TAG QUESTION

Name of group 7 :

Annisa Fadhilah
Mellia Aisyah Ar.

(07)
(22)

Puji Haryati

(31)

Rose Nurta N

(34)

Vidia Matarani

(42)

Yulia Chaerunnisa

(44)

SMA Negeri 4 Semarang

2009 / 2010

Tag Questions

A tag question is a special construction in English. It is a statement followed by a mini-question. The

whole sentence is a "tag question", and the mini-question at the end is called a "question tag".

A "tag" is something small that we add to something larger. For example, the little piece of cloth added
to a shirt showing size or washing instructions is a tag.

We use tag questions at the end of statements to ask for confirmation. They mean something like: "Am
I right?" or "Do you agree?" They are very common in English.

How are they formed?

Normally a positive statement is followed by a negative tag, and a negative statement is followed by a
positive tag.

For example:

+
You're English,

aren't you?

You're not German,

+
are you?

The statement and the tag are always separated by a comma.

Treat any statements with nothing, nobody etc like negative statements.

The verb in the statement should be the same tense as the verb in the tag.

For example:

Present tense

| present tense

You are a good singer,

aren't you?

Past tense

| past tense

You didn't go to work yesterday,

did you?

Present perfect tense

| present perfect tense

You have been to London,

haven't you?

If the verb used in the statement is an auxiliary verb, then the verb used in the tag must match it. If a
modal (can, could, will, should, etc.) is used in the statement, then the same modal is used in the tag
part. If the statement doesn't use an auxilliary verb, then the auxiliary do is used in the tag part.
For example:

Auxiliary verb
She is from England,

isn't she?

They aren't very nice,

are they?

She doesn't like it here,

does she?

Modal verb
You can sing,

can't you?

They shouldn't do that,

should they?

No auxiliary
He eats meat,

doesn't he?

He had a bath,

didn't he?

Nothing happened,

did it?

Why do we use them?

Tag questions are used to verify or check information that we think is true or to check information that
we aren't sure is true. Sometimes we just use them for effect, when we are trying to be sarcastic, or to
make a strong point. So be sure to use them with care.

STRUCTURE

Statement , Taq Question ?

+
-

Rumus :
Aux. [NOT] + S ?

I.

TOBE
There are is, am, are, was, were.

Ex :
(+) Ida is clever in Physies, isnt she ?
(+) They were late to class, werent they ?
(+) You are in the third class now, arent you ?
(-) I am not active in PMR, am I ?
(-) And he wasnt at home this morning, was he ?

II.

MODAL
There are can, may, will, must, shall, could, migth, would, had to, and

should.
Ex :
(+) Father can play the piano well, cannt he ?
(+) We will visit a museum tommorow, wont he ?
(-) You must not collect the work, must you ?
(-) They may not attend the meeting, may they ?
(-) Mother cannt speak sundanese, can she ?

III.

HAVE
There are have, has + Verb 3.
Ex :
(+) You have done me homework, havent you ?
(+) Neni has been to Bali, hasnt she ?
(-) You havent written the notice, have you ?
(-) It hasnt rained heavily, has it ?

HAVE
HAS

Verb
(mempunyai)

Auxiliary
(telah)

., do
does

HAVE / HAS + V3

, havent
hasnt

Ex :
Verb
You have a book, dont you?
(mempunyai)
She has a book, doesnt she?
(mempunyai)

Auxiliary:
Shehavestudiedenglish,havent you?
(telah)
Shehasstudiedenglish,hasnt you?
(telah)

have to
has to
had to

(harus=must)

Ex :
You have to go, dont you?
(harus)

IV. TODO
There are do, does, did.

.., do
.., does
.., did

Ex :
(+) We wait for a bus to school, dont we ?
(+) Anita waits for a bus to school, doesnt she?
(+) You waited for a bus to school, didnt you ?
(-) They dont know mathematics well, do they ?
(-) Rusy doesnt go any where today, does he ?
(-) We didnt enjoy the party last nigth, did we ?

V. THERE
In every statement when there is there, so the tag question must be there too.
Ex :
(+) There will be a concert at school next Friday, wont there ?
(-) There is an accident in front of the school, isnt there ?
(-) There werent any activities yesterday, were there ?

VI. HARDLY
Is almost not (-).
Ex :
(+) Ida can hardly enter the host, can she ?
(+) I hardly finish the work, do I ?

VII. POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE STATEMENT

Positivly : always, often, usually.
Ex :
You always come on time, dont you?
Everybody often make a mistake, dont they?

Negativly : sometimes, seldom, rarely, never

Ex :
You sometimes come on time, do you ?

 We have never seen that, have we?

VIII. NOUN + THING

Something like everything, nothing, something, anything.
Ex :
(+) everything is important for us, isnt it ?
(-) nothing will come by it self, will it ?

XI.

PROHIBITION AND COMMAND SENTENCES.

All the prohibition and command sentences tag question always use will you?
Ex :
Open the door, will you?
Dont smoke, will you?
Dont talk too loudly, will you?
Stop over there, will you?
Let them go, will you?

X.

INVITATION SENTENCES

The tag question of invitation sentences always use shall we ?

Ex :
Lets go swimming, shall we?
Lets take a rest, shall we?
Lets have a tea, shall we?

XI.

EVERY + ..

The tag question of every+.. sentences always use .+they ?

Ex :

Everybody is ready, arent they?

Everyone should be polite, shouldnt they?

Everybody made a mistake, didnt they?

The Table of Auxiliary

VERB

AUXILIARY

is / am / are

is / am / are

V1 / s

was / were
do / does

V2 / ed

did
Have

have

Has
Had

has
had