QUESTION TAGS

QUESTION TAGS

A.    Introduction

In most languages, tag questions are more common in colloquial spoken usage than in formal written usage. They can be an indicator of politeness, emphasize or irony. They may suggest confidence or lack of confidence; they may be confrontational, defensive or tentative. Although they have the grammatical form of a question, they may differ from questions in that they do not expect an answer.

In other cases, when they do expect a response, they may differ from straightforward questions in that they cue the listener as to what response is desired. In legal settings, tag questions can often be found in a leading question. In a tag question the speaker make statement, but is not completely certain of the truth, so he or she uses a tag question to verify the previous statement.

Sentences using tag questions should have the main clause separated from the tag by a comma. The sentence will always end with a question mark.

B.     The Rules of Question Tag

There are many rules of question tags such us :

1.      Use the same auxiliary verb as in the main clause. If there is no auxiliary, use do, does, or did.

For example :

Tag question with auxiliaries is, am, are, was, were. So, the question tag should be repeated with the contrast form.

·         There are only twenty-eight days in February, aren’t day ?

·         you are not policeman, are you?

EXCEPTION :

      If in the positive statement, use to be am with subject I (I’m). So, in the question tag to be must be changed with “are”.

For example : I’m a student, aren’t I ?

       If in the negative statement, use subject “I’m”. so that in the question tag, to be “am” didn’t change.

For example : I’m not a servant, am I?

 Tag question without auxiliaries, which is the focus of this study can further be subdivided into four structural types:

a.  Reversed tag question with positive form.
    e.g. They like you, don't they?

b. Reversed tag question with negative form.
    e.g. They don't like you, do they?

c.  Direct tag question with positive form.
    e.g. You do love him, do you?

     e.g. You don't love him, don't you?

2.       if the main clause is negative, the tag is affirmative; if the main clause is affirmative, the tag is negative.

For example :

·         Positive statement ->question tag negative

- You are Tom, aren't you?

·         negative statement->question tag positive

- He isn't Joe, is he?

·         Negative statement->question tag positive

- It’s raining now, isn’t it ?

·         positive statement -> question tag negative

- it isn’t raining now, is it?

3.      Don’t change the tense, the tag tense same with the tense in the sentence.

For example :

Present form

·         She types accurately, doesn’t she ?

      Past form

·         He played well yesterday, didn’t he?

4.      Use the same subject in the main clause and the tag. The tag must always contain the subject form of the pronoun.

For example :

·         You and I talk with the professor yesterday, didn’t we ?

5.      Negative forms are usually contracted (n’t) . if they are not they follow the order auxiliary + subject + not.

For example :

·         He saw this yesterday, did he not?

6.      There is, there are, and it is forms contain a pseudo-subject so the tag will also contain there or it as if it were a subject pronoun.

For example : there is an apple on the table, isn’t it?

7.      The verb have may be used as a main verb (I have a new car) or it may be used as an auxiliary (john has gone to class already). When it functions as a main verb in American English, the auxiliary forms do, does, or did must be used in tag.

For example :

·         You have two children, don’t you?

·         She has not a new mobile phone, has she?

8.      If there are statements use auxiliary verb such us can, may, should, would, will, shall, has, had except to be. Then the auxiliary verb should be repeated in the tag question with a contrast form.

For example :

·         she will invite us, won’t she?

C.    Forms

1.      To be ( am, is, are )

e.g. She is a doctor, isn’t it?

To Have

e.g. You have sent it, haven’t you?

e.g. He has been here since 10 o’clock, hasn’t she ?

3. Modal Auxiliaries

e.g. you needn’t have put more sugar in my coffee, need you?

4. Auxiliary verb and Modal auxiliary verbs

e.g. they ought to go, oughtn’t they?

e.g. he mustn’t go, must he?

e.g. we should have foreseen the problems, shouldn’t we?

5. Tag Question related to tenses

e.g. He understand the lesson now, doesn’t he ?

e.g. they didn’t go to cinema last night, did they ?

e.g. the train had left before I arrived, hadn’t it ? 

Bibliography

Hartanto, Jhon. Accurate, Brief, and Clear English Grammar 1^st edition.

Indah Surabaya Press. 1996. 560 p.

HARYONO, Drs Rudi. Complete English Grammar.

Gitamedia Press. 2002. 302 p.

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