Question Tags

* Question Tags are short questions which are added at the end of a statement.

* They are used to ask for agreement or confirmation.

* They are formed with the auxiliary verb or the modal verb of the main sentence and the subject pronoun.

* An affirmative sentence is followed by a negative question tag.
They went to London yesterday, didn’t they?

* A negative statement is followed by a possitive question tag.
They didn’t buy a house, did they?

* Intonation.~ When we merely expect agreement, the question tags are said with a falling intonation.
~ When we want to check information because we are not sure of the answer, the question tags are said with a rising intonation.

* Let’s see some examples.

She is very intelligent, isn’t she?
They have been to Rome, haven’t they?
He doesn’t speak French, does he?
He can swim very well, can’t he?
There are some coins on the floor, aren’t there?
There is a dog in the garden, isn’t there?
Open the door, will you? / won’t you?
Don’t shout, will you?
Everyone liked the film, didn’t they?
Let’s watch TV, shall we?
This is your son, isn’t it?
That is your mother, isn’t it?

Exercises. Visit the following links:

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/question_tags.htm
http://perso.wanadoo.es/autoenglish/gr.qutags.i.htm
http://engli.webpark.pl/questiontags.htm
http://www.english-test.net/esl/learn/english/grammar/ei037/esl-test.php