Question Tags Rules and examples

22-June 2021........... 10 Comment(s)

What are Question Tags?

We often hear people using नाHindi word at end of the sentence. The objective of using this word is to get the confirmation. Questions have the objective of enquiry whereas question tags have the objective of assertion in affirmation or negation. During our conversation, to have the opinion of the listener or the places we are sure about the listener’s affirmation in yes or no we use Question Tags. Question Tags are very common in our conversation. They mean something like: “Are you okay?” or “Do you think so?” or “What’s your opinion?” It sounds awkward using ना Hindi word at the end as our sentence is in English and we are using Hindi word at the end as a tag.

They come here everydayना.
He is there ना.
There are some candidatesना.
Sheetal has join recently ना.
Aman doesn’t follow your instructions ना.
Kalpana had applied for this post ना.
You are here for interview ना.

This article describes question tag concept, its rules and exceptions. To have a better understanding examples are also given. Do share your queries in the comment box if you encounter while framing question tags. You may also get in touch on Telegram Group for more updates. To join just search “English ByAdityaDubey- Defence Guru”

Interrogative sentences are two types.

1- Sentences that begin with question words like when, what, where, why, whom, which, how

When do you come here?
Why is he there?
Where is he this time?
When has Sheetal joined?
Which post had Kalpana applied for?

2- Sentences begin with Helping verb.

Do they come here every day?
Is he there?
Are there some candidates?
Has Sheetal recently joined?
Had Kalpana applied for this post?
Are you here for interview?

Note: there is proper answer for questions like he comes here at 8 ‘o’ clock whereas Question Tags have reply in yes or no.

Syntax of Question Tags

To remove ना word from our sentences we can simply use its negative form if the sentence is positive and positive form at the end if the sentence is negative. The subject must match in the sentence as well as in the tag. The helping verb should also match in both the sections.

They come here everyday, don’t they?
He is there, isn’t he?
There are some candidates, aren’t there?
Sheetal has join recently, hasn’t she?
Aman doesn’t follow your instructions, does he?
Kalpana had applied for this post, hadn’t she?
You are here for interview, aren’t you?

Exceptions in formation of Question Tags

1- Negative adverbs never, seldom, hardly, scarcely, rarely etc. should have positive tag at the end.

He has never said so, has he?
She seldom laughs, does she?
He hardly cares about others, does he?
My father scarcely asks me about my studies, does he?

2- I am supporting my teammates, aren’t I?

I am your well wisher, aren’t I?
I am not ignoring him, am I?

One should be careful in the usage of I am. Its negation amn’t I is not used. Instead aren’t I is used. The positive usage “am I” is correct and usual too.

1- Let’s go for a movie, shall we?

Let’s resolve the matter, shall we?
Let’s have a cup of tea, shall we?

Imperative sentences have order, request, suggestion so their tag is generally will you or won’t you. Both the expressions are correct.

Do this work right now, won’t you?
Don’t disturb them, will you?

Although it is optional but one should follow the same convention of forming the question tags i.e. if the sentence is positive, negative is used in tag and vice versa.

One may also interpret it as per the sense of the sentence.

Call him now, will you? (order-less polite)

Have a glass of water, won’t you? (Invitation-polite)

Sentences with there

There is nothing surprising, isn’t there?
There were some doubts, weren’t there?
There was a great plan, wasn’t there?

Sentences beginning with nobody, none, somebody, someone, everybody, everyone

Nobody wants to waste time, do they?
None has informed me, have they?
Somebody has picked his pocked, have they?
Everybody follows him, do they?
Everyone has like his performance, do they?

Statements with nothing/something/everything as the subject, it is used in the tag.

Something happened to him, dint it?
Nothing matters when luck doesn’t favor us, does it?
Everything is required in this ceremony, isn’t it?

Statements that begin with this as the subject, we use it in the tag.

This will solve our purpose, won’t it?
This will not affect our performance, will it?

Question Tag Intonation

We use falling intonation on question tags when we seek listener’s opinion the same or we wish listener to agree with it.

It’s a great chance for us, isn’t it?
You are ready for it, aren’t you?

Examples on Question Tag

I am providing you all the amenities required for a peaceful life, aren’t I?
I am not disturbing anyone of you, am I?
I am not highlighting any of the features, am I?
Krishna is not investing huge amount of money in it, is he?
Amit has completed graduation, hasn’t he?
His father hasn’t given him much responsibility, has he?
They haven’t provided us complete information, have they?
We have given the best performance in the concert, haven’t we?
You haven’t qualified the preliminary stage, have you?
Dhanraj has understood the method of learning, hasn’t he?
He hasn’t tried his whole bag of tricks, has he?
We haven’t received any call letter so far, have we?
They have been waiting for you for last two hours, haven’t they?
She has been working since 2001, hasn’t she?
I haven’t been doing this work for some weeks, have I?
Nitesh hasn’t been attending classes for last two months, has he?
Yesterday I called my friends, dint I?
Amit dint inform anyone for his leave, did he?
Arti dint reply some questions, did she?
Manoj attended the wedding ceremony of his brother, dint he?
Mohan spent a huge amount in this business, dint he?
He was taking your ACID Test, wasn’t he?
They were chasing their tale, weren’t they?
I was trying my whole bag of tricks, wasn’t I?
Sujeet wasn’t getting his ducks in a row, was he?
Nitesh wasn’t getting the show on the road, was he?
We were not backing up our staff members, were we?
Amit was asking around this topic, wasn’t he?
He had completed his work well, hadn’t he?
Shrikant hadn’t bedizened his home, had he?
Riya had bewildered his team mates, hadn’t she?
Seema had provided prudent candidates to those authorities, hadn’t she?
Those grandiloquent candidates had been chatting with one another for 2 hours, hadn’t they?
Anushuka hadn’t been dealing with such morbid people for a long time, had she?
Meena had been using such preposterous material in her art and craft since 2000, hadn’t she?
I will cull this proposal tomorrow in meeting, wont I?
Manish will be repenting on his mistakes, won’t he?
Sumit will have synchronized the system well, will he?
He is looking for a cogent employee, isn’t he?
They will have dealt with that grumpy boy well, won’t they?