.weblearneng.com/wp.../tag.questions1.ppt • www.carmenlu.com/third/.../question_tags.ppthas been downloaded on january,4th 2015

Tag-Questions or Question Tags