Aim: Using Question Tags in Different Tenses

Question Tags

Aim: Using question tags in different tenses

Level: Intermediate

Material: Handouts for Student A and B

A) Grammatical background:

Question tags are used for checking if information is correct. They are used at the end of the sentence.

- The auxiliary you use depends on the tense of the sentence, e.g. don’t you? does he? for the present simple, did they? for the past simple.

- If the sentence is positive, the question tag is negative. The weather was nice there, wasn’t it? If the sentence is negative, the question tag is positive. She doesn’t drink coffee, does she?

We often use short answers when we answer tag questions: You aren’t comming tonight, are you? Yes, I am. / No, I’m not.

B) Pair work: Do you know me?

Students are divided into pairs of Student A and Student B and given the handouts (HO).

1) The students write their partners’ names at the top of their HOs. Without showing their HOs to their partners or asking any questions, they try and guess if the sentences on their HOs are true or false and tick the True/False box.

2) The students check if their guesses were correct by asking their partners. They do not make yes/no questions but tag questions. Eg.: Guess - Marie is going to cook a meal this evening. Check – You are going to cook a meal this evening, aren’t you? Their partners answer with short answers. E.g. Yes, I am. / No, I’m not.

3) The students should put a tick or a cross in the end column next to each question, showing whether they have guessed correctly or not.

4) When they have finished they add up correct guesses and compare scores.

Student A

Partner’s name: / TRUE / FALSE / /
... is going to cook a meal this evening
... has bought something expensive recently
... often goes swimming
... hasn’t got a computer at home
... wasn’t born in hospital
... likes flying
... went to a foreign country last year
... was riding a bike this time yesterday
... has been to a wedding recently
... won’t go home after school today

Student B

Partner’s name: / TRUE / FALSE / /
... never eats tomatoes
... used to have longer hair
... was born more that 100 kilometres from where he/she lives now
... is going to a party this weekend
... has been abroad more than once in the last two years
... is tired
... was speaking English this time yesterday
... stayed in last Saturday night
... can’t sing
... doesn’t like loud music

Materials used: