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ESL forum >
Grammar and Linguistics > Taq Question Confusion
Taq Question Confusion
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Imdad
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Taq Question Confusion
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The other day when I was going through some of the exercises on Tag Question, I found the following statements. Though I have produced the solution, Still I am confused whether the Tags are correct.
Here are the sentences:
1. Good Morning, isn �t it?
2. Thank you, don �t I?
3. Happy birthday to you, isn �t it ? / don �t I?
What I found out is this :
1. (It is a) Good morning, isn �t it?
2. ( I ) Thank you, don �t I?
3. ( It is a ) happy birthday to you, isn �t it?
or, ( I wish a ) happy birthday to you, don �t I?
Are these Tag Questions correct?
If there is any problem, or any other explanation, plzzzzzzzzzz, elucidate that.
Thanks in advance to all of you.
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26 Nov 2011
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yanogator
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Hi, Imdad, Only the first one would use a tag question, and you have it right. "Thank you" is a simple statement, that would never be made into a question. We don �t even say "Happy birthday to you"; we just sing it in the standard birthday song. The standard greeting is just "Happy birthday". We could say "I wish you a happy birthday", but we wouldn �t make it into a question, and we wouldn �t say "to you". I hope this helps you, Bruce |
26 Nov 2011
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Apodo
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I�m not surprised you are confused. I am! These are usually statements. I didn �t understand your tags.
1. Good morning.
2. Thank you.
3. Happy Birthday!
Possible tag questions could be:
1. It�s a good morning isn�t it? (At an activity where you are enjoying your morning)
2. I thank you when you help me don�t I? (After you�ve been accused of being impolite)
3. It�s your birthday isn�t it? (You are checking to make sure) |
26 Nov 2011
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Imdad
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yanogator,
I also support your idea what you told. Usually, these statements can not have Tag Questions, but it is unfortunate that we, in our country, have many of these Questions in the Exams. The Teachers, I don �t know why, gives these questions in the exams of SECONDARY and HIGHER SECONDARY Questions. So, the students are also in a fix what to do about it. !!!!!!!!!!!
Even some days ago i saw this sentence "Who cares" (!!!) And it was given to make Tag Question... !!!!!!!!!
How funny !!!!!!!! You see, this is a Question in form, but the teachers of that Question Setter prescribed. What do you think about it?
What can we do now? I don �t know why do the teachers give this kind of sentences. Aren �t they aware of it ? Or, do they just want to fun of it?
By the way thanks for your kind and lucid explanation.
Thanks a lot.
Be happy forever
Imdad
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26 Nov 2011
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Imdad
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yanogator,
Thanks a lot !!!!!!!!! Your explanation is very helpful. Really these sentences could be in the same way as you described; and so did I think.
Once again, I am grateful to you.
I Hope that I will get more of this explanation from you.
Imdad
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26 Nov 2011
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Apodo
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Even some days ago i saw this sentence "Who cares" (!!!) And it was given to make Tag Question... !!!!!!!!!
And what was the correct answer to that?  |
26 Nov 2011
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Imdad
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Actually, you see, this is an Interrogative Sentence, then, how can it take A Tag Question?
But there was the answer given in the book as -- Who cares, do they?
If you consider the following sentence , you will see :
" They know who cares. " Even if this sentence takes a Tag, then, It will be "don �t they?" because of the Principal Clause that emphasizes on the meaning.
Isn �t it?
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26 Nov 2011
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yanogator
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"Who cares, do they?" is definitely wrong. Books are not always correct. "They know who cares, don �t they?" is a correct use of a tag question, but I would never "build" it from the simple "Who cares?", which is already a question. Bruce |
26 Nov 2011
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