Friday, May 7, 2010

Exceptional question tags

Hi friends!
This is the second part of yesterday's blog. If you're here for the first time, please get back to yesterday's lesson.

We can also use 'same-way' tags to ask questions. In this structure, the main sentence is used to make a guess. And the tag is used to enquire if the information in the main sentence is correct.

This is your last chance, is it? (I guess this is your last chance. Am I right?)
You are from India, are you?
This is your missing key, is it?
The boss is at meeting, is he?
He is going to be sacked, is he?
They are quarrelling out there, are they?
She has got a lot of experience, has she?
It seems unfair, does it?

NB if the previous sentences seem to be confusing, you may try to rephrase them in the way shown in brackets after the first example e.g. The sentence "You're from India, are you?" can be rephrased as "I guess you're from India. Am I right?"

Negative 'same-way' questions are also possible but they are not widely used as they sound aggressive.
e.g. Well. You don't seem to obey me, don't you?

                                                                                                                                                                                   
                    Good Night
     Jack (Nova English Campus)

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