How to Make Question Tag without Auxiliary Verb

ByAbdul Ahwal

This is the most common to use Question Tags while speaking than writing. We often use question tags when we want to know if the listener agrees or not with our statement. Advertisement In this…

This is the most common to use Question Tags while speaking than writing. We often use question tags when we want to know if the listener agrees or not with our statement.

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In this case, we use a negative question tag when our statement is positive.

To add a question tag, we use the auxiliary verb. See the following sentences.

  • I don’t need to finish this today, do I?
  • James is working on that, isn’t he?
  • Your father has retired, hasn’t he?
  • The phone didn’t ring, did it?
  • It was raining that day, wasn’t it?

Now the problem is; sometimes we find no auxiliary verb in the sentence. Here I’ll show you how to add question tags without an auxiliary verb.

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question tags without auxiliary verbs

 

 

Read Question Tag Rules in Bangla

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Make Question Tag without Auxiliary Verb

You will not see Auxiliary Verbs in Present Simple and Past Simple and the sentences are affirmative.

Present Simple: Do/Does

Remember, we only use ‘Do/Does’ as the auxiliary verb of Present Simple Tense to make negative and interrogative.
  • Rina loves ice-cream, doesn’t she? (Rina is a singular noun, so we used doesn’t)
  • We always wear masks in public places, don’t we?
  • I need a mobile phone, don’t I?
Here the statement is in Present Simple tense and Affirmative, so we added a negative question tag with the help of doesn’t and don’t.

 

Past Simple: Did

Remember, we use only ‘Did’ as the auxiliary verb of Past Simple to make negative and interrogative.
  • Rina made a cake for her birthday, didn’t she?
  • I described the reason, didn’t I?
  • We bought two tickets need a mobile phone, don’t I?

Here the statement is in Past Simple tense and Affirmative, so we added a negative question tag.

‘Be’ Verb as The Main Verb

When the ‘be’ verb (am, is, are, was, were) is the main verb of a sentence, you can use the ‘be’ verb as an Auxiliary verb.

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  • The bus stop’s over there, isn’t it?
  • None of those customers were happy, were they?
  • I’m interested to meet him, aren’t I?
  • I’m never on time, am I?
  • They’re now busy with their work, aren’t they?

Remember, If the main verb or auxiliary verb is am, the positive question tag is am I? but the negative question tag is usually aren’t I?

Imperative Sentence

You’ll also find no auxiliary verb in the Imperative-Affirmative sentence. See the following examples,
  • Open the window, will you?
  • Let me see the picture, will you?
  • Please, lend me 150 USD, would you?
  • Let’s arrange a meeting, shall we?
Remember, you can use ‘will/won’t/would/could’ to add a question tag for imperative sentences.

I Hope, the lesson will help you better learn Question Tag. Practice now 100 Question Tags with Answers

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