Question Tags : Rule No 2

Dear readers,

In my previous post I explained Question Tag Rule No 1 . In the present post I am going to discuss Rule No 2 which can be stated as follows:

The subject of the question tag is always a pronoun and the verb (operator) always agrees with it .

As you know, a Question Tag or a Tag Question is always attached to a statement and the statement has a subject of its own .

When the subject of a statement is a proper noun , the subject of the question tag should be its corresponding pronoun .

Examples:

Tom is a clever boy, isn't he ?

Sita is a nice girl, isn't she ?

Tom and Sita are students, aren't they?

Cochin is a big city, isn't it ?

The Nile is the longest river in the world, isn't it?

When the subject of the statement is the sex-neutral pronoun everybody , nobody ,etc its corresponding pronoun is they, and the operator agrees with it . , even though it is plural!

Examples:

Everybody makes mistakes, don't they?

Nobody is above law, are they?

Please note that when the first person pronoun I is the subject of a positive statement, the tag is aren't I , and NOT amn't I . But am I ? is perfectly OK!

Examples:

Iam your guardian , aren't I ?

I am not your slave, am I ?

Dear readers, I will discuss the remaining rules in my next post


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