B8/JHS2.3.1.6.1. Demonstrate command of question tags
Indicator: B8/JHS2.3.1.6.1
Topic: Question Tags
🎯 Lesson Objectives
By the end of the lesson, learners will be able to:
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Explain what a question tag is.
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Form correct question tags in speech and writing.
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Use question tags in everyday expressions.
🧠 Read the sentence below aloud.
It’s a hot day, isn’t it?
Ask: Why do we ask questions like this at the end of a sentence?
👉 Is this your response? “to confirm something,” “to get agreement,” etc.
Then you are right.
✍️ Explanation: What is a Question Tag?
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A question tag is a short question added to the end of a statement to confirm or check something.
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The verb in the question tag matches the tense and auxiliary of the main sentence.
🔄 Basic Rules
Main Sentence | Question Tag | Example |
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Positive statement | Negative tag | She is coming, isn’t she? |
Negative statement | Positive tag | You don’t like beans, do you? |
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Use “isn’t it?”, “don’t you?”, “didn’t he?” based on the verb in the main sentence.
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The subject must also match: He/She/They/etc.
📝 Examples of Everyday Expressions
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You’re not going to play football today, are you?
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You like tea, don’t you?
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She’s older than me, isn’t she?
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We ate the food, didn’t we?
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He can drive, can’t he?
🧩 Activity 1 – Fill in the Question Tag
Write this in your book:
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She’s in class, __________?
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They don’t know him, __________?
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You can swim, __________?
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We aren’t late, __________?
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He finished early, __________?
✔️ fill in the blanks individually or in pairs.
🎭 Activity 2 – Real Life Practice
Form sentences using question tags based on everyday situations:
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You came early, __________?
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We have homework, __________?
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You didn’t see the teacher, __________?
Act them out in pairs using gestures and expressions.
✍️ Assessment
Write five sentences and add correct question tags:
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John likes football.
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We are learning English.
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You don’t understand.
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She has eaten.
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They will come tomorrow.
✅ Conclusion / Recap (5 mins)
Review:
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What is a question tag?
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When do we use a negative tag?
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Who can give an exam
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share your answers with you friend.
✅ RULE FOR QUESTION TAGS
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If the sentence is positive, the question tag is negative.
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Example: She is coming, isn’t she?
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If the sentence is negative, the question tag is positive.
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Example: You don’t like beans, do you?
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🔄 Other Important Rules:
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The auxiliary (helping) verb in the sentence is repeated in the tag.
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Example: He has gone home, *hasn’t he?
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If there is no auxiliary verb in the sentence, use “do / does / did” in the tag.
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Example: She works hard, *doesn’t she?
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They played yesterday, didn’t they?
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Use the same subject in the tag as in the sentence.
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Example: Kofi is late, isn’t he?*
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🧠 Memory Tip:
Positive sentence → Negative tag
Negative sentence → Positive tag