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Sunday, December 9, 2012

QUESTION TAG :)

question tag can be made by making a statement and putting an auxiliary verb and a pronoun at the end:
QUESTION TAG EXAMPLES:
  • She's coming, isn't she?
  • She wasn't there, was she?

  • positive statement ->question tag negative - You are Tom, aren't you?
    negative statement->question tag positive - He isn't Joe, is he?

    Examples

    with auxiliaries
    You've got a car, haven't you?
    without auxiliaries (use: don't, doesn't, didn't)
    They play football on Sundays, don't they?
    She plays football on Sundays, doesn't she?
    They played football on Sundays, didn't they?
    Questions tags are used to keep a conversation going. You can agree or refuse to a sentence with a question tag.
    You go to school, don't you?
    You agree.You refuse.
    Yes, I do.No, I don't.

    You aren't from Germany, are you?
    You agree.You refuse.
    No, I'm not.Yes, I am.


    Questions tags - Special

    Although the negative word not is not in the sentence, the sentence can be negative. Then we use the "positive" question tag.
    He never goes out with his dog, does he?
    have is a main verb in the sentence -> two possibilities
    We have a car, _____?
    We have a car, haven't we?We have a car, don't we?
    mostly British Englishmostly American English
    We use will/would with the imperative (Simple Present).
    Open the window, will you?
    Open the window, would you?
    Don't open your books, will you?
    We use won't with a polite request.
    Open the window, won't you?
    We use shall after Let's.
    Let's take the next bus, shall we?
    Auxiliary must
    We must be at home at 8 pm, mustn't we?
    Yes, we must.No, we needn't.


    Procedure adding a question tag

    Look at the sentence.
    1Is an auxiliary or a form of to be in the sentence?
     yesno
     auxiliary or form of to be affirmative
    -> negate auxiliary (add n't)

    auxiliary or form of to be negative
    -> (delete n't)
    affirmative sentence
    -> Negate sentence (e.g. don't; doesn't; didn't)

    negative sentence
    -> (delete n't)
    2Is a personal pronoun the subject of the sentence?
     yesno
     Use the personal pronoun.Form the personal pronoun.
    3Complete the sentence.

     

    Example 1: He can play football, ________.
    1Is an auxiliary or a form of to be in the sentence?
     yes -> can 
     auxiliary or form of to be affirmative
    -> negate auxiliary (add n't)

    can't 
     
    2Is a personal pronoun the subject of the sentence?
     yes 
     Use the personal pronoun. 
    3He can play football, can't he?

     

    Example 2: Peter can play football, ________.
    1Is an auxiliary or a form of to be in the sentence?
     yes -> can 
     auxiliary or form of to be affirmative
    -> negate auxiliary (add n't)

    can't
     
    2Is a personal pronoun the subject of the sentence?
      no
      Form the personal pronoun.
    Peter -> he
    3Peter can play football, can't he?

     

    Example 3: Peter plays football, ________.
    1Is an auxiliary or a form of to be in the sentence?
      no
      affirmative sentence
    -> Negate the verb.

    verb plays -> Negation: doesn't play
    We only use the auxiliary doesn't.
    2Is a personal pronoun the subject of the sentence?
      no
      Form the personal pronoun.
    Peter -> he
    3Peter plays football, doesn't he?