Complete bilingual study notes for Question Tags — every concept explained step by step, with definitions, formulas, and worked examples.
Question Tags — Complete Grammar Guide
What is a Question Tag?
A question tag is a short question that we add at the end of a statement. We use it to confirm information, check if something is true, or to ask for agreement.
Examples: You are a student, aren’t you? She likes coffee, doesn’t she? They didn’t come, did they?
Why Do We Use Question Tags?
Question tags make conversation more natural and polite. They help us check information or invite the listener to agree. In the SEE examination, question tags are tested through “complete the sentences with suitable question tags”, error correction and multiple-choice questions. Mastering the rules helps students score full marks in this section.
- To confirm information
- To check if something is true
- To ask for agreement
- To make the conversation polite and interactive
Basic Rules of Question Tags
- 1If the statement is positive, the tag is negative.
- 2If the statement is negative, the tag is positive.
- 3The auxiliary (helping) verb in the tag must match the verb in the statement.
- 4If there is no auxiliary verb, use do / does / did.
- 5The pronoun in the tag must match the subject of the statement.
- 6Use a comma before the question tag.
Structure of Question Tags
| Statement Type | Tag Structure | Example |
|---|
| Positive statement | Negative auxiliary + pronoun? | You are happy, aren’t you? |
| Negative statement | Positive auxiliary + pronoun? | You are not happy, are you? |
Question Tags with Different Verbs
1. With the Verb “Be” (am / is / are / was / were)
| Statement | Question Tag |
|---|
| She is a teacher. | isn’t she? |
| They are students. | aren’t they? |
| He was late. | wasn’t he? |
| You were not present. | were you? |
| I am a student. | aren’t I? |
Special rule: For “I am”, the question tag is “aren’t I?” (not “amn’t I?”).
2. With “Have” / “Has” / “Had” (as auxiliary)
| Statement | Question Tag |
|---|
| She has finished her work. | hasn’t she? |
| They have arrived. | haven’t they? |
| He had left before noon. | hadn’t he? |
| You haven’t seen him. | have you? |
3. With Modal Verbs (can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might, must)
| Statement | Question Tag |
|---|
| She can swim. | can’t she? |
| They will come. | won’t they? |
| He should study harder. | shouldn’t he? |
| You must finish it. | mustn’t you? |
| We shouldn’t be late. | should we? |
4. With Ordinary Verbs (no auxiliary) — Use do / does / did
| Statement | Question Tag |
|---|
| She likes coffee. | doesn’t she? |
| They play football. | don’t they? |
| He went to school. | didn’t he? |
| You don’t know him. | do you? |
| She didn’t come. | did she? |
Special Cases (Very Important for SEE)
1. I am → aren’t I?
- I am your friend, aren’t I?
- I am late, aren’t I?
2. Let’s → shall we?
- Let’s go for a walk, shall we?
- Let’s start the work, shall we?
3. Imperative Sentences (Commands and Requests)
| Type | Question Tag | Example |
|---|
| Positive imperative | will you? / won’t you? | Open the door, will you? / Open the door, won’t you? |
| Negative imperative | will you? | Don’t make noise, will you? |
| Let’s | shall we? | Let’s play, shall we? |
4. There is / There are / There was / There were
| Statement | Question Tag |
|---|
| There is a book on the table. | isn’t there? |
| There are many students. | aren’t there? |
| There was a problem. | wasn’t there? |
| There were no chairs. | were there? |
5. This / That / These / Those
- This is your book, isn’t it?
- That was a good film, wasn’t it?
- These are your shoes, aren’t they?
- Those were expensive, weren’t they?
6. Indefinite Pronouns (someone, somebody, everyone, everybody, anyone, nobody, no one)
| Statement | Question Tag |
|---|
| Someone is at the door. | aren’t they? |
| Everybody liked the film. | didn’t they? |
| Nobody knows the answer. | do they? |
| No one was present. | were they? |
Note: We usually use “they” in the tag for these pronouns.
7. Nothing / Everything / Something
- Nothing is impossible, is it?
- Everything is ready, isn’t it?
- Something is wrong, isn’t it?
8. Used to
- He used to live here, didn’t he?
- She used to play tennis, didn’t she?
9. Have / Has as Main Verb (possession)
When “have” means possession, both forms are possible, but “do/does/did” is more common in modern English.
- She has a car, doesn’t she? (preferred)
- She has a car, hasn’t she? (also possible)
Important Rules Summary
- 1Positive statement → Negative tag
- 2Negative statement → Positive tag
- 3Match the auxiliary verb (or use do/does/did)
- 4Match the pronoun with the subject
- 5I am → aren’t I?
- 6Let’s → shall we?
- 7Imperatives → will you? / won’t you?
- 8There is/are → isn’t there? / aren’t there?
- 9Someone / Everyone / Nobody → they
- 10Nothing / Everything → it
Common Mistakes
- 1Wrong: I am a student, am not I? Correct: I am a student, aren’t I? Reason: Special form for “I am”.
- 2Wrong: Let’s go, will we? Correct: Let’s go, shall we? Reason: “Let’s” always takes “shall we?”.
- 3Wrong: She likes tea, doesn’t he? Correct: She likes tea, doesn’t she? Reason: Pronoun must match the subject.
- 4Wrong: They don’t know, don’t they? Correct: They don’t know, do they? Reason: Negative statement needs positive tag.
- 5Wrong: Open the window, do you? Correct: Open the window, will you? Reason: Imperatives take “will you?”.
- 6Wrong: Someone is coming, isn’t he? Correct: Someone is coming, aren’t they? Reason: Use “they” for indefinite pronouns.
- 7Wrong: There is a problem, isn’t it? Correct: There is a problem, isn’t there? Reason: Use “there” in the tag.
- 8Wrong: He used to play, usedn’t he? Correct: He used to play, didn’t he? Reason: “Used to” takes “didn’t”.
Remember (Memory Tricks)
- Positive → Negative tag ; Negative → Positive tag
- I am → aren’t I?
- Let’s → shall we?
- Command → will you?
- There is/are → isn’t/aren’t there?
- Someone / Everyone / Nobody → they
- Nothing / Everything → it
- No auxiliary → use do / does / did
SEE Exam Tips
- 1First decide if the statement is positive or negative.
- 2Find the auxiliary verb in the statement. If none, use do/does/did.
- 3Choose the opposite (positive ↔ negative) for the tag.
- 4Match the pronoun carefully with the subject.
- 5Watch for special cases: I am, Let’s, imperatives, there, someone, nothing.
- 6In multiple-choice questions, eliminate options that break the positive-negative rule first.
- 7Practise the special cases daily — they appear frequently in SEE.
How Question Tags Appear in SEE
- Complete the following sentences with suitable question tags
- Choose the correct question tag
- Rewrite the sentences with correct question tags
- Correct the errors in the question tags
Quick Revision
- Positive statement + negative tag
- Negative statement + positive tag
- Match auxiliary and pronoun
- I am → aren’t I?
- Let’s → shall we?
- Imperative → will you?
- There is → isn’t there?
- Someone / Nobody → they
- Nothing → is it?
- No auxiliary → do / does / did