Question Tags Made Easy: 9 Golden Rules Parents Can Teach Kids

Question Tags Made Easy: 9 Golden Rules Parents Can Teach Kids

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Question Tags Made Easy: 9 Golden Rules Parents Can Teach Kids
Fun Learning & Practice Sheets for Parents and Teachers

Why Parents Struggle with Question Tags

Imagine this: Your child looks at you with wide eyes after reading a sentence —

 “She is your best friend, …?”

And they ask, “Mom, what do I write here? Is it ‘is she?’ or ‘isn’t she?’”

Many parents feel stuck at this point. English grammar seems tricky because question tags are short but powerful. They confirm information, create conversation, and check understanding.

Don’t worry. By the end of this blog, you’ll:

  • Understand all the rules of question tags clearly.
  • Learn how to teach kids question tags using fun methods.
  • Access practice worksheets with answers for revision.


What Are Question Tags? (The Story Method)

Think of a question tag as a friendly echo.

When you say something, the tag bounces back at the end, asking for agreement.

Example:

  • You are coming to the park, aren’t you?
  • It’s a sunny day, isn’t it?

Question tags are like saying: “I believe this is true, but you agree, right?”

This makes English more conversational and engaging.


Golden Rules of Question Tags (Explained for Parents & Kids)

Let’s break it down step by step.

Rule 1: Positive Sentence → Negative Tag

  • If the statement is positive, the tag becomes negative.

👉 She is your friend, isn’t she?
👉 They will help us, won’t they?

Rule 2: Negative Sentence → Positive Tag

  • If the statement already has not, never, nothing, nobody, hardly, rarely, seldom, the tag becomes positive.

👉 She isn’t ready, is she?
👉 He never lies, does he?

Rule 3: Use the Same Auxiliary Verb

  • The helping verb in the statement comes in the tag.

👉 She is a good singer, isn’t she?
👉 They can swim well, can’t they?

Rule 4: No Auxiliary Verb? Use “Do/Does/Did”

  • If the sentence has no helping verb, use do/does/did.

👉 You like mangoes, don’t you?
👉 He played cricket, didn’t he?

Rule 5: Subject Changes to Pronoun

  • The subject of the sentence must turn into a pronoun in the tag.

👉 My brother is tall, isn’t he?
👉 The girls were late, weren’t they?

Rule 6: Imperatives (Commands & Requests)

  • Positive command/request → will you?
  • Let’s → shall we?

👉 Open the door, will you?
👉 Let’s go for a walk, shall we?

Rule 7: Negative Adverbs → Positive Tag

  • Words like hardly, seldom, rarely, scarcely, little, nowhere mean “negative.”

👉 He rarely eats out, does he?
👉 Little did she know, did she?

Rule 8: Universal Truths & Facts

  • Still follow positive → negative structure.

👉 The sun rises in the east, doesn’t it?

Rule 9: Formal Tone → “Shall we?” or “Will you?”

Used in polite requests.

👉 Kindly pass the file, will you?

 

How to Teach Question Tags in Fun Ways (Parents’ Guide)

  1. Role Play Conversations
    • Pretend you’re in a shop.
    • Parent: “This is a toy car, isn’t it?”
    • Child: “Yes, it is.”
  2. Tag Games
    • Write statements on flashcards.
    • Kids complete the tag as fast as possible.
  3. Music & Rhymes
    • Sing rhymes like: “You are my sunshine, aren’t you?”
  4. Story Completion
    • Tell a story with blanks.
    • Example: “The wolf was very hungry, …?”
  5. Daily Conversations
    • While eating: “This is yummy, isn’t it?”
    • While walking: “It’s a nice evening, isn’t it?”

 

Also Read: Descriptive Verbs Bank: 100+ Strong Alternatives to Dull Verbs with Meanings

Practice Worksheets on Question Tags

Here are ready-to-use practice sheets with answers:

Worksheet 1 – Fill in the Tags

  1. She is your sister, ______?
  2. They aren’t late, ______?
  3. He can drive a car, ______?
  4. You don’t like spinach, ______?
  5. Let’s watch a movie, ______?
  6. Nobody knew the answer, ______?
  7. The sun sets in the west, ______?
  8. You played football yesterday, ______?
  9. He rarely smiles, ______?
  10. Open the window, ______?

Answers (Worksheet 1)

  1. isn’t she?
  2. are they?
  3. can’t he?
  4. do you?
  5. shall we?
  6. did they?
  7. doesn’t it?
  8. didn’t you?
  9. does he?
  10. will you?

Worksheet 2 – Correct the Mistakes

  1. He is a teacher, isn’t it?
  2. They can dance, isn’t they?
  3. You never help, don’t you?
  4. Let’s go, will we?
  5. She isn’t kind, isn’t she?

Answers (Worksheet 2)

  1. isn’t he?
  2. can’t they?
  3. do you?
  4. shall we?
  5. is she?

Worksheet 3 – Create Tags

Write the correct tags:

  1. You are my best friend, ______?
  2. He didn’t call me, ______?
  3. The boys were playing cricket, ______?
  4. Nothing is possible now, ______?
  5. We should respect elders, ______?

Answers (Worksheet 3)

  1. aren’t you?
  2. did he?
  3. weren’t they?
  4. is it?
  5. shouldn’t we?

Final Words for Parents

Teaching question tags is not about memorizing rules. It’s about making kids listen, think, and respond in real-life situations. Use this blog as your complete guide — theory, rules, fun activities, and ready worksheets.

Next time your child asks: “Mumma, how do I write the tag here?”
You’ll confidently reply: “Easy! Just check the rule, and you’ll know.”

Because now, you both have the grammar echo power — don’t you?