Error Spotting (Question Tags Fixing -2)- SENTENCES OF COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS PATTERN

  

                                                                

                        ERROR  SPOTTING

A Question tag is used at the end of a sentence for confirmation of the statement given in the sentence. It contains a pronoun according to the Subject of the sentence and an auxiliary verb according to the sentence  in contracted form. If there is no auxiliary verb  and there is a main verb only in the sentence, do, does or did are used in question tag. 

EXPLANATION

If the statement in the sentence is positive, a negative question tag is used and if the statement is negative, a positive question tag is used.  

Tense in the tag is determined by the tense in the sentence. 

For example:

The girl is singing a song, isn't she?

The girl is not singing a song, is she?

The boys did not play a match, did they?

The boys will play a match, won't they?

If there is no auxiliary verb in the sentence, a helping verb e.g. do, does or did are used in the question tag.

Boys play cricket, don't they?

Boys played a match, didn't they? 

In case of 'I am' , in the statement, 'aren't I' is used.

I am thirsty, aren't I?

If the statement in the sentence contains a negative word, a positive question tag is used.

He seldom smokes, does he?

A few of negative words are --

Scarcely, hardly, rarely, barely, seldom, no, nothing, neither, few, none etc.

Question tag in case of 'Must' --

You must be feeling hungry, aren't you?

You must read this book, won't you?

Question tag in case of 'Ought to' --

Negative of 'ought to' is 'ought not to'  and interrogative is 'ought subject to' but these are  not used these days and 'Should' is preferred in its place. However it is --

He ought to work hard, ought he not to ?

She ought not to say so, ought she to?

EXERCISES FOR PRACTICE

Add question tag in blanks in the following sentences.

 

EXERCISE ONE

1. Let's go out for a walk......?

1. will we?  2. will you? 3. shall we?

2. She has purchased a new car........?

1.had she?   2.hasn't she?  3.has she?

3. They have a beautiful house.........?

1.do they? 2. haven't they? 3. don't they?

4. I am very busy today......?

1. aren't I? 2.am n't I ? 3. am I?

5. Do not waste your time.......?

1. will you? 2. won't you? 3. do you?

EXERCISE TWO

1. I and you are good friends.....?

1. aren't you? 2. aren't we? 3. aren't they?

2.  Have a cup of tea with us........?

1. won't you? 2. aren't you? 3. Wil you? 

3. He and his wife don't agree with each other......?

1. doesn't he? 2. don't they? 3. do they?

4. He'd not finished his work yet .....? 

1. had he? 2. hadn't he? 3.hasn't he?

5. Somebody has picked his pocket......?

1. hasn't he? 2. haven't they? 3. hasn't they?

EXERCISE THREE

1. He seldom smokes.....?

1. does he? 2. doesn't he? 3. don't he?

2. Nobody is present in the room, ........?

1. are they? 2. aren't they?  3. isn't he?

3. Everybody was happy there .......?

1. weren't we? 2. weren't they? 3. aren't they?

4. She never tells a lie, .........?

1. does she? 2. doesn't she? 3. did she?

5. She has hardly any money, ........?

1. hasn't she 2. does she? 3. has she?

EXERCISE FOUR

1. Make hay while the sun shines,..........?

1. don't you? 2. won't you? 3. can't you?

2. Someone is knocking at the door, ..........?

1. isn't it? 2. isn't he? 3. aren't they?

3. Shift the whole luggage to a safe place,........?

1. do you? 2. will you? 3. have you?

4. Those are my books, ..........?

1. aren't they? 2. aren't those? 3. are they?

5. He must be tired by now, ...........?

1. must he be? 2. isn't he? 3. wasn't he?

EXERCISE FIVE

1.  The secretary immediately quit his post,.........?

1. does he? 2. doesn't he? 3. didn't he? 

2. We must obey our parents, ...........?

1. don't we? 2. won't we? 3. do we?

3. Nobody expected that he would come,............?

1. didn't they? 2. did they? 3. won't they?

4. The jury held the accused guilty,..........?

1. didn't they? 2. did they? 3. didn't it?

5. Those who talk too much are seldom listened to, ...........?

1. are they? 2. aren't they? won't they?

(contd.)