Tag questions are indirect questions that we often use to check something that we think is true.

A question tag has two parts:

1. Statement (positive or negative)
2. Short question (auxiliary verb + subject pronoun)

Example:

Tag question: Your name is Mike, isn’t it?

Direct question: Is your name Mike?

A question tag is a short question we add at the end of a sentence to check information or ask for confirmation.

How to Form a Question Tag

🔹 Step 1: Write your sentence

This is the information you think is true.

You’re a student

🔹 Step 2: Add a comma (,) after the sentence

You’re a student, ___

🔹 Step 3: Choose the correct auxiliary verb or modal verb

It depends on the verb in the sentence.

Auxiliary Verbs

Verb in the sentence	Positive Tag	Negative Tag
be (present)	am, is, are	am not, isn’t, aren’t
be (past)	was, were	wasn’t, weren’t
verb (present)	do, does	don’t, doesn’t
verb (past)	did	didn’t
have + past participle (present perfect)	have, has	haven’t, hasn’t
had + past participle (past perfect)	had	hadn’t

Modal Verbs

Modal	Positive Tag	Negative Tag
can	can	can’t
could	could	couldn’t
will	will	won’t
would	would	wouldn’t
should	should	shouldn’t

🔹 Step 4: Use the opposite form

• If the sentence is positive → the tag is negative
• If the sentence is negative → the tag is positive

✅ You’re tired, aren’t you?
✅ You aren’t tired, are you?

🔹 Step 5: Add the pronoun for the subject

Subject in the sentence	Pronoun in the tag
Maria	she
My parents	they
The weather	it
You and I	we
Your brother	he

🔹 Step 6: Add a question mark (?)

You live here, don’t you?

✅ Full Examples

Sentence	Question Tag
She’s from Mexico, ___	isn’t she?
They don’t eat meat, ___	do they?
You’ll be ready soon, ___	won’t you?
He can drive, ___	can’t he?
We weren’t late, ___	were we?
I’m early, ___	aren’t I? (special form)

Statement Type	Example	Tag
Present simple (be)	He’s late, isn’t he?	isn’t + subject?
Present simple (other verbs)	You live here, don’t you?	don’t + subject?
Present simple negative	They don’t eat meat, do they?	do + subject?
Present continuous	She’s studying, isn’t she?	isn’t + subject?
Past simple (be)	They were tired, weren’t they?	weren’t + subject?
Past simple (other verbs)	He left early, didn’t he?	didn’t + subject?
Modal verbs	You can swim, can’t you?	can’t + subject?
Imperatives (commands)	Close the door, will you?	will + subject

Let’s Practice

Practice 1

Practice 2

Match the phrases

Speaking

Practice 1

Student A: Complete with a tag question.

Student B: Answer the question.

Student C: React to B’s Answer (same/ different answer)

Switch roles

Practice 2