Unit 41 · Auxiliary verbs

Have you? Are you? Don't you? etc.

Study

A

You can say have you? / is it? / can't he? etc. to show that you are interested or surprised:

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'You're late.' 'Oh, am I? I'm sorry.'

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'I was ill last week.' 'Were you? I didn't know that.'

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'It's raining again.' 'Is it? It was sunny ten minutes ago.'

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'There's a problem with the car.' 'Is there? What's wrong with it?'

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'Bill can't drive.' 'Can't he? I didn't know that.'

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'I'm not hungry.' 'Aren't you? I am.'

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'Sue isn't at work today.' 'Isn't she? Is she ill?'

Use do/does for the *present simple*, and did for the *past simple*:

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'I speak four languages.' 'Do you? Which ones?'

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'Ben doesn't eat meat.' 'Doesn't he? Does he eat fish?'

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'Nicola got married last week.' 'Did she? Really?'

B

You can use have you? / is it? / can't she? etc. at the end of a sentence. These 'mini-questions' are question tags.

positive sentence → negative question tag

It's a beautiful day,	isn't it?	Yes, it's perfect.
Kate lives in London,	doesn't she?	Yes, that's right.
You closed the window,	didn't you?	Yes, I think so.
Those shoes are nice,	aren't they?	Yes, very nice.
Tom will be here soon,	won't he?	Yes, probably.

negative sentence → positive question tag

That isn't your car,	is it?	No, it's my mother's.
You haven't met my mother,	have you?	No, I haven't.
Helen doesn't go out much,	does she?	No, she doesn't.
You won't be late,	will you?	No, I'm never late.

Exercises (4)

0/4 exercises checked

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41.1

Answer with Do you? / Doesn't she? / Did they? etc.

1
I speak four languages.
? Which ones?example
2
I work in a bank.
? I work in a bank too.
3
I didn't go to work yesterday.
? Were you ill?
4
Jane doesn't like me.
? Why not?
5
You look tired.
? I feel fine.
6
Kate phoned me last night.
? What did she say?

41.2

Answer with Have you? / Haven't you? / Did she? / Didn't she? etc.

1
I've bought a new car.
? What make is it?example
2
Tim doesn't eat meat.
? Does he eat fish?example
3
I've lost my key.
? When did you last have it?
4
Sue can't drive.
? She should learn.
5
I was born in Italy.
? I didn't know that.
6
I didn't sleep well last night.
? Was the bed uncomfortable?
7
There's a film on TV tonight.
? Are you going to watch it?
8
I'm not happy.
? Why not?
9
I saw Paula last week.
? How is she?
10
Maria works in a factory.
? What kind of factory?
11
I won't be here next week.
? Where will you be?
12
The clock isn't working.
? It was working yesterday.

41.3

Complete these sentences with a question tag (isn't it? / haven't you? etc.).

1
Yes, it's perfect.
It's a beautiful day, ?example
2
Yes, what are they?
These flowers are nice, ?
3
Yes, but I didn't speak to her.
Jane was at the party, ?
4
Yes, many times.
You've been to Paris, ?
5
Yes, but not very well.
You speak German, ?
6
Yes, he works very hard.
Martin looks tired, ?
7
Yes, of course I will.
You'll help me, ?

41.4

Complete these sentences with a question tag, positive (is it? / do you? etc.) or negative (isn't it? / don't you? etc.).

1
No, I can't drive.
You haven't got a car, ?example
2
No, I feel fine.
You aren't tired, ?
3
Yes, everybody likes her.
Lisa is a very nice person, ?
4
Yes, but I'm not very good.
You can play the piano, ?
5
No, I've never met her.
You don't know Mike's sister, ?
6
Yes, she studied psychology.
Sarah went to university, ?
7
No, it was terrible.
The film wasn't very good, ?
8
That's right. In the same street.
Anna lives near you, ?
9
No, of course not.
You won't tell anybody what I said, ?