An introduction on how to form TAG questions

1. TAG Questions
Renee Rudolph

2. Review of Positive/Negative
Statements
In English there are positive statements:
You are eight.
Mrs. Jones is hungry.
I live in Camp Hill.
…and there are negative statements:
You are not eight.
Mrs. Jones is not hungry.
I do not live in Camp Hill

3. Let’s practice!
Match the negative statement with it’s positive match
Frank does not like hot dogs.
John is not tired.
Mary does not feel like sleeping.
I do not play with dolls.
It is not dark outside
1. I play with dolls.
I do not play with dolls
2. Frank likes hot dogs.
Frank does not like hot dogs.
3. John is tired.
John is not tired.
4. Mary feels like sleeping.
Mary does not feel like
5. It is dark outside.
sleeping.
It is not dark outside.

4. Review of Pronouns
Subject pronouns are words that take the place of the subject of the sentence. *Remember the subject
is who or what we are talking about in the sentence.
I, you, he, she, it, we, they
For example,
Mrs. Jones went to the store.
Subject
What pronoun could
replace Mrs. Jones???
Sh

5. Let’s practice!
Identify the subject and decide which pronoun could replace it.
1. The table is in the living
room.
2. Kate is not tired.
3. The dog is sleeping.
4. Jack and Jill sing the
The table it
Kate She
The dog He
Jack and Jill
song. They
Frank and I We
5. Frank and I are seven.
I, you, he, she, it,
we, they

6. TAG questions: Now that we know the basic components of forming TAG questions, let’s look at
an example.
To form TAG questions you must be able to tell whether the beginning part is
a positive or negative statement and be able to replace the subject with a
subject pronoun. Here’s an example:
Negative tag
The test is tomorrow, isn’t it?
Positive
statement
Notice how the beginning part is a positive statement and we are talking
about the test. The “tag” is then a negative statement and the subject
pronoun “it” replaces the test.

7. Why use TAG questions?
In English there are several reasons we use TAG questions. We may use TAG questions:
1. to confirm information.
You are going to the soccer game tonight, aren’t you?  Here we are making sure (confirming) that the
person we are speaking to is going to the soccer game.
2. To ask for agreement
was
That test was difficult, wasn’t it?  Here we are asking someone if they agree with our thought that the test
difficult
3. To make sure something is truthful
The game is at 9 o’clock, isn’t it?  Here we think the game is at 9 o’clock but want to make sure that the
information
is accurate.

8. Now that we know why we use TAG
questions, how do we form TAG questions?
1. identify the auxiliary verb, if no auxiliary is present then use “do”
2. if the auxiliary verb is positive, then you make the TAG negative.
3. if the auxiliary verb is negative, then you make the TAG positive.
You live in Spain, don’t you?
You are Spanish, aren’t you?
You are not Spanish, are you

9. Let’s practice!
Practice identifying the auxiliary verb. If no auxiliary is present we will say “no auxiliary.”
1. You are asleep.
2. The cat and dog are making noise.
3. They were late to the game.
4. He was eating.
5. The TV was on.
6. The shoes fit my feet.
7. The owl was hooting all night.
8. We were not at the game.
9. They were not there at 10 o’clock.
10. The test is tomorrow.

10. Practice with TAG
Match the statement on the left with the tag on the right
1. Jane is going to the store at 9 AM
, isn’t
she?
,wasn’t
2. The cat was acting lazy
he?
3. You live in that house, don’t
you?
4. That table is wobby, isn’t it?
5. You are going to the gym on Friday aren’t you?
,
6. That test was difficult , wasn’t it?
7. I am late , aren’t I?
, aren’t I?
, wasn’t it?
, isn’t it?
, isn’t
she?
, aren’t you?
, don’t
you?
,wasn’t
he?