Category: Class

A tag question is a positive or negative sentence that is immediately followed by a short question. It is used when asking for confirmation. It means something similar to: “Is that right?” or “Do you agree?” Keep in mind that the tag takes on the form of auxiliary or main verb be from the main sentence and is changed to either negative or positive.

For simple past and present, do, does, and did are used in the tag.

POSITIVE STATEMENT TAG QUESTIONS

Positive Statement               Negative Tag

He is English,                          isn’t he?

He is English, isn’t he?

NEGATIVE STATEMENT TAG QUESTIONS

Negative Statement              Positive Tag

You don’t work here,               do you?

You don’t work here, do you?

 ANSWERING TAG QUESTIONS

 A tag question is answerable by yes or no. To answer, simply repeat the tag and reverse it.

Example:

Tag Question: The sun revolves around the earth, doesn’t it?

Answer: Yes, it does.

The meanings of yes and no when responding to a negative sentence:

Question: You’re not attending the meeting this afternoon, are you?

Answers:

Yes. – Yes, I am attending

No. – No, I am not attending.

INTONATION

With a tag question, the meaning is implied by the way it is said.

Using rising intonation denotes that it is an actual question. Meanwhile, using falling intonation means it is not a real question but a mere invitation for the listener to agree to what the speaker is saying.

SOME EXCEPTIONS

• The tag for Let’s is shall we.

Example: Let’s begin the ceremony, shall we?

• The tag for imperatives is will you.

Example: Give that to me, will you?

• The negative tag for I’m is aren’t I.

Example: I’m one of your best friends, aren’t I?

ALL / MOST / NO

ALL

• All refers to a whole group of people or things. It does not need to be followed by “the”.

Example:  All phones have screens. 

• Same goes for time expressions like all day, all night, week, all year, all summer.

Example: She studied all night and was very exhausted the next day.

• It is also used before an uncountable nouns.

Example: All food in their menu is salt-free.

• We normally use everybody or everyone instead of all people.

Example: Everyone wants to achieve their dreams. (All people want to achieve their dreams.)

MOST

• Most is used to talk about quantities, amounts, and degree.  Most used with a noun means “the majority of”.

Example: Most tap water in the region is potable.

NO

• No is used right before a noun.

Example: She has got no place to go.

ALL OF / MOST OF / NONE OF

ALL OF

• All of is usually followed by pronouns: us, them, this, that, these, those, whom, and which.

Example: Die Hard, all of which stars Bruce Willis, is Jake’s favorite movie franchise.

• All or all of can be used with demonstrative pronouns this, that, these, those.

Examples:

All (of) this nonsense has to stop!

Are all (of) these food gluten-free?

MOST OF

• Most of with a noun is used to refer to the majority of a specific group of something.

Most of the people I work with here are very professional.

The climate of most of New York State is warm summers and cold winters.

NONE OF

• None of is used before the, this, that, my, your or pronouns.

Example:

None of the topics he studied for appeared on his test.

None of her friends like her boyfriend.

COMPARE

All vs All of

All babies are cute. (=all babies in general)

All of the babies in the nursery got sick because of a virus. (=specific group of babies)

Most vs Most of

Most families have their own problems. (=most families in general)

Most of the families who live on this street have two or more cars. (=specific group of families)