Appended Questions

In English grammar, appended questions are short questions added at the end of a statement. They are commonly used in both spoken and written English to confirm information, express doubt, or seek agreement. Appended questions are often called question tags or tag questions.

What Are Appended Questions?

An appended question is a brief question added to the end of a declarative or imperative sentence. It is used to turn a statement into a question, either to confirm information or to invite a response from the listener.

Key Characteristics:

1. Short Structure: Appended questions are concise and placed after a comma.

2. Polar in Nature: If the main statement is positive, the appended question is negative, and vice versa.

3. No Subject-Verb Inversion: The word order in appended questions differs from direct questions.

How to Form Appended Questions

Rules to Remember:

1. Match the Auxiliary Verb: The auxiliary or modal verb in the statement must be reflected in the appended question.

• • Example: “She can swim, can’t she?”

2. Use Pronouns: Replace nouns in the main statement with pronouns in the appended question.

• • Example: “Tom is here, isn’t he?”

3. Negative Statements: When the main statement is negative, the appended question is positive.

• • Example: “You don’t like coffee, do you?”

4. Positive Statements: When the main statement is positive, the appended question is negative.

• • Example: “It’s sunny today, isn’t it?”

5. Imperative Sentences: For commands or requests, use “will you,” “won’t you,” or “can’t you.”

• • Example: “Pass me the salt, will you?”

Examples of Appended Questions

Positive Statement, Negative Question:

1. “You’re coming to the party, aren’t you?”

2. “She has finished her homework, hasn’t she?”

3. “We will win the game, won’t we?”

Negative Statement, Positive Question:

1. “You don’t know the answer, do you?”

2. “He hasn’t called yet, has he?”

3. “They won’t be late, will they?”

Imperative Sentences:

1. “Close the door, will you?”

2. “Don’t make noise, will you?”

3. “Let’s go for a walk, shall we?”

Common Errors to Avoid

1. Mismatch in Verb Tense: The appended question must match the tense of the main statement.

• • Incorrect: “He likes tea, didn’t he?”
  • Correct: “He likes tea, doesn’t he?”

2. Inappropriate Pronouns: Ensure pronouns in the appended question align with the subject in the statement.

• • Incorrect: “The children are playing, isn’t it?”
  • Correct: “The children are playing, aren’t they?”

3. Improper Use with Imperatives: Use appropriate question tags for commands or suggestions.

• • Incorrect: “Open the window, don’t you?”
  • Correct: “Open the window, will you?”

Practice Exercise

Add appended questions to the following sentences:

1. You’ve been to Paris, __________?

2. He isn’t going to the meeting, __________?

3. Let’s finish this project, __________?

4. They should complete their homework, __________?

5. The dog didn’t bark last night, __________?

Answers:

1. You’ve been to Paris, haven’t you?

2. He isn’t going to the meeting, is he?

3. Let’s finish this project, shall we?

4. They should complete their homework, shouldn’t they?

5. The dog didn’t bark last night, did it?

Frequently Asked Questions on Appended Questions

Q1: What is an appended question?
An appended question is a short question added at the end of a statement to confirm information or seek agreement.

Q2: How do you form an appended question?
To form an appended question, use an auxiliary or modal verb matching the statement’s tense and reverse the polarity (positive/negative).

Q3: Can appended questions be used with imperatives?
Yes, imperative sentences use “will you,” “won’t you,” or “shall we” in appended questions.

Q4: What are some common examples of appended questions?

• • “You’re tired, aren’t you?”
  • “She didn’t call, did she?”
  • “Let’s go, shall we?”