If you are a Class XII student searching for high-quality AHSEC Class 12 Alternative English Chapter 14 Question Tags notes to improve your exam performance, then this Ready Guide is for you. It includes all the important question-answers prepared by a team of experts. Our language is very easy to understand and remember. Begin your study journey with us for a bright future.
Class 12 Alternative English Chapter 14 Question Tags
A question tag is a short question added at the end of a statement to confirm information, seek agreement, or make conversation more interactive. It is commonly used in spoken English but is equally important in written communication.
Example:
You are coming, aren’t you?
She is happy, isn’t she?
Basic Structure of Question Tags
A question tag has two parts:
Statement (main clause)
Tag (auxiliary/modal verb + subject pronoun)
Structure:
Positive statement → Negative tag
Negative statement → Positive tag
Examples:
He is a teacher, isn’t he?
She is not ready, is she?
Rule 1: Agreement of Auxiliary Verb
The auxiliary (helping verb) in the tag must match the tense and verb of the statement.
Examples:
She is singing, isn’t she?
They have finished, haven’t they?
He can swim, can’t he?
Rule 2: Use of Pronouns in Tags
The subject in the tag must be a pronoun that replaces the subject of the statement.
Examples:
Rina is late, isn’t she?
The boys are playing, aren’t they?
Your father is here, isn’t he?
Rule 3: Positive and Negative Forms
Positive statement → Negative tag
Negative statement → Positive tag
Examples:
You like tea, don’t you?
He doesn’t work hard, does he?
Rule 4: Sentences Without Auxiliary Verb
If there is no auxiliary verb, use do/does/did in the tag.
Examples:
She plays well, doesn’t she?
They went home, didn’t they?
Rule 5: Imperative Sentences
For commands, requests, or suggestions, special tags are used.
Examples:
Close the door, will you?
Let’s go out, shall we?
Don’t be late, will you?
Rule 6: ‘I am’ Exception
The tag for “I am” is “aren’t I?”, not “am I not?”
Example:
I am late, aren’t I?
Rule 7: Statements with ‘Nothing’, ‘Nobody’, ‘No one’
These words are negative in meaning, so the tag is positive.
Examples:
Nobody came, did they?
Nothing is wrong, is it?
Rule 8: ‘There’ in Statements
When a sentence begins with “there,” use “there” in the tag.
Examples:
There is a problem, isn’t there?
There were many people, weren’t there?
Rule 9: ‘Everyone’, ‘Someone’, ‘Anybody’
Indefinite pronouns take ‘they’ in the tag.
Examples:
Everyone is ready, aren’t they?
Somebody called, didn’t they?
Rule 10: Modal Verbs in Tags
If the sentence contains modal verbs, use the same modal in the tag.
Examples:
He will come, won’t he?
You should study, shouldn’t you?
Rule 11: Tone and Meaning
The tone of a tag question can change its meaning:
Falling tone: Confirmation
Rising tone: Real question
Example:
You’re coming, aren’t you? (expecting agreement)
You’re coming, aren’t you? (asking genuinely)
Question tags are an essential part of English grammar that make communication more natural and interactive. By following the rules of tense, auxiliary verbs, and subject agreement, students can use tag questions accurately and confidently in both spoken and written English.
Exercise: Solutions
Here are the sentences written as instructed, with notes where necessary:
1. Original: It is raining.
Corrected: It is raining, isn’t it?
2. Original: Rahul is an excellent guitarist.
Corrected: Rahul is an excellent guitarist, isn’t he?
3. Original: There is no food left.
Corrected: There is no food left, is there?
Reason: The statement is negative because of ‘no’, so the tag is positive.
4. Original: The mansion looks beautiful.
Corrected: The mansion looks beautiful, doesn’t it?
Reason: The verb is ‘looks’ (simple present), so the tag uses ‘does’.
5. Original: Let’s have a cup of coffee.
Corrected: Let’s have a cup of coffee, shall we?
Reason: Suggestions with ‘Let’s’ take the tag ‘shall we?’.
6. Original: They seldom attend classes.
Corrected: They seldom attend classes, do they?
Reason: ‘Seldom’ is a negative word, so the tag must be positive.
7. Original: There are no more matches in IPL this season.
Corrected: There are no more matches in IPL this season, are there?
Reason: The statement is negative (‘no more’), so the tag is positive.
8. Original: Anybody can learn conversation in English.
Corrected: Anybody can learn conversation in English, can’t they?
Reason: The pronoun for ‘anybody’ is ‘they’.
Note: “Learn conversation in English” is slightly unnatural; “learn to converse in English” is more idiomatic.
9. Original: The headmaster was not present in the function.
Corrected: The headmaster was not present in the function, was he?
10. Original: Let her attend the class.
Corrected: Let her attend the class, will you?
Reason: When ‘let’ gives permission, the tag is ‘will you?’.
11. Original: Little progress was made.
Corrected: Little progress was made, was it?
Reason: ‘Little’ (meaning ‘almost no’) is a negative word, so the tag is positive.
12. Original: Please use the staircase.
Corrected: Please use the staircase, will you?
Reason: This is a polite request (imperative).
13. Original: We hadn’t much time to spare.
Corrected: We hadn’t much time to spare, had we?
14. Original: These clothes are expensive.
Corrected: These clothes are expensive, aren’t they?
15. Original: The girls want to join the armed forces.
Corrected: The girls want to join the armed forces, don’t they?
Reason: The subject is ‘The girls’ (plural) and the verb is ‘want’ (simple present), so the tag uses ‘do’.
