Advanced Grammar: Question Tags

Question tags are short questions that we put at the end of sentences.

  1. If the main part of the sentence is positive, the question tag is negative.
    Example: He’s a doctor, isn’t he?
  1. If the main part of the sentence is negative, the question tag is positive.
    Example: You haven’t told him, have you?
  1. Auxiliary verbs (have, be).
    If there is an auxiliary verb in the main part of the sentence, then the question tag is made with the auxiliary verb.
    Example: He had met them before, hadn’t he?
  1. No auxiliary verb
    The question tag uses appropriate form of ‘do.’
    Example: I said that, didn’t I?
  1. Modal verbs (can, must, may, might, will, would, should)
    Example: They should listen to me, shouldn’t they?
  1. I am
    Example: I’m the fastest, aren’t I?

Match these statements to the correct question tags given below.
The first sentence with the correct question tag has been done for you.

  1. Your father speaks many languages, doesn’t he?
  2. The police found some fingerprints on the wall, ___?
  3. That doesn’t seem a very important article on the subject, ___?
  4. The monster in the story has never existed, ___?
  5. Nobody could hear the noise in the middle of the night, ___?
  6. London was a Roman town once, ___?
  7. People will travel to Mars one day in the future, ___?
  8. Jai had not arrived when we went to sleep, ___?
  9. Let us buy Mummy a new sari for Diwali, ___?
  10. Nothing interesting happens in this town, ____?
  11. There has been a lot of rain this winter, ___?
  12. Everyone is going to Janaki’s party, ___?
  13. I am not disturbing you with my singing, ___?
  14. Your brother has been working in a factory for many years, ___?
  15. Peacocks can fly for short distances, ___?
  16. You have never been to Mumbai, ___?
  17. It is impossible to describe how beautiful the view is from the top of the mountain, ___?
  18. There weren’t any phones when Akbar was king, ___?
  19. This isn’t the longest river in the world, ___?
  20. The waiter listens to the conversations of the guests, ____?
  21. Everyone should have the same rights, ___?
  22. I’m sorry! I’m a really forgetful person, ___?
  23. Teachers aren’t usually late for class, ____?
  24. You won’t have any more doubts about this, ___?

Options:

  • doesn’t he?
  • aren’t I?
  • had he?
  • are they?
  • hasn’t he?
  • isn’t it?
  • didn’t they?
  • could they?
  • shouldn’t they?
  • has it?
  • have you?
  • shall we?
  • will you?
  • does it?
  • hasn’t there?
  • wasn’t it?
  • aren’t they?
  • is it?
  • were there?
  • can’t they?
  • am I?
  • won’t they?

Note for Mentors only: Please refer to the Answers in Learning Materials