Touchstone 4 EL 701

Seminar 10

Tag questions

Question tagsWe use tags in spoken English but not in formal written

English.They are not really questions but are a way of asking the other

person to make a comment and so keep the conversation open.

Making a tag is very mechanical. To make a tag, use the first auxiliary. If there is no auxiliary, use do, does or did. With a positive sentence, make a negative tag and with a negative sentence, make a positive tag.

Example: 1. It's beautiful, isn't it?2. He has been, hasn't he?3. You can, can't you?4. It must be, mustn't it?

5. You know him, don’t you?

6. He finished it, didn't he?

7. He will come, won't he?

8. It isn't very good, is it?

9. It hasn't rained, has it?

10. It can't be, can it?

11. Jenny doesn't know James, does she?

12. They didn't leave, did they?

13. He won’t do it, will he?

Notice these:

• There isn't an ATM here, is there?

• Let's have a cup of coffee, shall we?

• To reply, use the same auxiliary:

• It's beautiful, isn't it? ~ Yes, it is. I think it's fabulous.

• It isn't very good, is it? ~ No, it isn't. In fact, it's terrible.

Although, the rules are very simple and mechanical, in order to use them easily in conversation, they have to be automatic. So you need to hear and practice them very often.

Exercise 1 Match the sentences and tags

1. She isn’t very old, a. is it?

2. She’s very graceful, b. wasn’t he?

3. He isn’t very happy about it, c. isn’t there?

4. He’s really tall, d. isn’t there?

5. He’s easy, e. is there?

6. It isn’t very difficult, f. is he?

7. There’s a lot to do, g. is she?

8. There isn’t enough time, h. isn’t she?

9. He was angry, i. weren’t they? 10. They were late, j. isn’t it? 1. G2. H

3. F4. D5. J6. A7. C8. E 9. B10. I

Exercise 2 Add the tags.

1. There isn’t an answer, is there?

2. He’s really good- looking, isn’t he?

3. It isn’t any good, is it?

4. There’s a pub on the corner, isn’t there?

5. They weren’t enjoying it, were they?

6. She isn’t here yet, is she?

7. It’s the last one, isn’t it?

8. She’s leaving tomorrow, isn’t she?

9. It isn’t what we wanted, is it?

10.He isn’t very happy with it, is he?

Exercise 3 Complete the questions and answers.

will he No, he won’t

should you No, I shouldn’t

does he No, she doesn’t

wouldn’t you, Yes, I would

couldn’t we, Yes, we could

have you No, I haven’t

didn’t they Yes, they did

can’t she, Yes, she can

hasn’t he Yes, he has

1. Fiona can cook really well, can’t she? -

-Yes, she can. I love going to dinner at her house.

2. You’d like to see the play, wouldn’t you? -

Yes, I would. I’ve heard it’s very good.

3. We could try it, couldn’t we? –

Yes, we could. I think it would work.

4. You haven’t been back to the office,

have you? -

No, I haven’t. Why?

5. He won’t do it, will he? –

No, he won’t but perhaps Sylvie will.

6. They finished on time, didn’t they? –

Yes, they did. Just!

7. Rick’s also applied for the job, hasn’t he? -

Yes, he has but I don’t think he’ll get it.

8. You shouldn’t do that, should you? –

No, I shouldn’t but I want to!

9. She doesn’t have a car, does he? –

No, she doesn’t but I think she’s getting one.