Question Tags in English Grammar

Study Notes

Question Tags

Question tags are used at the end of statements to make them into questions by adding an auxiliary verb such as 'do', 'did' or 'does'. This is also known as tagging. They express doubt or uncertainty. In British English, these question tags are often pronounced with a rising intonation, which can give them a questioning tone even if the statement itself doesn't sound like a question. Here's how they work:

Statement - Question Tag
-----------------------
I went to London last week - Did you?
She hasn't finished her homework yet - Has she?
They won't come tonight - Will they?

In Scottish English, question tags are more likely to be left alone after the statement, while in Northern Irish English, they may be pronounced with falling intonation or even omitted altogether. However, this does not affect their function, which remains the same regardless of regional variations.

Grammar

Grammatically, question tags are still considered declarative sentences because the first part of the sentence does not change from its original form. They merely express uncertainty rather than making a direct request for information. For example, "You want some tea?" is a request for information, while "You want some tea, don't you?" is a statement expressing doubt.

Word Order

The word order of question tags follows the structure: "Main clause + auxiliary verb + subject pronoun + question tag." So, for the sentence "He isn't eating cheese," the corresponding question tag would be "Isn't he?" or "Aren't you?" in response to someone else's statement. If the main clause starts with an auxiliary verb, the pronoun precedes it; otherwise, the pronoun follows the main clause.

For example:

Statement - Question Tag
-----------------------
Will he finish his project tomorrow? - Is he?
Has she been to Europe before? - Has she?
Would I need a visa to go there? - Wouldn't you?

Question tags offer a unique way to express doubt or uncertainty without changing the tense or meaning of the original statement. They provide a significant contribution to spoken English and are valuable tools when interacting with others.

Description

Learn about question tags in English grammar, which are used to convert statements into questions by adding auxiliary verbs like 'do' or 'did'. Understand the word order and function of question tags in expressing doubt or uncertainty within a sentence.