📌 AI-Generated Summary
by Nutshell
Understanding Question Tags: A Guide to Using Question Tags in English Grammar
Learn how to effectively use question tags in English grammar to confirm information and engage in conversations. Understand the rules and structure of question tags for better communication.
Video Summary
Question tags serve as short questions added to the end of statements to confirm information believed to be true. They play a crucial role in English grammar, allowing speakers to engage in conversations effectively. Question tags can be positive or negative, depending on the statement's polarity. The formation of question tags involves using an auxiliary verb and a subject pronoun that match the tense and subject of the statement. In cases where there is no auxiliary verb present, 'do,' 'does,' or 'did' is used to form the question tag. Responses to question tags typically depend on agreement with the statement's polarity. Understanding the rules and structure of question tags is essential for clear communication in English. By mastering the use of question tags, speakers can confirm information, seek clarification, and engage in meaningful conversations with others.
Click on any timestamp in the keypoints section to jump directly to that moment in the video. Enhance your viewing experience with seamless navigation. Enjoy!
Keypoints
00:00:10
Introduction to Question Tags
Question tags are short phrases added to the end of statements to turn them into questions. They are used to confirm information believed to be true and are common in spoken English.
00:00:40
Example of Positive Question Tag
An example of a positive question tag is 'We have a meeting this afternoon, don't we?' where the statement is positive, indicating the speaker believes there is a meeting.
00:01:05
Example of Negative Question Tag
An example of a negative question tag is 'We don't have a meeting this afternoon, do we?' where the statement is negative, indicating the speaker believes there is no meeting.
00:01:16
Rule for Forming Question Tags
When the statement is positive, the question tag must be negative, and when the statement is negative, the question tag must be positive.
00:02:16
Formation of Question Tags
Question tags are made up of an auxiliary verb and a subject pronoun. If the statement already has an auxiliary verb, that verb is used to form the question tag.
00:03:31
Usage of Negative Question Tags
Negative question tags are usually contracted. For example, 'It is going to rain today, isn't it?' where the statement is positive, and the question tag is negative.
00:03:57
Practice Adding Question Tags
Practice adding question tags to statements with auxiliary verbs, ensuring to match the subject pronoun and the auxiliary verb in the question tag.
00:04:42
Forming Question Tags without Auxiliary Verbs
When forming question tags without auxiliary verbs, such as in sentences like 'The dogs eat quickly' or 'He never runs out of energy,' we use 'do,' 'does,' or 'did' depending on the subject and tense. For example, 'The dogs eat quickly, don't they?' 'He never runs out of energy, does he?' and 'The bottle smashed on the floor, didn't it?'
00:05:50
Exception with Negative Question Tags after 'I am' Statements
An exception occurs with negative question tags following 'I am' statements. Instead of using 'am not,' we use 'aren't.' For instance, 'I am going next, aren't I?'
00:06:46
Responding to Question Tags
When responding to question tags, use the same auxiliary verb as in the question. If agreeing and the statement is positive, respond positively. For example, 'It rained heavily last night, didn't it?' 'Yes, it did.' If agreeing and the statement is negative, respond negatively. For instance, 'They haven't seen this movie, have they?' 'No, they haven't.' If disagreeing and the statement is positive, respond negatively. For example, 'Lindsay could look after the dog, couldn't she?' 'No, she couldn't.' If disagreeing and the statement is negative, respond positively. For instance, 'I'm not running in this race, am I?' 'Yes, you are.'