Page 303 - Oxford_English_Grammar_Course_Basic_2015

question tags This music isn't very good, is it?

Question tags are short questions that can follow sentences, especially in spoken English.
We make question tags with auxiliary verb {have, can etc) or be + pronoun (/, you etc).
We use question tags to ask if something is true, or to ask people to agree with us.

You haven't g o t m y keys, have you? Louise w ill be here tom orrow, w o n 't she?
This m usic isn't very good, is it? That child can run fast, can't he?
Question tags are usually negative (B ) after affirmative (Q ) sentences, and not negative after negative
sentences. We don't put question tags after questions.

It is warm, isn 't it? It isn 't cold, is it? (BUT NOT Is it cold, isn't it?)
Negative tags are usually contracted (see page 301) - for example isn 't it? (NOT USUALLY is it not?)
The negative tag for / am is are n 't I? (see page 301)

I'm late, a re n 't I?

Question tag or nothing (-)? Circle the correct form.

3 Are you ready, are y o u ? /, aren't y o u ? /- ?
4 It's dark in here, is it? /, isn't it ? / - ?
5 He can't speak Greek, can h e ? /, can't he?/ -

1 You'll be here tomorrow 6 The train's late, is it? /, isn't it ? / - ?
, will y o u ? /, w on't y o u ? /- ? 7 The food wasn't bad, was it? /, wasn't it ? / - ?
2 The postman hasn't come 8 Have you done it , have y o u /, haven't you? /
, has h e ? /, hasn't h e ? /- ? 9 I'm too early, am n'tl?/, aren't I? /- ?

If the sentence has an auxiliary verb or be, we use this in the question tag.

You w o u ld like coffee, w o u ld n 't you? I'm n o t talking too fast, am I?
Sally doesn't eat meat, does she? You a re n 't angry w ith me, are you ?
If there is no auxiliary verb, we use do/doe s/d id in the tag.

They w ent to Spain, d id n 't they? The lesson starts a t 6.00, doesn't it?

Here are some sentences from real conversations. Put in the question tags.

► You're playing football tomorrow, .......................
1 That's the answer,.................................................

2 We're seeing Rebecca again tom orrow,.................................................
3 She's a lovely baby,.................................................
4 You'll be OK,.................................................. Roger?
5 Your brother can tell us th a t,.................................................
6 Isabel likes brown bread,.................................................
7 This house gets hot in summer,.................................................

Here are some negative sentences. Put in the question tags.

► They weren't at home, ..........................

1 But he's not at school now ,.................................................
2 You can't remember anything,.................................................
3 They don't use much electricity,.................................................
4 She doesn't look happy,.................................................
5 Those flowers don't need much water,.................................................
6 That kid hasn't done any w ork,.................................................

288 SPOKEN GRAMMAR