- http://www.grammar.cl/Games/Question_Tags.htm
- http://speakspeak.com/english-grammar-exercises/intermediate/questions-tags
Question tags – advanced points
1. Aren’t I?
The question tag for I am is aren’t I, not amn’t I.
I am late, aren’t I? (NOT I am late, amn’t I?)
2. In question tags referring to nobody, somebody, everybody etc., we use they.
Nobody came, did they? (NOT …did nobody?)
Somebody wanted a drink, didn’t they?
3. In question tags referring to nothing and everything we use it.
Everything is ok, isn’t it? (NOT …isn’t everything?)
Nothing can happen, can it? (NOT …can nothing?)
4. Let’s
After let’s… we use shall we?
Let’s go for a walk, shall we?
5. Sentences containing negative words like hardly, never, no, nobody and little are followed by non-negative tags.
You never call me, do you? (NOT …don’t you?)
He is no good, is he? (NOT …isn’t he?)
I have hardly ever met her, have I?
6.After principal verb have, question tags with have and do are often both possible. Note that do is more common in American English.
They have a farm house, haven’t / don’t they?
He had a bad headache, hadn’t/didn’t he?
The question tag for I am is aren’t I, not amn’t I.
I am late, aren’t I? (NOT I am late, amn’t I?)
2. In question tags referring to nobody, somebody, everybody etc., we use they.
Nobody came, did they? (NOT …did nobody?)
Somebody wanted a drink, didn’t they?
3. In question tags referring to nothing and everything we use it.
Everything is ok, isn’t it? (NOT …isn’t everything?)
Nothing can happen, can it? (NOT …can nothing?)
4. Let’s
After let’s… we use shall we?
Let’s go for a walk, shall we?
5. Sentences containing negative words like hardly, never, no, nobody and little are followed by non-negative tags.
You never call me, do you? (NOT …don’t you?)
He is no good, is he? (NOT …isn’t he?)
I have hardly ever met her, have I?
6.After principal verb have, question tags with have and do are often both possible. Note that do is more common in American English.
They have a farm house, haven’t / don’t they?
He had a bad headache, hadn’t/didn’t he?
7. Imperatives
Sometimes we use question tags with imperatives (invitations, orders), but the sentence remains an imperative and does not require a direct answer. We use won't for invitations. We use can, can't, will, would for orders.| imperative + question tag | notes |
|---|---|
| Take a seat, won't you? | polite invitation |
| Help me, can you? | quite friendly |
| Help me, can't you? | quite friendly (some irritation?) |
| Close the door, would you? | quite polite |
| Do it now, will you. | less polite |
| Don't forget, will you. | with negative imperatives only will is possible |
http://www.englishlearner.com/intermediate/question-tags-multiple-choice-test-1.shtml
