Question Tags

A question tag is a short question added to the end of a statement to check or confirm something. It turns a sentence into a question.

What You'll Learn

How to form question tags from positive statements (positive statement = negative tag)
How to match the tense and auxiliary verb between the statement and the tag
How to pick the correct pronoun for the tag
How to use question tags with common auxiliary verbs: is, are, was, were, do, does, did, can, will, has, have

When to Use

Checking if something is true: "You are coming to the party, aren't you?"
Asking for agreement: "The weather is lovely today, isn't it?"
Confirming what you think: "She finished her homework, didn't she?"
Making conversation: "We had fun at the carnival, didn't we?"
Seeking reassurance: "Dad will pick us up from school, won't he?"

How to Form

Step-by-Step

Look at the statement before the comma.
Find the auxiliary verb (helping verb) in the statement.
If the statement is positive, make the tag negative (add not / use the short form).
Use the same auxiliary verb in the tag.
End the tag with the correct pronoun for the subject.

Auxiliary Verb Tag Table

Statement Auxiliary	Positive Statement Example	Negative Tag
is	She is your sister,	isn't she?
are	They are playing outside,	aren't they?
was	He was at the hawker centre,	wasn't he?
were	You were late for school,	weren't you?
do	You do like durian,	don't you?
does	She does well in spelling,	doesn't she?
did	They did clean the classroom,	didn't they?
can	He can swim,	can't he?
will	We will visit the zoo,	won't we?
has	She has finished her work,	hasn't she?
have	They have eaten lunch,	haven't they?

When There Is No Auxiliary Verb

If the statement has no auxiliary verb (just a main verb in the simple present or simple past), use do / does / did in the tag.

Tense	Statement	Tag
Simple present (he/she/it)	He likes football,	doesn't he?
Simple present (I/you/we/they)	They walk to school,	don't they?
Simple past	She cooked dinner,	didn't she?

Key Rules

Positive statement = negative tag: If the statement does not contain "not", the tag must be negative. "She is tired, isn't she?"
Match the auxiliary verb: The tag must use the same auxiliary verb as the statement. "They are coming, aren't they?" (not "don't they?")
Match the tense: A past-tense statement needs a past-tense tag. "He was hungry, wasn't he?" (not "isn't he?")
Use a pronoun in the tag: Replace the subject with the correct pronoun. "My mother is cooking, isn't she?" (not "isn't my mother?")
Use short forms for the negative: Write isn't, aren't, doesn't, didn't, won't, can't -- not "is not", "are not" in the tag.
No auxiliary? Use do/does/did: When the statement has only a main verb, pick the right form of "do". "She plays piano, doesn't she?" (simple present, third person = does)

Common Mistakes

Wrong	Right	Why
She is happy, is she?	She is happy, isn't she?	A positive statement needs a negative tag
They are singing, don't they?	They are singing, aren't they?	The auxiliary verb is are, not do
He was tired, isn't he?	He was tired, wasn't he?	The statement is in the past tense, so the tag must also be past
Tom likes ice cream, isn't he?	Tom likes ice cream, doesn't he?	"Likes" has no auxiliary verb, so use does (not "is")
My friends play football, doesn't they?	My friends play football, don't they?	"My friends" is plural (= they), so use don't, not doesn't
The children can swim, can't the children?	The children can swim, can't they?	Use the pronoun "they" in the tag, not the full noun

Clue Words

Common auxiliary verbs to look for

is, am, are, was, were, do, does, did, can, will, has, have

Pronoun swaps for tags

he, she, it, they, we, you

Negative short forms for tags

isn't, aren't, wasn't, weren't, don't, doesn't, didn't, can't, won't, hasn't, haven't

Tip: Read the statement and find the helping verb. Copy it into the tag and add not. If you cannot find a helping verb, use do, does, or did based on the tense and subject.

Practice Tips

Circle the auxiliary: In the statement, circle the helping verb. That same verb goes into the tag. No helping verb? Circle the main verb and decide between do/does/did.
Flip the switch: Think of it like a light switch -- if the statement is "on" (positive), the tag must be "off" (negative).
Pronoun check: Cover the subject of the statement and ask, "What pronoun would I use?" That pronoun goes at the end of the tag.
Read it aloud: After forming the tag, read the full sentence aloud. It should sound like a natural question you might hear in conversation.

Quick Reference

Statement Pattern	Tag Pattern	Example
Subject + is ...	isn't + pronoun?	The cake is delicious, isn't it?
Subject + are ...	aren't + pronoun?	You are ready, aren't you?
Subject + was ...	wasn't + pronoun?	She was absent, wasn't she?
Subject + were ...	weren't + pronoun?	They were late, weren't they?
Subject + can ...	can't + pronoun?	He can ride a bike, can't he?
Subject + will ...	won't + pronoun?	We will go to the library, won't we?
Subject + has + past participle	hasn't + pronoun?	She has eaten, hasn't she?
Subject + have + past participle	haven't + pronoun?	They have arrived, haven't they?
Subject + verb (simple present)	don't/doesn't + pronoun?	He likes reading, doesn't he?
Subject + verb (simple past)	didn't + pronoun?	She walked home, didn't she?

Question Tags (P4) (Primary 4)