Question tags are short questions added at the end of a sentence. We use them to confirm information or seek agreement . They turn a statement into a question, making conversations more interactive and engaging. For students in Class 6 to 10, mastering question tags is essential for speaking and writing English correctly and confidently.
At Dhingra Classes Nashik, we believe that understanding question tags is a key step toward building strong grammar skills. This comprehensive guide covers the rules, exceptions, and includes 5 solved practice worksheets with answer keys.
📘 What is a Question Tag?
A question tag is a short, confirming question added to the end of a statement. It is used to check if the listener agrees, to confirm information, or to make conversation more natural . It consists of an auxiliary verb and the subject of the main clause in pronoun form (he, she, it, we, they, etc.) .
Example:
You are coming to the party, aren’t you?
She can’t swim, can she?
They have finished their work, haven’t they?
🔍 Rules for Forming Question Tags
Rule 1: Positive Statement → Negative Tag
When the main sentence is positive, the question tag should be negative .
| Statement | Question Tag |
|---|---|
| She is a doctor, | isn’t she? |
| They are playing, | aren’t they? |
| He likes pizza, | doesn’t he? |
Rule 2: Negative Statement → Positive Tag
When the main sentence is negative, the question tag should be positive .
| Statement | Question Tag |
|---|---|
| She isn’t a doctor, | is she? |
| They aren’t playing, | are they? |
| He doesn’t like pizza, | does he? |
Rule 3: Use the Same Auxiliary Verb
The question tag must use the same auxiliary verb (helping verb) as the main statement.
| Statement | Question Tag |
|---|---|
| He is coming, | isn’t he? |
| They can swim, | can’t they? |
| She has gone, | hasn’t she? |
Rule 4: Use the Subject Pronoun
The subject in the question tag must be a pronoun (he, she, it, we, they, you, I).
| Statement | Question Tag |
|---|---|
| John is late, | isn’t he? |
| The students are here, | aren’t they? |
| The book is on the table, | isn’t it? |
Rule 5: Special Cases
| Special Rule | Example |
|---|---|
| “I am” → “aren’t I?” | I am your friend, aren’t I? |
| Imperative (Let’s) → “shall we?” | Let’s go for a walk, shall we? |
| Imperative (Do/Don’t) → “will you?” | Open the door, will you? |
| Negative words (never, no, nobody) → Positive tag | Nobody came, did they? |
| There is/are → Use “isn’t there?” / “aren’t there?” | There is a cat, isn’t there? |
🧠 Tips to Master Question Tags
| Tip | Description |
|---|---|
| Identify the Auxiliary | Find the helping verb in the statement (is, am, are, was, were, have, has, can, will, etc.) |
| Positive → Negative, Negative → Positive | This is the golden rule of question tags. |
| Use Pronouns | Always replace the subject with a pronoun in the tag (John → he, the girls → they, the book → it). |
| Watch for Special Cases | “I am” → “aren’t I?”; “Let’s” → “shall we?” |
| Think About Intonation | The tag goes up in pitch (like a question) when you are unsure, and down when you are sure. |
| Practice Regularly | Use worksheets and conversations to build confidence. |
📝 5 Solved Practice Worksheets
Worksheet 1 – Add the Correct Question Tag
Instructions: Add the correct question tag to each sentence.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. You are coming to the party, ________? | aren’t you? |
| 2. She can’t swim, ________? | can she? |
| 3. They have finished their work, ________? | haven’t they? |
| 4. He will help us, ________? | won’t he? |
| 5. It isn’t raining now, ________? | is it? |
| 6. Everyone is invited, ________? | aren’t they? |
| 7. Let’s go for a walk, ________? | shall we? |
| 8. Open the door, ________? | will you? |
| 9. I am your friend, ________? | aren’t I? |
| 10. He has a car, ________? | doesn’t he? |
| 11. They were playing, ________? | weren’t they? |
| 12. She is a doctor, ________? | isn’t she? |
| 13. He loves coffee, ________? | doesn’t he? |
| 14. You haven’t met her, ________? | have you? |
| 15. It was a great movie, ________? | wasn’t it? |
Worksheet 2 – Identify the Error and Correct It
Instructions: Identify and correct the errors in the question tags.
| Question | Correction |
|---|---|
| 1. She can swim, can’t she? | Correct |
| 2. He isn’t coming, isn’t he? | He isn’t coming, is he? |
| 3. They are late, aren’t they? | Correct |
| 4. Let’s go, will we? | Let’s go, shall we? |
| 5. I am wrong, am I? | I am wrong, aren’t I? |
| 6. There is a cat, isn’t there? | Correct |
| 7. Nobody came, didn’t they? | Nobody came, did they? |
| 8. Open the window, won’t you? | Open the window, will you? |
| 9. She has a car, hasn’t she? | She has a car, doesn’t she? |
| 10. They weren’t there, weren’t they? | They weren’t there, were they? |
Worksheet 3 – Choose the Correct Question Tag
Instructions: Choose the correct question tag from the options given.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. She plays the violin beautifully, _______? (a) doesn’t she? (b) isn’t she? (c) hasn’t she? | (a) doesn’t she? |
| 2. We visited Rome last summer, _______? (a) didn’t we? (b) weren’t we? (c) haven’t we? | (a) didn’t we? |
| 3. He can speak three languages, _______? (a) can’t he? (b) doesn’t he? (c) isn’t he? | (a) can’t he? |
| 4. The train leaves at noon, _______? (a) doesn’t it? (b) isn’t it? (c) hasn’t it? | (a) doesn’t it? |
| 5. They finished their homework, _______? (a) didn’t they? (b) weren’t they? (c) haven’t they? | (a) didn’t they? |
| 6. She isn’t coming, _______? (a) is she? (b) isn’t she? (c) does she? | (a) is she? |
| 7. Let’s go to the park, _______? (a) will we? (b) shall we? (c) can we? | (b) shall we? |
| 8. I am your best friend, _______? (a) aren’t I? (b) am I not? (c) isn’t it? | (a) aren’t I? |
| 9. Nobody knows the answer, _______? (a) do they? (b) don’t they? (c) isn’t it? | (a) do they? |
| 10. Open the window, _______? (a) will you? (b) won’t you? (c) don’t you? | (a) will you? |
Worksheet 4 – Fill in the Blanks with Question Tags
Instructions: Fill in the blanks with the correct question tag.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. It is a beautiful day, ________? | isn’t it? |
| 2. She has visited Paris, ________? | hasn’t she? |
| 3. You will call me, ________? | won’t you? |
| 4. He doesn’t like spicy food, ________? | does he? |
| 5. They were watching TV, ________? | weren’t they? |
| 6. We are going to the mall, ________? | aren’t we? |
| 7. He had finished his work, ________? | hadn’t he? |
| 8. She could help us, ________? | couldn’t she? |
| 9. There are many stars, ________? | aren’t there? |
| 10. You have been studying, ________? | haven’t you? |
Worksheet 5 – Match the Statement with the Correct Tag
Instructions: Match the statement in Column A with the correct question tag in Column B.
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| 1. She is a teacher, | A. isn’t he? |
| 2. He likes chocolate, | B. aren’t they? |
| 3. They are happy, | C. doesn’t she? |
| 4. She doesn’t eat meat, | D. isn’t she? |
| 5. He is coming, | E. does she? |
| 6. She sings well, | F. will you? |
| 7. Open the door, | G. doesn’t he? |
| 8. Let’s go for a walk, | H. shall we? |
Answers:
She is a teacher → D (isn’t she?)
He likes chocolate → G (doesn’t he?)
They are happy → B (aren’t they?)
She doesn’t eat meat → E (does she?)
He is coming → A (isn’t he?)
She sings well → C (doesn’t she?)
Open the door → F (will you?)
Let’s go for a walk → H (shall we?)
🌟 How Dhingra Classes Helps Students Master English Grammar
At Dhingra Classes Nashik, we make grammar easy and engaging by:
Conceptual Teaching: Explaining rules with real-life examples.
Interactive Practice: Quizzes, games, and group activities.
Regular Worksheets: Providing exercises to reinforce learning.
Personalized Attention: Helping each student overcome their challenges.
📞 Contact Dhingra Classes Nashik
Phone: 98230 62106
Email: dhingraclassesnsk@gmail.com
Website: www.dhingraclassesnashik.com
Address: Plot No 3, XQ3G+H3M Deacon Homes, 301C, opp. Metro Zone, near Guru Govind Sing, Samarth Nagar, Dnyaneshwar Nagar, Pathardi Phata, Nashik, Maharashtra 422009
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