Question Tags: A Brief Explanation

Definition: The words that are used to ask the audience to confirm one's statement is called Question Tags.

Contracted forms of auxiliary verbs + Not 

Auxiliary verbs + Not            Short forms used in question tags

    do + not                                                          don't

    did + not                                                         didn't

    is + not                                                            isn't

    has + not                                                         hasn't

    had + not                                                        hadn't

    were + not                                                      weren't

    does + not                                                       doesn't

    am + not                                                          aren't

    are + not                                                          aren't

    have + not                                                       haven't

    was + not                                                         wasn't

    shall + not                                                       shan't

    will + not                                                         won't

    should + not                                                    shouldn't

    could + not                                                      couldn't

    might + not                                                     mightn't

    must + not                                                      mustn't

    need + not                                                      needn't

    can + not                                                         can't

    would + not                                                    wouldn't

    may + not                                                        mayn't

    ought + not                                                     oughtn't

    used + not                                                       usedn't

    dare + not                                                        daren't

Format of Question tags: 

(i) Affirmative: Auxiliary verbs + subject + ?

(ii) Negative: Auxiliary verbs + n't + subject + ?

Important facts of Question Tags: 

1. Main verbs like go, drink, come etc. are not used while forming Question Tags.

2. Pronoun or there is used as a subject in Question Tags.

3. Noun is not used as a subject in Question Tags.

4. The use of Auxiliary verbs or Auxiliary verbs + n't in Question Tags depends on the number and person of Tense or Question Tag used in the given sentence.

5. Auxiliary verbs for question tags depend on the auxiliary verbs of the given sentence.

6. If there is no auxiliary verb in the given sentence, then do, does or did is used accordingly for question tags.

How to Make Question Tags: 

Rules to make Question Tags: 

1. The question tag of affirmative sentence is negative.

Structure: Auxiliary verb + n't + subject(A.P.) + ?

A.P. = Appropriate Pronoun

Ex - He writes a letter, doesn't he?

        I am wrong, aren't I?

2. The question tag of negative sentence is affirmative.

Structure: Auxiliary verb + Subject(A.P.)

Ex - She does not make a noise, does she?

        You are not laborious, are you?

3. The question tag will be affirmative if negative words like - neither, no, not, never, none, no one, nobody, nothing, few, little, hardly, rarely, scarcely, seldom etc. are used in a sentence.

Ex - We have no friends, have we? 

        Neither of us helped you, did we?

4. The question tag will be negative if a few and a little are used in a sentence.

Ex - I have a little money, haven't I?

        I have read a few books, haven't I?

5. The question tag of affirmative imperative will be both affirmative(will you) and negative(won't you).

Ex - Switch on the radio, will you or won't you?

        Please give me money, will you or won't you?

6. The question tag of negative imperative will be affirmative(will you).

Ex - Don't open the window, will you? 

        Don't spit here, will you?

7. If affirmative imperative sentence is used to express more urgency(ज्यादा अत्यावश्यक ), the question tag will be negative(won't you).

Ex - Remember to shut the window, won't you?

        Be careful while solving the sums, won't you?

8. If the verb used in imperative sentence expresses rebukeness, then the question tag - 'can't you' will be used.

Ex - Use your own mind, can't you?

        Shut up, can't you? 

9. If the imperative sentence starts with Let us or Let's, then the question tag - 'shall we' will be used.

Ex - Let us dance together, shall we? 

        Let's go there, shall we?

10. If the imperative sentence starts with Let me/ him/ her/ them/ Shyam/ Veena etc., then the question tag - 'will you' will be used.

Ex - Let me do this work, will you? 

        Let Robert watch T.V., will you?

11. If 'used to' is used in a sentence, then usedn't or didn't will be used in the question tag.

Ex - He used to come here, usedn't he or didn't he?

12. If the subject of a sentence is no one, any one, someone, everyone, everybody, somebody, nobody,anybody, then the subject of question tag will be 'They".

Ex - Someone has stolen my watch, haven't they?

        Nobody has seen God, have they?

13.  If the subject of a sentence is everything, something, anything and nothing, then the subject of question tag will be 'It'.

Ex - Everything looks beautiful, doesn't it?

        Nothing is yours, is it?

Worked Out Examples: 

1. I am innocent, .......?

2. You are not helping me, .........?

3. Nobody is ready, .......?

4. He seldom comes here, .......?

5. Please take your seat, .....?

6. Let's work, .......?

7. Nobody liked your activities, .......?

8. Work hard, ...........?

9. I used to like her, ..........?

10. I have little money, .......?

[ Ans: aren't I, are you, are they, does he, will you/ won't you, shall we, did they, will you/ won't you, usedn't I/ didn't I, have I. ]