A tag question is a short question added to the end of a statement to check information, seek agreement, or invite a response: 'She works hard, doesn't she?', 'They haven't arrived, have they?', 'It was raining, wasn't it?'. Tag questions are common in spoken English and in professional communication, and students encounter them constantly in authentic speech. The formation rule has a satisfying internal logic: the tag is always the opposite of the main clause — positive statement gets a negative tag, negative statement gets a positive tag — and always uses the same auxiliary verb as the main clause. This lesson teaches that rule clearly and addresses the answering question, which follows the same principle introduced in Lesson 2 of this series.
Before you start — think honestly about your own teaching and experience.
Look at the examples. Answer each question before reading the explanation — this is how your students will learn too.
Look at the three sentences. In each case, is the main clause positive or negative? And is the tag positive or negative? What pattern can you see?
In all three sentences, the main clause is positive and the tag is negative. This is the core rule: positive main clause → negative tag. The opposite is also true: negative main clause → positive tag. The tag is always the reverse of the main clause. This mirroring principle is reliable across all tenses and verb types — students who learn this one rule can form most tag questions correctly.
Look at the auxiliary verb in the main clause of each sentence and the auxiliary in the tag. What do you notice?
The auxiliary in the tag always matches the auxiliary in the main clause: 'are' in the main clause → 'aren't' in the tag; 'has' → 'hasn't'; 'can' → 'can't'. For present simple sentences ('She works hard'), there is no auxiliary in the main clause, so 'do/does' must be used in the tag — 'doesn't she?' for third-person singular. This is the same auxiliary insertion rule from Lesson 1 applied to tags. The subject in the tag is always a pronoun that matches the subject of the main clause.
Now the main clauses are negative. What is the polarity of the tag in each case? Compare with the previous examples — is the pattern the same?
Negative main clause → positive tag. The reversal rule holds in both directions. 'She doesn't know' (negative) → 'does she?' (positive). 'They haven't arrived' (negative) → 'have they?' (positive). Students who learn the pattern as a single rule — always reverse the polarity — can apply it without needing to remember separate cases. A useful memory prompt: if the main clause has 'not', the tag does not; if the main clause has no 'not', the tag does.
| Tense / Form | Use / Meaning | Example | Key time words |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main clause | Polarity | Tag | Logic |
| She works hard, | positive | doesn't she? | no auxiliary in main → 'does' inserted |
| They are ready, | positive | aren't they? | 'are' in main → 'aren't' in tag |
| He has finished, | positive | hasn't he? | 'has' in main → 'hasn't' in tag |
| She can swim, | positive | can't she? | 'can' in main → 'can't' in tag |
| She doesn't know, | negative | does she? | negative main → positive tag |
| They haven't arrived, | negative | have they? | negative main → positive tag |
| I am late, | positive | aren't I? | special case: 'am' → 'aren't I' |
The same polarity rule that applies to tag formation also applies to answering: 'yes' confirms a positive situation, 'no' confirms a negative situation — regardless of whether the tag was positive or negative. 'She works hard, doesn't she?' — 'Yes, she does' (she does work hard) OR 'No, she doesn't' (she does not work hard). This is exactly the same rule introduced in Lesson 2 for negative questions. Students who have learned that rule already have the answering principle for tag questions. The only new element here is the formation of the tag itself. Intonation matters too: a falling tone on the tag ('doesn't she?') seeks confirmation — the speaker thinks they know the answer. A rising tone ('doesn't she?') signals genuine uncertainty. At B1 level, knowing that both exist is sufficient; producing rising/falling intonation accurately comes with extended spoken practice.
When forming a tag question: 1. Is the main clause positive or negative? → The tag is the opposite 2. What auxiliary is in the main clause? → Use the same auxiliary in the tag 3. Is there no auxiliary (present/past simple with main verb only)? → Insert do/does/did in the tag 4. What is the subject? → Replace with a matching pronoun in the tag 5. Is the subject 'I am'? → Use 'aren't I?' in the tag When answering: ignore the tag, think about the real situation — positive situation → 'Yes + positive auxiliary'; negative situation → 'No + negative auxiliary'.
Add the correct tag question to each statement.
Each tag question contains one error. Find and correct it.
Use this sequence directly in class — guided discovery, no textbook needed. Tap each step to mark it done.
STEP 1 — The reversal rule (5 min): Write two sentences on the board — one positive, one negative. Attach a tag to each. Ask students to describe the pattern. Establish: positive → negative tag; negative → positive tag. Ask: what would happen if both halves were positive? (It sounds suspicious or sarcastic.) What if both were negative? (Ungrammatical.)
STEP 2 — Match the auxiliary (5 min): Write five main clauses with different auxiliaries. Ask students to form the tag for each. For any present or past simple sentences with no auxiliary, elicit that 'do/does/did' must be inserted — connecting back to Lesson 1.
STEP 3 — 'Isn't it' is not a universal tag (4 min): Tell students directly: in their first language, there may be a general tag word used for all sentences. English does not have one. The tag must match the auxiliary and the subject. Write three examples of 'isn't it?' used incorrectly and ask students to correct each one.
STEP 4 — Answering (6 min): Give five tag-question exchanges where the answer is wrong (mixing yes/no with the wrong auxiliary). Ask students to correct the answers. Remind them of the rule from Lesson 2: answer based on the situation, not the form of the tag.
STEP 5 — Consolidate (5 min): Each student writes three tag questions about their school — one with a positive statement, one with a negative statement, and one using a past simple verb. Students swap papers and write the correct answers for both the positive and negative situation.
Use directly in class — copy, adapt, or read aloud. No printing needed.
For each strategy, choose the option that best describes where you are now.
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