All English 4U · Intermediate Grammar · Unit 52 · B1–B2
Question tags
Riverside Repair Cafe
100% Original Practice Test · 44 questions · question tags, auxiliary choice, pronouns and special patterns.
0 / 44 answered
Quick Grammar Guide
At a volunteer-run riverside repair cafe, adults share tools, fix household items and check plans with one another. Question tags turn a statement into a short confirmation question. In standard tags, positive statements take negative tags and negative statements take positive tags.
1. How to Form It
A standard question tag repeats the statement's auxiliary (or uses do/does/did), then a subject pronoun. Reverse the polarity: positive statement + negative tag; negative statement + positive tag.
Choose the auxiliary
Structure: statement auxiliary + (not) + subject pronoun?
Positive: The volunteers are ready, aren't they? The kettle has cooled, hasn't it? You can use this bench, can't you?
Negative: The tap isn't leaking, is it? They haven't finished, have they?
Meaning: Repeat be, have or a modal when it appears as an auxiliary. With present-simple main verbs use do/does; with past-simple main verbs use did. The tag pronoun refers back to the statement's subject.
Examples: Mina checks the wiring, doesn't she? The visitors arrived, didn't they?
Match polarity and subject
Structure: positive statement → contracted negative tag; negative statement → positive tag
Positive: The repair is complete, isn't it? There are spare parts, aren't there?
Negative: Nobody has called, have they? Lee never skips the safety check, does he?
Meaning: Nobody and never have negative meaning. Everyone and nobody refer to people and take they in the tag. Nothing refers to a thing and takes it. Match the auxiliary to the tag pronoun: Nobody has called, have they?
Examples: Everyone can join the workshop, can't they? Nobody is waiting, are they?
Special patterns
Structure: I am …, aren't I? · Let's …, shall we? · imperative, will you?
Positive: I'm on the afternoon shift, aren't I? Let's test the lamp, shall we? Pass the cloth, will you?
Negative: Don't unplug it yet, will you?
Meaning: Use aren’t I after positive I am and shall we after a let’s suggestion. This practice requests will you for imperative tags; other imperative tags are possible in conversation. In there-tags, retain there as the subject.
Examples: There's a spare bulb, isn't there? There weren't any loose screws, were there?
2. Clue Words & Patterns
Check the whole statement before choosing the tag: identify its auxiliary, polarity and subject. The examples use the standard opposite-polarity confirmation pattern.
The cafe closes at five, doesn't it?
Closes is present simple with a singular subject, so the tag uses does; positive polarity changes to negative.
You found the loose screw, didn't you?
Found is past simple, so use did in the tag and reverse the positive statement to negative.
Nobody left a tool outside, did they?
Nobody is negative in meaning, so the tag is positive. They is the usual pronoun for an indefinite person.
The visitors should wear goggles, shouldn't they?
Repeat should rather than adding do; visitors becomes they and the tag takes negative polarity.
There was a spare cable, wasn't there?
Repeat the be form in the tag and use there again as its subject.
The lamp is working, isn’t it?
A rising tag can ask for genuine confirmation; a falling tag often expects agreement. This test scores the written grammar and the words in each recording, not a learner’s intonation.
3. Watch Out & Common Mistakes
Make the tag agree with the grammar and meaning of the full statement. These examples use standard opposite-polarity tags, not positive-positive conversational tags.
Using be with a present-simple verb
Wrong: Maya checks the battery, isn't she?
Better: Maya checks the battery, doesn't she?
Checks is a present-simple main verb, so use does in its tag.
Keeping a negative tag after a negative statement
Wrong: The volunteers didn't leave, didn't they?
Better: The volunteers didn't leave, did they?
Didn't already makes the statement negative; the standard tag is positive.
Forgetting negative meaning
Wrong: Nobody has arrived, haven't they?
Better: Nobody has arrived, have they?
Nobody is negative in meaning, so use a positive tag; have agrees with the tag pronoun they.
Using the wrong pronoun
Wrong: The machine is ready, aren't they?
Better: The machine is ready, isn't it?
Machine is a singular thing, so use it. Match is with the contracted negative isn’t.
Missing the special I am form
Wrong: I'm next, isn't I?
Better: I'm next, aren't I?
The conventional tag for positive I am is aren't I?
Ben repaired the radio, ___ he? Complete the standard tag.
didn’t. Repaired is positive past simple, so use the contracted negative auxiliary didn’t with he.
Nothing is missing, ___ it? Choose the tag polarity and auxiliary.
is. Nothing has negative meaning, so the tag is positive: is it?
Correct the tag: Let's move the toolbox, will we?
Let's move the toolbox, shall we? Suggestions with let's take shall we?
Before answering: identify the statement auxiliary, its positive or negative meaning, and the subject pronoun. These tasks use standard opposite-polarity confirmation tags with contracted negatives, except where an imperative or a suggestion is explicitly named.
Part 1 — Spell the missing tag auxiliary
Complete standard opposite-polarity confirmation tags with the missing auxiliary. Use contracted negatives. For the imperative request, use will.
A regular visitor checks the cafe schedule.
1. You mend bicycles here every Saturday, you?
The group checks what arrived in the equipment box.
2. Maya didn't bring the pump, she?
A volunteer asks for confirmation after an electrical check.
3. The kettle is safe to use, it?
Two adult learners report a completed task.
4. We've cleaned the workbench, we?
A learner checks their place in the queue.
5. I am next on the repair list, I?
A volunteer suggests a safer place for a lamp.
6. Let's move the lamp away from the sink, we?
A volunteer makes a request at the tool bench. Complete the request tag using will.
7. Pass me the small screwdriver, you?
An adult learner points out a possible replacement part.
8. There's a spare fuse in that drawer, there?
Part 2 — Complete the whole tag
Write the complete standard opposite-polarity confirmation tag, including its subject. Use contracted negatives.
A newcomer confirms the regular venue and schedule.
Cue: (tag)
9. The repair cafe opens beside the river every month, ?
The coordinator checks a negative statement about the station.
Cue: (tag)
10. The volunteers weren't using the soldering station, ?
A learner confirms that Omar completed the labelling.
Cue: (tag)
11. Omar has labelled all the donated cables, ?
A volunteer checks that a learner is allowed to borrow a tool.
Cue: (tag)
12. You can borrow the hand drill after lunch, ?
The booking board is still empty.
Cue: (tag)
13. Nobody has booked the sewing machine yet, ?
A volunteer praises Leah's careful work.
Cue: (tag)
14. Leah never leaves a repair unfinished, ?
A learner checks a detail from the collection log.
Cue: (tag)
15. There were two boxes of donated fabric, ?
Ben, a male technician, confirms yesterday’s completed repair.
Cue: (tag)
16. Ben repaired the old radio yesterday, ?
A volunteer checks the fit before a learner starts sanding.
Cue: (tag)
17. These safety glasses fit you properly, ?
A reminder is posted near the tool checkout desk.
Cue: (tag)
18. The visitors should sign the tool sheet, ?
Part 3 — Choose the correct tag
Choose the standard opposite-polarity confirmation tag matching the statement. For the negative imperative, select the request tag with will.
The rota shows Nina is assigned to sewing today.
The toy is ready for the display shelf.
A partner checks a learner's position during a demonstration.
A volunteer proposes the next step.
A volunteer gives a safety instruction.
The group checks the riverbank after moving the work table.
A learner suggests moving a lamp closer to the repair area.
The coordinator checks whether the notice is visible to all visitors.
Part 4 — Build the question tags
Use every displayed token once to build the complete statement and its standard opposite-polarity confirmation tag. Keep punctuation attached to its token.
A visitor admires a bench repaired by a volunteer.
27. Build the sentence.
Word bank: this / you? / You / didn't / built / bench,
A volunteer reports a problem found during inspection.
28. Build the sentence.
Word bank: has / The / it? / hasn't / washer / leaked,
A safety sign gives a rule for the workshop.
29. Build the sentence.
Word bank: wear / must / Visitors / gloves, / they? / mustn't
A learner checks the condition of a repaired chair.
30. Build the sentence.
Word bank: The / it? / paint / wasn't / was / dry,
The glue is missing from the shared supply box.
31. Build the sentence.
Word bank: did / The / glue, / the / learners / didn't / they? / find
The coordinator checks seating before the next group arrives.
32. Build the sentence.
Word bank: there? / chairs, / aren't / There / are / enough
Part 5 — Fix the underlined tag word
Replace only the underlined incorrect word with the correct word. Keep the rest of the tag unchanged.
The sentence describes Sana's regular volunteer task.
33. Sana repairs the donated lamps, isn't she?
Replace isn't with
The fan failed a test earlier today.
34. The old fan didn't start, didn't it?
Replace didn't with
A team has finished organising small donated parts.
35. The volunteers have sorted the screws, hasn't they?
Replace hasn't with
A volunteer confirms readiness before visitors arrive.
36. I'm ready to open the doors, isn't I?
Replace isn't with
A volunteer suggests moving a heavy table.
37. Let's carry the table together, will we?
Replace will with
The toolbox remains on the return shelf.
38. Nobody has taken the blue toolbox, haven't they?
Replace haven't with
Part 6 — Listen and complete
Listen to each complete sentence and type the single missing spoken word in the display.
A volunteer checks that the broken chair has been repaired.
39. Listen and complete.
You fixed the broken chair, you?
A learner confirms that the leak has stopped.
40. Listen and complete.
The tap isn't dripping now, it?
The coordinator asks about the visitors' experience.
41. Listen and complete.
Everyone enjoyed the repair session, they?
A volunteer points out a useful item near the sink.
42. Listen and complete.
There's a clean cloth on the shelf, there?
The batteries are left in the shared supply box.
43. Listen and complete.
Nobody needs the spare batteries, they?
The volunteers agree on a clear display procedure.
44. Listen and complete.
We should label the repaired items, we?
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