10/02/2022
Tag Questions
The word ‘ Tag’ means to add up something. The question which is added at the end of a sentence/ conversation is called a Tag Question. Tag Questions are used for agreements or disagreements.
Tag Questions are classified into three. As,
(a) Question Tag,
(b) Reinforcement Tag and
(c) Echo Tag
(a) Question Tag: Converting the affirmative into negative and negative into the affirmative. (vice-versa)
As, I shall help you, shan’t I ?
They will not play now, will they?
(b) Reinforcement Tag: a tag which repeats and so reinforces or strengthens the meaning of the subject and verb. Repeated subject and auxiliary verb in informal spoken English especially British English, a sentence sometimes ends with a ‘tag’ which repeats the subject and auxiliary verb. As,
You have gone mad, You have?
I am getting fed up, I am?
You are a real idiot, you are?
(c) Echo Tag: an echo tag is almost similar to the reinforcement tag but a bit difference lies between the two. An echo tag puts emphasis on the sentence only. As,
She is really an idiot, really she is?
Rules For Question Tags
(a) If the main sentence is in the affirmative, the tag question must be in the negative and
(b) if the main sentence is in the negative, the tag question must be in the affirmative.
(c ) The auxiliary verb in the main sentence will be used in the Tag Question.
(d) If the main sentence is without any auxiliary, then use do, does, did/don’t, doesn’t, didn’t + the subject
(e) Put the question mark (?) at the end of the sentence.
Note: If the tag becomes negative, use the short form of the auxiliary and we will see that only Ten(10) words/pronouns as the subject in the Tag, are used. Such words are--- I, we, you, thou, Ye, he, she, it, they & there.
Note: Never use a Noun in the Tag Question. If there are two auxiliaries in the main sentence, only the first one is used in the formation of the question tag. As,
a. You should have done it, shouldn’t you?
b. He might have finished the work, mightn’t he?
c. Thou art going there, aren’t thou?
d. Thy book is excellent, isn’t it?
Rule-1: If the main sentence has-- hardly, rare, rarely, seldom, few, scarcely, once in a blue moon, too, little, never, few and far between, no and not then the Tag Question becomes in the affirmative/positive because these words are negative and hence, the main sentence being negative, the tag question becomes affirmative. Such as,
1. Barking dogs seldom bite, do they?
2. Water is scarcely found here, is it?
3. I shall never help you, shall I ?
4. He visits us once in a blue moon, does he?
5. He comes here few and far between, does he?
6. The boy is too weak to walk, is he?
7. There is no rickshaw on the road, is there?
8. It is rarely found here, is it?
9. There is little to do about this matter, is there?
10. He has few books , has he/does he?
Note: But a few/a little indicates positive. As,
1. He has a few books, hasn’t/doesn’t he?
2. There is a little water in the glass, isn’t there?