- LPU MCA Semester 1
- PEL546
- Unit 2
PEL546 · Unit 2: Tenses
Imperative negatives and question tags
9 practice questions · in the MTE and ETE syllabus
Key points
- Negative imperative is do not plus a base verb
- Positive statement takes a negative tag and the reverse
- Never, nobody and little give positive tags
- I am takes aren't I; let's takes shall we
An imperative gives an order or request using the base verb: Open the door. The negative imperative is do not or don't plus the base verb: Don't be late. Please do not park here. Do not use to after don't.
A question tag is a short question added to a statement. A positive statement takes a negative tag, and a negative statement takes a positive tag, repeating the auxiliary or modal and using a pronoun.
| Statement | Tag |
|---|---|
| You are a student, | aren't you? |
| She can swim, | can't she? |
| He never lies, | does he? |
| Nobody called, | did they? |
| There is little time, | is there? |
| I am late, | aren't I? |
| Let's go, | shall we? |
| Open the door, | will you? |
Words such as never, nobody, little and hardly make a statement negative in meaning, so the tag is positive.
Exam trap: I am late takes aren't I, not amn't I or am not I.
Try two questions
Choose the correct tag: Let's go for a walk, ___?
- will you
- don't we
- will we
- shall we
Show the answer
D. A suggestion beginning with let's takes the tag shall we.
Why not A: Will you is the tag for ordinary imperatives, not for let's.
Why not B: Don't we does not fit a let's suggestion.
Why not C: Will we is not the standard tag for let's.
Choose the correct tag: He never lies, ___?
- doesn't he
- does he
- isn't he
- is he
Show the answer
B. A statement with never is negative in meaning, so the tag is positive.
Why not A: Never makes the statement negative, so the tag must be positive.
Why not C: The statement uses lies, so the auxiliary is does.
Why not D: The statement uses lies, so the auxiliary is does.