QUESTION TAGS 3H

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 3

QUESTION TAGS

yes/no questions and short answers

yes/no questions and short answers

In English, we never just answer a question with "yes" or "no", unless told otherwise.

So instead, we add part of the original question after the yes or no.

Do you like apples?

Yes, I do.

No, I don't ( do not).

Is she singing a song?

Yes, she is.

No, she isn't (is not).

question tags

Question Tags

Grammar is cool, isn't it?

This is an example of a question tag. 

A question tag is the short question at the end of the sentence. 

It is similar to the Dutch: 'klopt dat?', 'Ben je het ermee eens?', 

 'vind je niet?', 'toch?', or 'hè?' 

 As with everything in English, there's a rule you need to know to make these question tags. 

Question Tags

The rule: 

 An affirmative or positive (positieve) sentence (+) gets a negative (ontkennend/negatief) tag (-) 

 gets a negative (ontkennend/negatief) sentence (-) gets an affirmative or positive (positieve) tag(+)

It's like the poles of a battery or a magnet, they are always opposed 

Question Tags

Examples: 

He is a teacher at this school, isn't he? 

(Sentence is  +,  so tag is - ) 

 

They can't speak Dutch, can they? 

(Sentence is -, so tag is + )

Question tags

When making a question tag, you always repeat or reference the verb from the main sentence.  

These can be a form of to be (am/is/are) or helping verbs (can, have, should, could, would) 

If the main sentence uses other verbs than these, you replace the verb with do/does or did in the question tag. 

(do/does = present/tegenwoordige tijd and did = past/verleden tijd)

Question Tags

Examples:

They are working hard, aren't they?  

You can speak English, can't you? 

We need to study this for the test, don't we?  

They work together, don't they? 

She sings in that pop group, doesn't she? 

He doesn't go to school every day, does he?

Let's practise

He is a good singer, …………?

1. is he
2. he isn't
3. he is
4. isn't he

The right answer is:

D

You're a big fan,.....?

1. are you
2. aren't you
3. you are
4. you aren't

The right answer is:

B

They aren't married,.....?

1. are they
2. aren't they
3. they are
4. they aren't

The right answer is:

A

You walk an hour every day, ……?

1. do you
2. walk you
3. don't you
4. walken't you

The right answer is:

C

He can help you,...….?

1. can he
2. can't he
3. he can
4. he can't

The right answer is:

B