Year 3 · Unit 6 · Lesson 2 of 5
Question Tags and Word Order: Sound Natural
I am your best friend, ___?
"Amn't I" sounds right to many students, but it is wrong. What is the correct tag?
aren't I? I am is the one statement whose tag doesn't simply repeat the verb. You will learn this and the other tag rules below.
Question tags: 10 rules
A question tag is the short question at the end of a statement, such as isn't it? or do you?
Rule 1
A positive statement takes a negative tag; a negative statement takes a positive tag.
She is here, isn't she? She isn't here, is she?
Rule 2
Repeat the helping verb. If there is none, use do, does or did.
You can swim, can't you? He plays football, doesn't he?
Rule 3
The tag pronoun matches the subject.
Your sister sings well, doesn't she?
Rule 4
I am takes aren't I.
I am late, aren't I?
Rule 5
Let's takes shall we.
Let's go, shall we?
Rule 6
A command takes will you.
Close the door, will you?
Rule 7
Everybody, somebody, nobody and similar words take they.
Everyone enjoyed the film, didn't they?
Rule 8
Never, nobody, nothing, hardly, seldom and scarcely make a statement negative, so the tag is positive.
Nobody came, did they? He hardly eats, does he?
Rule 9
There is and there are repeat there.
There is enough food, isn't there?
Rule 10
Used to takes didn't.
They used to live here, didn't they?
Word order: 4 rules
Word order 1
Adjective order: opinion, size, age, shape, colour, origin, material, purpose, then the noun.
A beautiful long red dress. A small round wooden table.
Word order 2
Frequency adverbs (always, often, never) go before the main verb but after be.
She always arrives early. He is never late.
Word order 3
Indirect questions use statement order.
Can you tell me where the station is? (not "where is the station")
Word order 4
After a negative word at the start of a sentence, the helping verb comes before the subject.
Never have I seen such a crowd. Hardly had we left when it rained. No sooner had the bell rung than the pupils ran out.
Check the statement first
1. He hardly visits his parents, ___?
Hardly makes the statement negative, so the tag is positive: does he?
2. She bought a ___ dress. (red / long / beautiful)
Opinion, then size, then colour: beautiful long red.
3. No sooner had we sat down ___ the lights went out.
No sooner pairs with than, never with when.
Common mistake: "Hardly had we arrived than…" Hardly and scarcely pair with when; only no sooner pairs with than.
10 questions with instant feedback
Choose the option that best completes each sentence or answers the question.
1.You are coming to the party, ___?
Correct. A positive statement takes a negative tag, and the tag repeats the helping verb, are, with the subject, you.
Not quite. The statement uses are, so the tag must use are, not do. Answer: A. aren't you.
Not quite. The tag pronoun must match the subject, you, not it. Answer: A. aren't you.
Not quite. A positive statement needs a negative tag. Answer: A. aren't you.
2.Let's go home now, ___?
Not quite. Let's always takes the tag shall we. Answer: B. shall we.
Correct. Let's always takes the tag shall we.
Not quite. Let's always takes the tag shall we. Answer: B. shall we.
Not quite. Let's always takes the tag shall we. Answer: B. shall we.
3.Nobody saw the thief, ___?
Not quite. Nobody already makes the statement negative, so the tag must be positive. Answer: C. did they.
Not quite. Nobody takes they in the tag, not he. Answer: C. did they.
Correct. Nobody makes the statement negative, so the tag is positive, and nobody takes they.
Not quite. The tag must be positive, and nobody takes they, not he. Answer: C. did they.
4.I am your best friend, ___?
Not quite. The tag pronoun must match the subject, I. Answer: D. aren't I.
Not quite. The statement uses am, not do. Answer: D. aren't I.
Not quite. "Am not I" is not a standard tag. I am takes aren't I. Answer: D. aren't I.
Correct. I am takes the tag aren't I. "Amn't I" and "am not I" are not standard English.
5.He hardly visits his parents, ___?
Correct. Hardly makes the statement negative, so the tag is positive: does he.
Not quite. Hardly already makes the sentence negative, so the tag must be positive. Answer: A. does he.
Not quite. The verb visits uses does in the tag, not is. Answer: A. does he.
Not quite. The statement is in the present tense, so the tag uses does, not did. Answer: A. does he.
6.She bought a ___ dress.
Not quite. Adjective order is opinion (beautiful), then size (long), then colour (red). Answer: C. beautiful long red.
Not quite. Adjective order is opinion (beautiful), then size (long), then colour (red). Answer: C. beautiful long red.
Correct. Adjective order is opinion (beautiful), then size (long), then colour (red).
Not quite. Adjective order is opinion (beautiful), then size (long), then colour (red). Answer: C. beautiful long red.
7.Which sentence is correct?
Not quite. After "Can you tell me", use statement order, without does. Answer: D. Can you tell me where she lives?.
Not quite. Indirect questions use statement order: where she lives. Answer: D. Can you tell me where she lives?.
Not quite. Indirect questions use statement order: where she lives. Answer: D. Can you tell me where she lives?.
Correct. Indirect questions use statement order: where she lives.
8.No sooner had we sat down ___ the lights went out.
Not quite. When goes with hardly and scarcely, not with no sooner. Answer: C. than.
Not quite. No sooner always pairs with than. Answer: C. than.
Correct. No sooner always pairs with than.
Not quite. No sooner always pairs with than. Answer: C. than.
9.Hardly ___ the house when it started to rain.
Correct. After hardly at the start of a sentence, the helping verb comes before the subject: had we left.
Not quite. After hardly at the start, put the helping verb before the subject. Answer: A. had we left.
Not quite. After hardly at the start, put the helping verb before the subject. Answer: A. had we left.
Not quite. "Did we left" is not correct English. Answer: A. had we left.
10.Which sentence is correct?
Not quite. Frequency adverbs such as always go after the verb be: He is always late. Answer: B. He is always late..
Correct. Frequency adverbs such as always go after the verb be: He is always late.
Not quite. Frequency adverbs such as always go after the verb be: He is always late. Answer: B. He is always late..
Not quite. Frequency adverbs such as always go after the verb be: He is always late. Answer: B. He is always late..
Rewrite and add tags
Rewrite sentences 1 and 2, beginning with the words given. Add the correct tag to sentences 3 to 5. Then check your answers below.
1. I have never seen such a large crowd. (Begin: Never…)
2. As soon as the bell rang, the pupils ran out. (Begin: No sooner…)
3. There is enough food, ___?
4. Close the door, ___?
5. Everyone enjoyed the film, ___?
1. Never have I seen such a large crowd.
2. No sooner had the bell rung than the pupils ran out.
3. There is enough food, isn't there?
4. Close the door, will you?
5. Everyone enjoyed the film, didn't they?
Next: the Lesson 2 exit quiz. Five questions, recorded on your dashboard. Aim for 4 out of 5.