Question Tags Exercises
Do more with this exercise
Add a short question to check information
A question tag repeats the subject as a pronoun and uses the sentence's auxiliary. A positive statement normally takes a negative tag; a negative statement normally takes a positive tag.
- Positive to negative:
- She is here, isn't she? A positive statement takes a negative tag.
- Negative to positive:
- They aren't ready, are they? A negative statement takes a positive tag.
- Use the auxiliary:
- You have finished, haven't you? / He can swim, can't he? Repeat the auxiliary in the tag.
- Without an auxiliary:
- Use do/does/did with a simple present or past verb: You like tea, don't you? / She left, didn't she?
- Subject pronoun:
- Replace a name or noun with a pronoun: Maria works here, doesn't she? The tag cannot repeat Maria.
Examples
You are tired, aren't you?
positive are to negative aren't
He isn't late, is he?
negative isn't to positive is
Sara plays tennis, doesn't she?
simple present needs does
They went home, didn't they?
simple past needs did
We can start, can't we?
repeat the modal and use we
Audio uses a synthetic voice.
Practice exercises
Choose the tag
Choose the usual opposite-polarity tag for checking information, not an echo tag. Match the auxiliary and subject.
1.She is your sister, ___?
2.They aren't at home, ___?
3.Ben likes music, ___?
4.We finished early, ___?
5.She can't drive, ___?
6.You have seen this film, ___?
Complete the tag
Write the usual opposite-polarity tag for checking information, including the pronoun. Do not use an echo tag or add a question mark.
Fix the tag
Replace only the incorrect tag. Keep the statement and question mark.
13.Choose the mistake in this sentence.
14.Choose the mistake in this sentence.
15.Choose the mistake in this sentence.
16.Choose the mistake in this sentence.
17.Choose the mistake in this sentence.
18.Choose the mistake in this sentence.
Build question tags from the statement
Question tags are short checks at the end of a statement. Start by finding the subject and the auxiliary. If the statement is positive, make the tag negative. If the statement is negative, make the tag positive. Then replace the subject with a pronoun: “They are here, aren't they?”
If the statement has *be*, *have* in the present perfect, or a modal such as *can*, repeat that auxiliary in the tag. A simple present or past verb does not show an auxiliary in a positive statement, so add *do*, *does* or *did*: “Sara lives nearby, doesn't she?” and “They left, didn't they?”
Read the whole sentence before deciding. The tag must match its subject as well as its tense, and a name becomes a pronoun. These exercises use the usual opposite-polarity pattern for checking information; spoken English also uses intonation to show whether the speaker expects agreement or genuinely needs an answer.
Frequently asked questions
What is a question tag?
It is a short question added to a statement to check or confirm information: “You're ready, aren't you?”
Why does a positive sentence take a negative tag?
That is the usual pattern when checking information: “She is here, isn't she?” A negative sentence usually takes a positive tag.
What auxiliary do I use with a simple present verb?
Use do or does according to the subject: “You work here, don't you?” and “She works here, doesn't she?”
What pronoun follows a person's name in a tag?
Use the appropriate subject pronoun: “Maria is here, isn't she?” The tag does not repeat the name.
Answer key
1. She is your sister, ___?
Answer: isn't she
Positive is takes the negative tag isn't she.
2. They aren't at home, ___?
Answer: are they
Negative aren't takes the positive tag are they.
3. Ben likes music, ___?
Answer: doesn't he
Simple present likes needs doesn't he.
4. We finished early, ___?
Answer: didn't we
Simple past finished needs didn't we.
5. She can't drive, ___?
Answer: can she
Negative can't takes the positive tag can she.
6. You have seen this film, ___?
Answer: haven't you
Present perfect have seen takes haven't you.
7. Maria works here, ___?
Answer: doesn't she
Use doesn't with the simple present and she for Maria.
8. They didn't call, ___?
Answer: did they
Negative didn't takes the positive tag did they.
9. It is cold today, ___?
Answer: isn't it
Positive is takes the negative tag isn't it.
10. We can leave now, ___?
Answer: can't we
Repeat the modal as a negative tag: can't we.
11. She hasn't arrived, ___?
Answer: has she
Negative hasn't takes the positive tag has she.
12. You bought the tickets, ___?
Answer: didn't you
Simple past bought needs didn't you.
13. She is ready, doesn't she?
Answer: She is ready, isn't she?
Repeat is in the opposite-polarity tag: isn't she.
14. They aren't late, do they?
Answer: They aren't late, are they?
Repeat are in the positive tag: are they.
15. Tom plays chess, don't he?
Answer: Tom plays chess, doesn't he?
Third-person singular simple present uses doesn't he.
16. We went home, don't we?
Answer: We went home, didn't we?
Simple past needs did, not do.
17. She can't swim, is she?
Answer: She can't swim, can she?
Repeat the modal as positive can she.
18. Ben has finished, hasn't Ben?
Answer: Ben has finished, hasn't he?
The tag uses a subject pronoun, not the name again.