Question tag/ help
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Message from mrenglish2015 posted on 31-01-2015 at 10:31:55 (D | E | F)
Hello,
Can you help me please?
You don't know where Jessica is , ...?
please I'd like to know what question tag will be used here ?
I'd say 'is she' ?
What's your reply ?
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Edited by lucile83 on 31-01-2015 15:17
Message from mrenglish2015 posted on 31-01-2015 at 10:31:55 (D | E | F)
Hello,
Can you help me please?
You don't know where Jessica is , ...?
please I'd like to know what question tag will be used here ?
I'd say 'is she' ?
What's your reply ?
-------------------
Edited by lucile83 on 31-01-2015 15:17
Re: Question tag/ help from lucile83, posted on 31-01-2015 at 15:24:45 (D | E)
Hello,
You don't know where Jessica is , ...? ...the main verb is 'know' in the negative. In fact the tag has to answer the verb 'don't know'.
What is your answer now? the first one was not appropriate.
Re: Question tag/ help from floflor, posted on 31-01-2015 at 15:26:17 (D | E)
Hello,
In a question tag, you always use the auxiliary verb that you would use in a negative or/and interrogative sentence.
Examples:
She is pretty -> Is(n't) she pretty? -> She is pretty, isn't she?
He likes football -> Does(n't) he like football? -> He likes football, doesn't he?
The sentence you wrote is already negative, so you know which auxiliary to use.
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Edited by floflor on 31-01-2015 15:27
@ lucile83: we wrote our answers at the same time.
Re: Question tag/ help from lucile83, posted on 31-01-2015 at 15:34:08 (D | E)
Yes flofor, but it doesn't matter we answered at the same time, as long as the replies are right
Re: Question tag/ help from violet91, posted on 31-01-2015 at 19:28:57 (D | E)
Hello ,
I think I'll just add a few things , if you are learning the complete use of the 'question tag ' .
At first , you keep your attention on the used tense , then you express a reduced question in the opposite form .
- affirmative statement, negative tag .Question mark whatever the intention is .
- negative " "........., affirmative tag .
*You understood a tag is a sort of contradiction of what has just been declared . It is also a way of asking a 'yes, no question ' to the person in front of you , attracting or keeping his/her attention , or insisting on what you both know . You'll get an answer or not according to the scheme of your intonation ( rising for a question / falling for the declaration and the tag for insisting .
Ex : We all know man( humanity) walks on two feet , don't we ? ( no need to answer !).
You choose the auxiliary after the conjugated verb in the declaration .
** Mind negative adverbs and especially 'hardly '( almost never) which doesn't look so .
It hardly snows at the seaside , does it ? ( rising tag ) - Generally it doesn't in France , but it can depend on the country you are in .
*** Another thing to say : you usually add a tag in the future tense for the auxiliary , when you give an order or suggest something your 'partner' can do , as a sign of politeness and diminishing your own authority .
-Ex : Sit down , will you ?
- Help yourself with another biscuit , will you ?
- We'll go and see this film , shan' t we ? ( = shall we not ? = a way of proposing, but the partner can still refuse .)
I hope this helps you , too .
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