Grammar Topic 1 - Question Tags

Grammar – Topic 1

Question Tags

When we converse in English, we often ask one another questions. Using questions words (who, what, when, where, why, which, how) is one way. We can also ask questions by adding question tags to statements. 

Learning English is fun, isn't it? 

That's a question using a question tag. I'm sure you have come across such a way of asking questions. Perhaps you have used it yourself. 

Read on to learn more about how to form grammatically correct question tags.



A question on question tags usually appear in the Grammar MCQ section of Paper 2 Booklet A in the PSLE.

Question tags are tags added to the end of statements to turn these statements into questions.

Benjamin enjoys playing football, doesn’t he? 

Statement: Benjamin enjoys playing football

Question tag: doesn’t he

The exam question usually appears as:

Benjamin enjoys playing football, _________ he?

(1) didn’t

(2) hadn’t

(3) doesn’t

(4) hasn’t 

What are some points to take note of for such questions?

• If the statement contains a modal verb, the question tag is made up of the opposite of the modal verb.

Jane will be at the party, won’t she?

Modal verbs: will, won’t (will not)

You couldn’t enter the auditorium after the play started, could you?

Modal verbs: couldn’t (could not), could

• If the statement contains a linking verb, the question tag is made up of the opposite of the linking verb.

The shoplifter wasn’t in the store when  the police arrived, was he?

Linking verbs: wasn’t (was not), was

• If the statement contains an auxiliary verb, the question tag is made up of the opposite of the auxiliary verb.

(a) You are baking an apple pie, aren’t you?

Auxiliary verbs: are, aren’t (are not)

(b) Your brother has graduated from university, hasn’t he?

Auxiliary verbs: has, hasn’t (has not)

Here is a list of auxiliary/linking verbs: is, are, am, was, were, do, does, did, has, have, had, go, goes, went

To learn more about the differences between linking verbs and auxiliary verbs, click here.

• If the statement does not contain modal verbs, linking verbs or auxiliary verbs, the question tag is made up of do/don’t, does/doesn’t or did/didn’t.

(a) The victim survived the accident, didn’t he?

Verb: survived (past tense), positive form 

Question tag must be in the past tense in the negative form (Remember the question tag is made up of the opposite form of the statement.) 

(b) She visits her grandparents every weekend, doesn’t she?

Verb: visits (present tense), positive form

Remember subject verb agreement rules: 

singular subject —> she

singular verb —> doesn’t 

 Click here for rules on subject verb agreement. 

Special Cases

(a) Sometimes, a statement is considered to be in the negative form because of the adverbs used. In such cases, the question tag must then be in the positive form.

Negative Adverbs:

hardly, seldom, barely, scarcely, rarely, never, no longer

She hardly watches movies, does she?

Adverb: hardly

Question tag: does

Click here for what adverbs are. 

(b) Sometimes, a statement is considered to be in the negative form because of the quantifiers used. In such cases, the question tag must then be in the positive form.

Negative quantifiers:

few, none, not many, not one, little

Few people turned up for the talk, did they?

Quantifier: few

Question tag: did

(c) Sometimes, a statement is considered to be in the negative form because of the pronouns used. In such cases, the question tag must then be in the positive form.

Negative pronouns:

none, nobody, no one, nothing

No one was in the room, was there?

Pronoun: no one

Question tag: was

(d) If the subject is ‘I’ and the linking verb ‘am’ is used:

I am allowed to enter the contest, aren’t I?

This is usually an informal form.

The formal form is:

I am allowed to enter the contest, am I not?

Remember: You must know contractions in order to do most of the questions on question tags.

Click here to see a list of contractions. 

Let’s practise!

Select the correct answer.

1.  John wasn’t late for the training session, _______ he?

(1) is

(2) was

(3) did

(4) does

2.  Your parents will buy you the latest smart phone ______ they?

(1) won’t

(2) don’t

(3) didn’t

(4) wouldn’t

3.  No one was in the room, _________ there?

(1) was

(2) wasn’t

(3) were

(4) weren’t

4.  The roses you grew won the first prize in the competition, _________ they?

(1) won’t

(2) didn’t

(3) don’t

(4) weren’t

5.  The park is seldom crowded on rainy days, _______ it?

(1) is

(2) isn’t

(3) was

(4) wasn’t 

Answers:

1. (2)      2. (1)      3. (1)      4. (2)     5. (1)