Question Tag

A question tag added to a statement at its end is used to emphasize the statement. When a speaker used a tag question with his statement, we mean that he needn’t any information about it but merely expects agreement or confirmation from whom he speaks to.
A tag question has two parts – an auxiliary verb sometimes contracted with ‘not’ and a pronoun.
I do a lot, don’t I/do I not?
Formation
1) The question tag becomes positive when the statement is negative and vice versa.
2) Its subject is always a pronoun.
3) It always bears an auxiliary verb which is consistent with the verb of the statement.
4) A comma comes before it and an interrogation sign (?) ends it.
He doesn’t write, does he?
He writes, doesn’t he?
Auxiliaries of a tag question
1) It will be ‘do’ or does in the present indefinite tense and did the past indefinite tense.
He eats, doesn’t he?
He does not eat, does he?
2) Let’s containing imperative sentences take ‘shall’ or ‘will’ whereas let them/him/her etc containing ones take ‘will’ in their respective question tags. Other imperative sentences take ‘will’.
3) You may have can, could, may, might, should, would, etc as the auxiliaries of imperative sentences, but the meaning of the sentences must coincide with what the auxiliaries give.
For example, let’s do it gives a suggestion which can also be stated with an assertive sentence of the same meaning as we should do it. Here you can use ‘should’ in a question tag.
Let’s do it, should we?
4) For other auxiliaries the present auxiliaries are used to make question tags.
He has eaten, hasn’t he?
5) Amn’t is not acceptable. So here we use aren’t though am I not is possible. We can also use a very informal form ain’t for hasn’t, haven’t, aren’t, isn’t, weren’t, wasn’t and hadn’t.
He has done it, ain’t he?
Subject of a tag question
1) All the imperative sentences take ‘you’ as a subject of a tag question though for let’s containing imperative sentences the subject can be ‘we’.
Let’s find the solution, shall we? /will you?
2) When the subject of a sentence is a noun, the relevant pronoun is used.
As for example, he for karim(3rd person singular male), she for Rahima(3rd person singular female), it for a pen(object singular), they for pens (object plural ), they for man(mankind), it for baby, they for babies, etc.
3) When the subject of a sentence is a pronoun, it is still the subject of the tag question excepting some indefinite pronouns such as everybody, anybody, somebody, someone, none, nobody, every man, no men, no person, etc, where the subject of the question tag is ‘they’.
4) The subject is ‘it’ for something, nothing, everything and anything.
Everything is okay, isn’t it?
5) Each of, each one of and every one of are always followed by a plural noun or pronoun, but the verb is singular and give ‘they’ to the question tag excepting each of/each one of / every one of us and each of/each one of / every one of you which give we and you respectively.
Each one of the people has said it, haven’t they?
Each of us shall do, shan’t we?
Every one of you will do, won’t you?
6) Neither of, either of and none of are always followed by a plural noun or pronoun and give ‘they’ to the tag question, but neither of/ either of/none of us give ‘we’ and neither of/either of/none of you give ‘you’.
Neither of, either of and none of them are not guilty, are they?
7) Some + uncountable/singular noun gives ‘it/he/she/etc’ to the question tag and some + plural noun give ‘they’.
Some cars don’t work, do they?
Some paper is torn, isn’t it?
Some men are ill, aren’t they?
Some man is waiting, isn’t he?
8) When all comes before or refers to an uncountable noun or a singular countable noun and a plural noun, it gives ‘it’ and ‘they’ respectively to the question tag.
All the mango is rotten, isn’t it?
All of the birds are flying, aren’t they?
9) When all is followed by a relative clause often without that, it gives ‘it’ to the tag,
All I want is peace and quiet, isn’t it?
10) Any/ any + uncountable/singular noun gives ‘it’ or ‘they’ to the question tag and any + plural noun give ‘they’.
Any man may come, mayn’t they?
Any pen will do, won’t it?
Any/any of the pens will do, won’t they?
11) The question tags for the sentences beginning with ‘here’ or ‘there’ are as the examples are,
Here is a bus stand, isn’t here?
There is a bus stand near our school, isn’t there?
12) Many nouns connected by and, both – and, not only – but also, either – or, neither – nor, etc give ‘they’ to the tag question,
Rahim and Karim are working, aren’t they?
Both he and his friends quarreled there, didn’t they?
13) When more than one pronoun form the subject of the statement,
He, you and I are busy, aren’t we?
They and you will come, won’t you?
14) Principal clauses of complex and compound sentences determine the question tag.
He is ill but I am well, isn’t he?
How to use not
1) Not is contracted with the auxiliaries. Separate position of not is also possible but after the subject.
He is absent, isn’t he?
He is absent, is he not?
2) If the statement contains none, nobody, never, nothing, neither, badly, scarcely, no sooner, barely, seldom, rarely, pressedly(hardly for time and money) or other negative words, the question tag will be affirmative.
He seldom comes, does he?
3) Ill when used as an adverb and comes before a verb giving the meaning ‘only with difficulty’ or ‘hardly’ gives negative sense. Thus
I can ill afford the mony for holyday, can I?
4) Small when used before an uncountable noun with a meaning ‘no’ give the negative sense.
You have small cause for optimism, do you?
5) ‘Little’ when used as an adverb and comes at the beginning of a sentence gives a negative meaning.
Little do I know about him, do I?
6) Some when used before a countable and uncountable noun, at the beginning of a sentence, only in an exclamatory sentence expresses a negative opinion with a meaning ‘no’ or ‘no kind of’.
Some kind of expert you are, are you?
7) Tag question may be affirmative or negative for an affirmative imperative, but for a negative imperative it is affirmative.
Do it, will you/won’t you?
Don’t enter, will you?
8) Had rather, had better, had best, would rather, would sooner, etc compound auxiliaries contribute the past part to the question tag.
You’d better change your wet dress, hadn’t you?
You ‘d rather go by air, wouldn’t you?
9) An exclamatory sentence may have a question tag to be done in ordinary way.
What a fool you are, aren’t you?
10) When we see need to have verb patterns V.ing, V.to inf or Vn, we’ll treat it as an ordinary verb, but when an infinitive without to follows it, it is a modal one. Thus,
He needs a car, doesn’t he?
The car needs repairing, doesn’t it?
I need to wait here, don’t I?
I need hardly tell the happenings, need I?
11) Has to, have to, had to and used to are used as both modal and ordinary verbs. Thus their question tags will be,
I have to go there, don’t I?
He had to come, hadn’t he?
You used to walk by river side, didn’t you/usedn’t you?
12) If dare has an infinitive without to after it, it can be considered as both ordinary and modal verbs.
We dare jump from the top of the hill, daren’t we/don’t we?
We dared jump from the top of the hill, daredn’t/didn’t we?
Lila durst blow a fist to me, durstn’t she?
13) When an infinitive with to or a noun or pronoun follows it, it must be an ordinary verb.
I dare you to do it, don’t I? I dared to do it, didn’t I?
14) Have, has and had are used as both modal and ordinary verbs. so
I have something to do, haven’t/don’t I?
15) There is no/little to do sth gives negative meaning.
There is little hope to succeed, is there?

Contraction of not
Am + not =aren’t, are + not=aren’t, is + not = isn’t, do + not = don’t, does + not = doesn’t, will + not = won’t, shall + not = shan’t, may + not = mayn’t, have + not = haven’t, has + not = hasn’t, had + not = hadn’t, were + not = weren’t, was + not = wasn’t, would + not = wouldn’t, should + not = shouldn’t, might + not = mightn’t, used + not = usedn’t, ought + not = oughtn’t, need + not = needn’t, dare(d) + not = dare(d)n’t , could + not = couldn’t, can + not = can’t,
Exercise
A)
1)Fair’s fair. 2) The do’s and don’ts have to be followed. 3) We dared to take an evasive action. 4) They dared take a picture of her. 5) They durst bear resentment towards us. 6) I can hardly keep the child awake.7) Let it be a lesson to you. 8) Do me a favour to turn the music on. 9) Don’t live in straightened circumstances.10) Let’s achieve our heart’s desire.

B) 1) You had better do him the courtesy of doing what he needs. 2) Their motives remain a mystery. 3) Long time no see. 4) It is regrettable that he failed.5) That the knife is blunt is not known to me. 6) Do or die.7) Some man went there. 8) Some men went there. 9)Tit for tat 10) They need give him a big round of applause.
C) 1) I need to break the agreement.2) He need lie wide awake. 3) I don’t need remaining under great strain. 4) Some kind of expert you are. 5) It’s a pleasure.6) She takes no pleasure at her work. 6) Any of us must come.7) Every one of you do it. 8) Some of this work has already done. 9) Either of the boys is okay. 10) Any kind is enough.
D) 1) Any sorts of it will do. 2) I have to pressedly support my family. 3) What beats me is how he did it.4) What a stroke of luck finding you here! 5) You may go at your pleasure. 6) Partiality doesn’t come into play in a business. 7) He made a play for gaining my support. 8) Neither he or his friends was present. 9) The puzzle passes my comprehension. 10) There is a little disagreement to settle dispute. 10) The teachers ought to keep a beady eye on us.
E) 1) Here is yours.2) It is hardly surprising that he failed the exam.3) I could hardly believe my eyes. 4) You needn’t make a hard-hearted attempt at it. 5) We are making little headway (progress) with negotiations. 6) Very few are obtained. 7) Viewing is by appointment only. 8) She is none the wiser. 9) Dawn broke over the town. 10) Have the pleasure of the audition.
11) Some hope! 12) Do the honorable thing by resigning.