B2 Grammar about Tag questions

Question tags

A

How to form Tag Questions

Question tags are formed using either a modal verb, an auxiliary verb or the verb to be + subject pronoun. A negative tag is normally used with a positive statement, and a positive tag with a negative statement.

1 If the verb to be appears in the statement, it is repeated in the question tag.

He isn't married, is he?

I'm late again, aren't I? (not  amn't I?)

2 If an auxiliary verb or a modal verb appears in the statement, it is repeated in the question tag.

You've been to Warsaw before, haven't you?

3 If the verb in the statement is a full verb (i.e there is no modal verb or auxiliary verb), an appropriate form of the auxiliary verb do is required in the question tag.

You bought it last year. didn't you?

4 'Will you?' and 'can you?' are used with imperatives. 'Would you?' and 'could you?' are more formal alternatives.

Open the window, will/can/would/could you?

'Will you?' is used after a negative imperative. Don't forget to write, will you?

5 if let's appears in the statement, the question tag 'shall we?' is used.

Let's go home, shall we?

6 If the statement contains negative words such as nothing or nobody, the question tag is positive.

Nothing frightens you, does it?

NB

the pronoun they is used with nobody/no one, somebody/someone and everybody/everyone.

B

intonation in Tag questions

We can use question tags to ask a real question if we are unsure if the statement is true or not. In this case we say the question tag with rising intonation.

 I've met you before, haven't I? (rising)

We can also use question tags when we expect someone to agree with a statement. In this case we say the question tag with falling intonation.

She can't sing very well, can she? (falling)

برای دسترسی به دروس بیشتر به لینک زیر مراجعه کنید.

گرامر صفر تا صد زبان انگلیسی

لسنینگ از مبتدی تا پیشرفته

لغات زبان انگلیسی به تفکیک موضوع

درک مطلب از سطح مبتدی تا پیشرفته

تمامی موضوعات آیلتس اسپیکینگ پارت یک، دو و سه همراه با جواب