Using Question Tag with Auxiliary Verb (+Video and Quiz)

Auxiliary verbs are ‘helping verbs’. They help main verbs make sense in most sentences.

When there is an auxiliary verb in the statement, form the question tag with that same auxiliary verb, unlike QUESTION TAGS WITHOUT AUXILIARY VERB.

▶️ Watch this lesson

Examples of auxiliary verbs

• am, is, are
• will, would
• may, might
• has, have, had
• can, could
• shall, should

Basic rules of question tags

1. Negative tag for positive statement.
2. Positive tag for negative statement.
3. Subject noun to pronoun.

✅ SEE THE FULL LESSON ON BASIC RULES OF QUESTION TAGS

Creating question tag with auxiliary verb

When there is an auxiliary verb in the statement, create question tag using that same auxiliary verb.

For example.

• It isn’t raining, ____?
• They were running late, ____?

See steps…

1. Find the auxiliary verb

EXAMPLE (1): It isn’t raining, ____?

• Auxiliary verb — “isn’t”

EXAMPLE (2): They were running late, ____?

• Auxiliary verb — “were”

2. Identify the verb form

Identify whether the auxiliary verb is in its positive or negative form.

EXAMPLE (1): It isn’t raining, ____?

• Auxiliary verb — “isn’t”
• Isn’t = is not — (NEGATIVE FORM)

EXAMPLE (2): They were running late, ____?

• Auxiliary verb — “were”
• were — (POSITIVE FORM)

3. Change its form

Remember, the basic rule of question tag is that when the statement is positive, the tag must be negative…and vice versa.

EXAMPLE (1): It isn’t raining, ____?

• Auxiliary verb — “isn’t”
• Isn’t = is not — (NEGATIVE FORM).

So, negative statement, positive tag.

“It isn’t raining, is it?”

EXAMPLE (2): They were running late, ____?

• Auxiliary verb — “were”
• were — (POSITIVE FORM)

So, positive statement, negative tag.

They were running late, weren’t they?

Practice questions on question tag with auxiliary verb

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