English Mastery
Module 6 · Mini Grammar Essentials

Tag Questions

Intermediate45 min25 questions7 sections
Step 1

Quick Look

The grammar of ‘na?’. A tag question is the mini-question hooked to a statement: ‘You’ve seen the site, HAVEN’T YOU?’ The machine has three gears: flip the polarity (positive negative tag), copy the auxiliary, copy the pronoun. And the single biggest Indian-English habit dies in this chapter: ‘isn’t it?’ does NOT fit every sentence.
Sentence TypeStructure + Example
The three gears
flip polarity+copy auxiliary+copy pronoun
She has paid, hasn’t she? / They won’t come, will they?
No auxiliary? Borrow DO
You know the owner, don’t you? / He called yesterday, didn’t he?
The Indian error
‘You are coming, isn’t it?’
‘You are coming, aren’t you?’ — the tag must match YOUR verb and YOUR subject.

The golden rule: the tag is a mirror, not a sticker. It must reflect the sentence’s own auxiliary and subject — are you, hasn’t she, didn’t he — never a universal ‘isn’t it’. ‘Isn’t it’ is correct only when the sentence itself runs on ‘it is’: ‘It is hot today, isn’t it?’

The tag is a mirror
STATEMENTTAG= हिंदी का ‘ना?’ Shehaspaidhasn’tshe?Theywilln’tcomewillthey?Youknowthe ownerdon’tyou?borrowed DO1flip the sign2copy the auxiliary3copy the pronoun
Flip the sign, copy the auxiliary, copy the pronoun — and borrow DO when there is no auxiliary.
Step 2

When to Use It

FLIP THE SIGNThe file is complete,isn’titThe file isn’t complete,isit
Use 1

The basic mirror

Positive statement negative tag; negative statement positive tag.
  • The file is complete, isn’t it?
  • The file isn’t complete, is it?
  • You’ll bring the originals, won’t you?
  • They haven’t paid the token, have they?
BORROW DOno visible auxiliaryownsdoesn’the?metdidn’tyou?paydon’tthey?
Use 2

Borrowing DO for plain verbs

No visible auxiliary do/does/did steps in.
  • He owns the corner shop, doesn’t he?
  • You met the tehsildar, didn’t you?
  • The tenants pay on the 1st, don’t they?
I am…aren’t I?Let’s…shall we?Sign here…will you?Have some tea…won’t you?Nobody…did they?memorisethese five
Use 3

The special tags — memorise these five

Fixed forms that follow their own law.
  • I am on the list, AREN’T I? (not ‘amn’t I’)
  • Let’s start the measurements, SHALL WE?
  • Sign here, WILL YOU? / Don’t be late, WILL YOU? (imperatives)
  • Have some tea, WON’T YOU? (polite invitation)
  • Nobody objected, DID THEY? (nobody/nothing/everyone they)
neverhardlyrarelyseldomno one= negative sentenceHe never returns calls,doeshe?
Use 4

Hidden negatives flip the tag

never, hardly, rarely, seldom, no one make the sentence negative — tag turns positive.
  • He never returns calls, does he? (NOT doesn’t he)
  • There’s hardly any parking left, is there?
  • Nothing was stolen, was it?
A sticker or a mirror?
THE SENTENCEONE STICKER FOR ALLTHE MIRRORYou are joining us for lunch,isn’t it?aren’tyouHe can arrange the NOC,isn’t it?can’theShe has paid,isn’t it?hasn’tsheIt is hot today,isn’t it?isn’tit
‘Isn’t it?’ is correct only when the sentence itself runs on ‘it is’.
Step 3

Hindi Concept Note

अHindi Concept Noteहिंदी में समझिए
हिंदी का एक ‘ना?’ English में हर वाक्य के हिसाब से बदलता है — यही पूरा chapter है।
तीन gear: 1) उलटो (positive वाक्य negative tag), 2) वही auxiliary उठाओ, 3) वही subject का pronoun लगाओ।
तुम आ रहे हो ना?
You are coming, AREN’T YOU? (‘isn’t it’ नहीं — यही India की सबसे मशहूर ग़लती है!)
‘isn’t it’ सिर्फ़ तब जब वाक्य ख़ुद ‘it is’ पर चल रहा हो: आज गर्मी है ना?
It is hot today, isn’t it?
Auxiliary न दिखे तो do उधार लो: वह उसे जानता है ना? He knows him, DOESN’T HE? काल के हिसाब से did/does।
पाँच special रट लो: I am... , aren’t I? • Let’s..., shall we? • (आदेश), will you? • nobody/nothing they/it वाला tag positive: कोई नहीं आया ना? Nobody came, DID THEY?
Step 4

Common Mistakes Hindi Speakers Make

Wrong
Right
Why
You are joining us for lunch, isn’t it?
You are joining us for lunch, aren’t you?
Mirror the sentence: are you aren’t you. The universal ‘isn’t it’ is the chapter’s target.
He can arrange the NOC, isn’t it?
He can arrange the NOC, can’t he?
Copy the modal: can can’t he.
She didn’t call back, didn’t she?
She didn’t call back, did she?
Negative statement positive tag. Flip, don’t repeat.
I am also a witness, amn’t I?
I am also a witness, aren’t I?
The fixed exception: am aren’t I.
He never pays on time, doesn’t he?
He never pays on time, does he?
Never = hidden negative positive tag.
Let’s finalise the corner unit, will we?
Let’s finalise the corner unit, shall we?
Let’s shall we, always.
Step 5

Signal Words

Tag machine settings:
Flip polarity; copy auxiliary; copy pronoun
No auxiliary do/does/did
I am aren’t I; Let’s shall we; imperative will you
never/hardly/rarely/nobody/nothing treat as negative positive tag
nobody/everyone they; nothing/everything it
Step 6

Practice

Set A

Fill in the blanks

0 / 10
  1. 1
    The registry is on Friday, ?
  2. 2
    You’ve verified the chain of title, ?
  3. 3
    He won’t back out now, ?
  4. 4
    She works at the Noida branch, ?
  5. 5
    They didn’t share the soft copy, ?
  6. 6
    I am next in the queue, ?
  7. 7
    Let’s call the surveyor, ?
  8. 8
    Keep the originals safely, ?
  9. 9
    Nobody claimed the unclaimed parking, ?
  10. 10
    There’s hardly any water pressure on the top floor, ?
Set B

Correct the mistake

0 / 8
  1. 11
    You will attend the AGM, isn’t it?
  2. 12
    The lift works fine, doesn’t it? — wait, the sentence is fine; now fix this one: The lift doesn’t work, doesn’t it?
  3. 13
    He has cleared all dues, isn’t he?
  4. 14
    Let us begin the puja, will we?
  5. 15
    I am eligible for the rebate, amn’t I?
  6. 16
    She never misses a follow-up, doesn’t she?
  7. 17
    Nothing was damaged in shifting, wasn’t it?
  8. 18
    Don’t forget the witnesses, do you?
Set C

Translate into English

0 / 7
  1. 19
    तुम कल आओगे ना?
  2. 20
    आज गर्मी है ना?
  3. 21
    उसने payment कर दी है ना?
  4. 22
    वह हिंदी नहीं बोलता ना?
  5. 23
    चलो शुरू करें, ठीक?
  6. 24
    कोई नहीं आया ना?
  7. 25
    मैं list में हूँ ना?
Step 7

Answer Key

Show answersHide answers
Answers · Set A
1
isn’t it
2
haven’t you
3
will he
4
doesn’t she
5
did they
6
aren’t I
7
shall we
8
won’t you (will you)
9
did they
10
is there
Answers · Set B
11
You will attend the AGM, won’t you?
12
The lift doesn’t work, does it?
13
He has cleared all dues, hasn’t he?
14
Let us begin the puja, shall we?
15
I am eligible for the rebate, aren’t I?
16
She never misses a follow-up, does she?
17
Nothing was damaged in shifting, was it?
18
Don’t forget the witnesses, will you?
Answers · Set C
19
You will come tomorrow, won’t you?
20
It is hot today, isn’t it?
21
She has made the payment, hasn’t she? / He has paid, hasn’t he?
22
He doesn’t speak Hindi, does he?
23
Let’s begin, shall we?
24
Nobody came, did they?
25
I am on the list, aren’t I?

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Next up · Chapter 11Used To vs. Be Used To vs. Get Used To

Three lookalikes, three completely different meanings.