Question Tag “isn’t it?”

In this English grammar lesson we look at the last instalment of the verb “is”. Objective: make question tags using ‘Isn’t it?” Now look at these sentences: 1) You moved to your new house, isn’t it? 2) They won the race, isn’t it? 3) You placed a bet, isn’t it? 4) You have read the passage, isn’t it? 5) She beat you, isn’t it? Did you spot the error? (Please refer to the lessons on the “do” and “have” verbs). These are sentences that I picked from conversations. It is hard to understand why people make this mistake. Like I mentioned in the previous lesson, the verb “is” is very commonly used. Most likely the very first question tag people learn is “isn’t it?” and the lesson sticks. May be it is what is common place in their environment. I recently talked to a foreign learner of English from Slovenia who was visiting Kenya. I wanted to know whether being in Kenya had improved her English. She lamented that she was in fact picking some of the mistakes Kenyans made and was powerless to do anything about it. My point is that the environment one is in matters a lot when learning a second or foreign language. So the learning points for question tag” isn’t it?” are very simple: 1) The sentence should have the word is. 2) The sentence must be positive. 3) The tag is therefore negative. Our sentences will look like these: 1) This is your book, isn’t it? 2) This is your new house, isn’t it? 3) That is your assignment, isn’t it? Take note that the pronoun/noun used determines what pronoun to use in the tag. 1) John is your friend, isn’t he? 2) Jane is tipped to win the race, isn’t she? 3) He is the one you talked about, isn’t he? 4) She is the one you love, isn’t she? If this lesson has improved your English grammar please send me a line:wallbiz.akach35@gmail.com