A special case of dividing questions in English. Types of questions in English in examples. Scheme of formation of a negative construction

In conversational speech, we sometimes have to ask our interlocutor again, clarify information, or express doubt. When we know what we are talking about but need confirmation, we use the tags questions form in English. Questions with a tail, or disjunctive questions, are always connected to the preceding sentence, for example:

(Main clause) He is going to the gym, (tag question) isn’t he? He's going to go to the gym, isn't he?

The students passed the biology exam, didn’t they? The students passed the biology exam, didn't they?

In Russian, the dividing question sounds like this:

We'll meet at the cinema tomorrow, right?

We are meeting at the cinema tomorrow, aren’t we?

"Isn't it" in English is a "tail" aren't we? . Other examples of questions with a tail in English:

You work in a bank, don’t you? You work in a bank, don't you?

Your sister can sing, can’t she? Your sister can sing, can't she?

He wouldn’t go to Mexico if he didn’t speak Spanish, would he? He wouldn't go to Mexico if he didn't speak Spanish, would he?

Disjunctive questions in English turn sentences into general questions to which we answer “yes/no questions.”

“Isn’t it so” in English: rules of education

Tags questions consist of one of the auxiliary verbs (be, do or have) or the main verb be, and sometimes a modal verb (can, should). A subject is always used with a verb, which is most often expressed by a pronoun.

The verb in the main part of the sentence determines what the verb in the tag question will be.

For example:

The exception is sentences with the construction “I am”. In this case we use “are” rather than “am”. For example:

I’m the tallest in the class, aren’t I? I'm the tallest in the class, aren't I?

Tag questions in English is a short interrogative part that comes at the end of a sentence. This construction is used mainly in colloquial speech.

Questions with a tail in English can be divided into several types:

The first type of question consists of an affirmative sentence and a negative tag question or a negative sentence with an affirmative tag question. The negative part of the question is most often used in an abbreviated form.

For example:

You work in a bank, don’t you? You work in a bank, don't you?

He’s a doctor, isn’t he? He's a doctor, isn't he?

You haven’t met him, have you? You haven't met him, have you?

She isn’t coming, is she? She won't come, will she?

Typically, we use this type of question to clarify information when we need to confirm already known facts.

For example:

You work with John, don’t you? You work with John, don't you? (I'm pretty sure you work with John, but I need to confirm this, so I'm clarifying).

Your mother is not very old, is she? Your mother is not very old, is she? (I'm guessing that your mother is not very old, but I'm asking again to be sure).

Affirmative disjunctive questions in English (double positives)

This type of question is used mainly when the speaker has just heard some interesting, important news or would like to emphasize his statement or enhance the emotional effect. The basic rule for affirmative questions: if the main part is in the affirmative form, then the tag question is affirmative.

The interlocutor’s reaction to questions of this type is to agree, sympathize, or somehow comment on the information. Affirmative tails are used in informal communication. For example:

My English teacher was lovely. She was a great teacher, was she? My English teacher was very good. She was a great teacher, wasn't she?

You are getting married, are you? Are you really getting married?

Question with a tail in the imperative mood

The imperative mood has no tense, so it is not immediately possible to determine how to form a tag question. Most often we use the form “won’t you” or “will you”, as well as “would”, “could”, “can”.

Using a tag question with the imperative mood slightly softens the tone characteristic of an order or urgent request.

Open the window, won’t you? Won't you open the window?

Turn the TV down, will you? Can you turn off the TV?

Don't shout, will you? I can hear you perfectly well. Stop screaming, come on. I can hear you perfectly.

Come here immediately, can you? Can't come here right now?

The level of formality of the phrase depends on the intonation and type of tag question we choose.

For example, can't you can express impatience and irritation, as in the example:Turn the TV down, can’t you? Well, turn off the TV already!

The intonation of the tail is descending, we do not specify, but show irritation.

Separating questions in sentences where the interlocutor’s opinion is asked

This type of sentence begins with "let's". After let's we use shall in tag questions:

Let's have some lunch now, shall we? Let's have lunch now, what do you think?

It doesn’t matter whether the sentence is positive or negative, we use “shall we” in any case.

Let’s not go to the restaurant, shall we? Let's not go to the restaurant, what do you think?

Using "right" and "yeah" in colloquial speech instead of tag question

Very often in informal speech, instead of a question with a tail in English, the words “right” and “yeah” are used when we want to ask again or clarify some information.

For example:

So, you’re not going on holiday this year, right? So you're not going on vacation this year, right?

So, you’re not going on holiday this year, are you?

The film starts at about 8, yeah? The movie starts around 8, right?

A more formal expression with a tag question:The film starts at about 8, doesn't it?

Dividing questions that begin with "I think"

In sentences that begin with "I think"», we don't use "do I" in tag question» . Tag question is consistent in meaning with the main information in the sentence:

I think she is a great doctor, isn’t she? I think she's a wonderful doctor, don't you?

When do we start with “I don’t think» - the tail will be positive, and the verb will also agree with the verb in the sentence that conveys the main information.

I don’t think it’s a good idea, is it? I don't think that's a good idea, do you?

I don’t think we should meet her parents tonight, should we? I don't think we need to meet her parents tonight, right?

These rules apply to other verbs that express opinion: feel, believe, suppose.

I suppose they are students, aren’t they? I guess they are students, right?

I can’t believe she really likes him, does she? I can't believe she actually likes him, right?

Using separating questions without subject and auxiliary verb

A very common occurrence in informal conversation is the omission of a subject (usually expressed by a pronoun) and an auxiliary verb.

For example:

Lovely day, isn’t it?(Instead of It is a lovely day, isn’t it?) Wonderful day, isn’t it?

Doing well, are you?(Instead of You are doing well, are you?) You're doing well, aren't you?

Nobody in the office, is there? (Instead of There’s nobody in the office, is there?) There’s no one in the office, is there?

Disjunctive questions: examples of questions with never, no one, nothing

Sentences with negative adverbs never (never), hardly ever (almost never) can cause difficulties in choosing a tag question, since the verb in the main part is in the affirmative form, but the entire sentence is negative in meaning. In sentences of this type, the verb in the tail is used in the positive form.

For example:

They never go on holiday in winter, do they? (not “don’t they” ). They never go on holiday in winter, do they?

Martha hardly ever sleeps at night, does she? Martha hardly sleeps at night, does she?

In sentences with indefinite nouns someone, anyone, no one, everyone, difficulties may arise with the choice of pronoun. In this case we use “they (they)».

For example:

Everyone left the room, didn’t they? Everyone left the room, didn't they?

No one cares about this, do they? Nobody worries about that, right?

Since "no one" already conveys the negative meaning of the sentence, the tail will be positive.

With indefinite nouns something (anything), nothing (nothing), everything (everything) we use “it”» .

Everything is fine, isn’t it? Everything is great, isn't it?

Nothing matters, does it?Nothing matters, right?

The word "nothing" " has a negative meaning, so the tag question will be positive.

Intonation

In dividing questions in English, we usually do not focus on the part in which the question is asked; we do not emphasize the tag question if we are sure that the information is correct. But, if the speaker doubts, then the intonation increases and the tag question comes under stress.

Tag question can be used as a question when we want to hear the answer “yes” or “no”, and therefore we pronounce it with a questioning, rising intonation. But sometimes a question with a tail is needed in order to express agreement with the information already presented. In this case, the intonation is descending.

The term “tag question” usually means little to a student of English. But the “question with a tail” is, as they say, rings a bell! This formulation is familiar from school, and any schoolchild knows the main feature of this type of question:

Feature: if there is a negation in the statement, then there is none in the tail and vice versa.

For example:

• Parents want their children to make good grades, don't they?
• Parents don't want their children to behave poorly, do they?

However, reflexive questions have a dark side that is not related to the presence or absence of negation in the main clause. This side is the structure of the main sentence itself. There are many pitfalls hidden here. Let us examine these difficulties using specific examples.

1) He has to do it himself, doesn't he?

He has two cats, doesn't he?

He has got two cats, hasn't he?

2) Table 1. Tag questions

4) Table 3. Tag questions

You hardly know him, do you?

5) I am…, aren’t I/ am I not?

I am right, aren’t I?

I am right, am I not?

6) Let’s…., shall we?

Let's go to the beach, shall we?

,will you?

,would you?

,can you?

7) Table 4. Tag questions

Help me, will you?

Shut up, can't you?

8) Please DO NOT do anything + , will you?

Don't forget, will you?

9) Request or request for information = negative offer + positive question

You haven’t seen my pen, have you? -Have you seen my pen?

You couldn't lend me a dollar, could you? -Will you lend me a dollar?

10) There are two pens on the table, aren't there?

11) This is Mr. Brown, isn't it?

12) There used to be a lot of cafes in the down, didn’t there?

IMPORTANT!!! A sentence with negation is not only something where there must be NOT/NO. This is also a sentence that contains so-called negative words. If they are present in a sentence, then a “tail” is added to it WITHOUT NOT!!! These words include:

• (THE) ONLY
• REFUSE
• DOUBT
• AGAINST
• WITHOUT
• UNABLE
• UNLIKELY
• + ALL WORDS FROM POINTS 3 AND 4.

Disjunctive Questions in English seem at first glance to be the simplest of the rest. In fact, all sorts of hidden difficulties await you here, sometimes not indicated even in the best English grammar textbooks. We tried to put together this big puzzle without missing a single piece.

Let's start with the fact that dividing questions in English are asked to express bewilderment or doubt, to find confirmation of a fact, to find out whether the interlocutor agrees with us or not. They consist of two parts, and the first one is the original sentence to which you are asking a question. You repeat it unchanged. Yes, yes, that's true. No question words or auxiliary verbs are needed. The whole point is in the second part, which is a small “tail” with a whole set of changing words. It’s good at least that it is always translated the same way: isn’t it? is not it? Yes? Truth? right? OK? Fine? and so on.

Question construction

Remember that the construction of the question depends solely on the type of sentence.

• If you are convinced that you are dealing with an affirmative phrase, then the auxiliary verb, particle will successively replace each other in the tail not and a pronoun equivalent to the subject:

You will cook spaghetti and bacon for dinner, won't you? — You'll cook spaghetti and bacon for dinner, right?

• If you come across a negative sentence, then the tail will consist of an auxiliary verb and a pronoun replacing the subject:

They were not playing hide-and-seek at that time yesterday, were they? “They weren’t playing hide and seek at this time yesterday, were they?”

Keep in mind that words nothing, nobody, no one, no, neither, never, scarcely, hardly, barely etc. automatically make the sentence negative:

Nothing was mentioned about it at the meeting, was it? — Nothing was mentioned about this at the meeting, right?

You never visit your aunt, do you? -You never visit your aunt, do you?

Verbs in the tails of separating questions in English

As you can guess, there are plenty to choose from:

• When meeting with to be and we use it. And in sentences with there is / there are these two comrades need to be swapped. Be careful with numerous forms:

Jane was so happy last Friday, wasn't she? — Jane was so happy last Friday, wasn't she?

We are not talking about Nora, are we? “We're not talking about Nora, are we?”

Jack is back home, isn't he? - Jack's back home, right?

There are flowers in all the rooms, aren't there? — There are flowers in all the rooms, aren’t there?

• WITH other verbs in all tense forms, the corresponding auxiliary verbs are used in the tail:

Nelly has lost her laptop hasn't she? — Nellie lost her laptop, right?

Your cat purrs so sweetly, doesn't it? — Your cat purrs so sweetly, doesn’t it?

We will be knitting tomorrow at 3 o’clock, won't we? — We will knit tomorrow at 3 o’clock, right?

• If you get caught modal verb, then we will need it for the tail:

Jerry can speak French, can't he? — Jerry can speak French, right?

You must leave immediately mustn't you? “You have to leave immediately, right?”

• If you need to defuse an offer in imperative mood, That:

1. When making a request or order, use will you? won't you? can you? can't you? could you? couldn't you?

Please, buy some apples and bananas, will you? — Please buy some apples and bananas, okay?

Sit down can't you? - Sit down, okay?

2. Suitable in negative phrases will you:

Don’t touch my books in the living-room, will you? - Don't touch my books in the hall, okay?

3. If a sentence begins with let's- come on (those), then you need to use shall we:

Let's have a party, shall we? - Let's have a party, okay?

4. Do not confuse the previous candidate with words let+ pronoun in objective case. Here, focus on the tail won't you or will you:

Let me explain to you how to get to the station, won't you? - Let me tell you how to get to the station, okay?

Nuances of use

• If you come across this form to be, How am, then you will have to use aren't I or are I in the tail, although we admit that it sounds unusual:

I am late for the class, aren't I? — I'm late for class, aren't I?

• Words anybody, anyone, these, those, everyone, everybody, someone, somebody, no one, nobody can easily mislead you. The fact is that if they are present, any question will end with they rather than any other option:

Everybody is so nice out there, aren't they? - Everyone there is so nice, right?

Someone has knocked on my door, haven't they? — Someone knocked on my door, right?

Similarly, we change that, this and everything to it:

Everything is so bright in Christmas Prague, isn't it? — Everything is so bright in Prague at Christmas, isn’t it?

And finally, let's learn how to answer such questions.

• If the first part is affirmative, then you can agree using Yes, express disagreement with No:

You like mineral water with juice, don’t you? - Yes, I do / No, I don’t. — You like mineral water with juice, don’t you? - Not really.

• If it is negative, then No will help you agree, and Yes- to disagree:

You didn’t go to London last year, did you? - No, I didn’t/Yes, I did. — You didn't go to London last year, did you? - Not really.

Disjunctive Questions or Tag-Questions do not pose a threat to the exam grade or your ego, if you push yourself and learn all the possible tails and exceptions, you can consider yourself lucky, if only because the first part of the question does not need to be changed. Therefore, keep your nose up!

Dividing questions have several names. You may come across the following options for the name of this type of question:

• Disjunctive question;
• Question with a tail – Tag question or Tail question

Tag questions: rules of education.

What are they? dividing questions in English? They consist of 2 parts. The first is affirmative or negative, the second is the “tail” - a short general question. Parts of a separating question are separated by a comma. The tail of the question is translated into Russian isn't it?, isn't it? , it is so?, is not it?

Greg knew that before, didn't he? - Greg knew about this before, right?

Lora hasn’t come yet, has she? “Laura hasn’t arrived yet, has she?”

• If the first part of the Disjunctive question is affirmative, then the tail will be negative:

Paulin visited her grandma, didn’t she? – Pauline visited her grandmother, didn’t she?

• If the main part is negative, then the “tail” will be positive:

Paulin didn't visit her grandma, did she? - Paulin didn't visit her grandma, did she?

If the affirmative first part of a sentence contains words that give the sentence a negative connotation, then the entire part will be considered negative and, therefore, the tail will be positive. Here is a list of some of these words:

No, never, no one, nobody, scarcely, rarely, hardly, refuse, etc.

They never enjoy their holidays, do they ? – They never enjoy their holidays, do they?

Nobody was there, were they? – There was no one there, was there?

Pronouns ending in one and body will change to they at the end of the question.

Everybody is present, aren’t they ? – Everyone is present, isn’t it?

How to construct the “tail” of a dividing question?

The most difficult thing in the theory of Tag Questions is to correctly construct this very tag - a short question, that is, the tail.

In a dividing question, the short question consists of:

• auxiliary verb
• not particles, if we need a negative tail with an affirmative main part;
• subject, expressed.

The main thing here is to choose the right auxiliary verb. The following table will help you with this.

Question tags table.

This is what your dividing questions will look like if they clearly contain an auxiliary verb. I hope these are numerous examples of questions with a tail will be useful.

In two cases you will not be able to find the auxiliary verb in the first part. What are these cases?

• The affirmative part in .

If your main part is affirmative and is in the Present Simple, then you will see either just a semantic verb, or a semantic verb with the ending –s/es. In this case, use don’t / doesn’t.

I roll the bones very well, don’t I? – I play backgammon well, don’t I?

Greg rolls the bones well, doesn’t he? Greg is good at backgammon, isn’t he?

• The affirmative part in .

If the main part of your dividing question is affirmative and is in the Past Simple, then you will see the semantic verb in the past tense form (irregular verb or verb ending in –ed). In this case, use didn't.

Molly came late on Thursday, didn’t she? – Molly was late on Thursday, wasn’t she?

Molly rolled the bones well in her childhood, didn’t she? — Molly played backgammon well as a child, didn’t she?

Special cases of constructing dividing questions in English.

There are a few special cases of constructing Tag questions that I want to focus on.

• If in the main part you see I am, then in the tail there will be "t I?

I am 29 years old, aren’t I?

• If there is a phrase in the main part, then it will need to be used in the tail, according to the basic rules:

Table of dividing questions with the turn there is. Question tags table 2.

There are twenty chairs in the assembly hall, aren’t there ?

• If in the main part you see this is or that is, then at the end of the separating question there will be “isn’t it?”

This is Greg’s brother, isn’t it?

• If in the main part you see a sentence starting with Let’s (Let us) - in a short question you need to use shall we? The tail in such sentences is not translated.

Let's change the kitchen design, shall we? - Let's change the kitchen design? / Why don’t we change the kitchen design?

• If the first part of the dividing question begins with Let me, Let him, Let her, Let them, then the tail will be will you? or won't you?

Let Molly explain her position, will you ?

• If the first part of the disjunctive question is an imperative mood, then the short question will be will you? In the affirmative form of the imperative mood, you can use and won't you?

Lend me some money, will you?

Don’t shout at me, will you?

Intonation design of dividing questions.

Usually the short question at the end of the Tag question is pronounced with a rising tone. However, if the speaker does not doubt the answer at all, and the entire sentence is rather in the nature of a statement, then the tone in the tail decreases.

Now you can practice and perform.

You may also need the following information:

Dear colleagues, English teachers!

I am sure that each of you will agree that teaching grammar often causes great problems for students, especially at the secondary level. I have been working at the school for sixteen years. During this time, I studied many methodological journals, textbooks and grammar manuals. However, in none of them did I find detailed methodological recommendations on how best to explain to students the grammatical topic “Division questions” in the fifth grade.

English teachers of our lyceum work in the fifth grade using the textbook of the well-known and respected I.N. Vereshchagina and O.V. Afanasyeva. According to lesson planning, the explanation of the new topic (Tail questions) falls at the end of October. By the end of the first quarter, children are already familiar with 4 grammatical tenses. They delight their teachers with correct verbal answers. However, during written control, we often groan, sigh, and are upset when we see a lot of mistakes made by students on a seemingly thoroughly studied topic.

Having thought about the reasons for the low quality of written test papers, I decided that in order to explain this grammatical topic I would need to introduce some of my own terms and apply my own approaches. This is how the idea of ​​creative development of the “Tail questions” theme was born, which I bring to your attention.

DESCRIPTION OF A LESSON ON THE TOPIC “TAIL QUESTIONS”

Guys! In the last lesson you were introduced to four types of questions. Today in the lesson you will get acquainted with the most complex, most diverse type of questions - dividing questions. Why is it called that? Why, he really divides the sentence into two parts, and the last part is called “a tail”.

Let's learn the KEY RULE: IF THE FIRST PART OF THE QUESTION IS AFFECTIVE, THEN THE TAIL IS NEGATIVE. AND VICE CONVERSE: IF THE FIRST PART OF THE QUESTION IS NEGATIVE, THE TAIL IS AFFECTIVE.

Draw a sign demonstrating this rule:

V (+) .............. , tail (–) ?

V (–) ..................... , tail (+) ?

Let's give examples.

1. He IS at home, ISN’T he?

2. He ISN’t at home, IS he?

It would seem that everything is simple. However, there are so many ponytails that you must be able to choose the right one. To avoid mistakes, let's divide all the verbs into groups. There are four such groups.

We will call the FIRST group SELF-SUFFICIENT verbs. The following verbs should be included in this group: IS, ARE, HAS GOT, HAVE GOT, CAN, MUST, SHOULD,

(OUGHT TO), WILL, SHALL, as well as the verb HAVE meaning “to have” (She has a nice book, hasn’t she?)

Why are these verbs self-sufficient? Yes, because they are so independent that they do not need someone else’s tail, but use themselves, only with the opposite sign.

EXAMPLES OF SEPARATION QUESTIONS OF GROUP I.

My brother IS a very good doctor, ISN’T he?

You ARE NOT reading now, ARE you?

Helen HAS GOT five kittens, HASN’T she?

They HAVEN'T GOT much money, HAVE they?

Bob CAN NOT run fast, CAN he?

Children MUST come to school in time, MUSTN’T they?

People SHOULD cross the street at the red light, SHOULDN'T they?

We OUGHT TO take care of homeless dogs, OUGHTN’T we?

My friends and I WILL go to the park tomorrow, WON’T we?

I SHALL NOT do my homework in an hour, SHALL I?

Let's call the SECOND group of verbs WEAK. Why are they weak? Because the verbs of this group do not have the same power as self-sufficient verbs. To ask a question, weak verbs need someone else's tail; they can't handle it on their own. These are the majority of verbs. Here are some of them: LIKE, GO, CLEAN, WRITE, LIVE, OPEN; SAW, WASHED, COOKED, GAVE, VISITED, DECORATED. How to choose the right ponytail?

Look carefully at the verb. What time does it stand? Present Simple? Past Simple? If the verb is used in the Present Simple, then the tails will be the auxiliary verbs of this tense do (don’t) or does (doesn’t). If the verb is used in the Past Simple, you are in luck: this tense has one auxiliary verb – did (didn’t). He will become the tail.

EXAMPLES OF SEPARATION QUESTIONS OF GROUP II

1. Peter MET a friend yesterday, DIDN’T he?
2. Mother DIDN'T BUY pencils last week, DID she?
3. Andrew GOES swimming every Saturday, DOESN’T he?
4. Your sister DOESN’T LIKE bananas, DOES she?
5. They WORKED hard two days ago, DIDN’T they?

THE THIRD group of verbs will be EXCEPTIONS. These are two verbs you know - AM and HAVE. Moreover, the verb HAVE has an idiomatic meaning. Completely unexpected, but grammatically correct, it sounds at the end of the question with the verb AM tail - AREN’T I. You just need to remember this. Now let's figure out when the verb HAVE has an idiomatic meaning, and when it acts in the meaning of “to possess”. To do this, study the examples carefully.

EXAMPLES OF SEPARATION QUESTIONS OF GROUP III

1. I AM right, AREN'T I?
2. I AM singing well, AREN’T I?
3. My uncle HAS DINNER in the cafe, DOESN’T he? (the expression to have dinner has a figurative, idiomatic meaning, that’s why someone else’s tail doesn’t he)
4. I HAVE A good IDEA, DON'T I? (Again, an idiom! The expression to have an idea means “come to mind” (about an idea), accordingly, I had to borrow the tail again - don’t I)
5. Mr. Smith HAD a lot of TIME last year, DIDN’T he? (And one more idiom! The expression to have time means “to have time”, and the tail is now not the present, but the past tense – didn’t he)

Let's call the FOURTH group of verbs INCENTIVE.

Guys! In Russian language lessons, you learned that sentences based on the purpose of the statement are divided into narrative, interrogative and incentive. English also has these types of sentences. Take your time choosing a ponytail if you come across incentive offers. After all, they probably also contain “motivating” verbs. And the tails for questions with verbs that have a motivating connotation are special. Remember 4 subgroups of questions:

SUBGROUP I: Interrogative sentences expressing a request, instruction, order can have any of the following tails - WILL YOU, WON’T YOU, CAN YOU, COULD YOU

1. Please, OPEN the door, WILL YOU? (won’t you? can you? could you?)
2. SPEAK English, WILL YOU? (won't you? can you? could you?)
3. COME UP to the blackboard, WILL YOU? (won't you? can you? could you?)

The verbs open, speak, come up in examples 1,2,3 have an incentive connotation.

II SUBGROUP: Interrogative sentences calling not to do something have a tail - WILL YOU

1. DON'T GO there, WILL YOU?
2. DON'T MOVE, WILL YOU?
3. DON'T SHOUT at me, WILL YOU?

The verbs don’t go, don’t move, don’t shout in examples 1, 2, 3 have an incentive connotation.

III SUBGROUP: Interrogative sentences starting with “LET’S...” have a tail - SHALL WE.

1. LET'S have breakfast, Shall WE?
2. LET'S do it, SHALL WE?
3. LET'S go to the museum, SHALL WE?

The verbs have, do, go, coming after “Let’s”, have acquired an incentive connotation.

IV SUBGROUP: Questions starting with “LET me/him” etc. have a tail - WILL YOU or WON’T YOU

1. LET him stand up, WILL YOU? (won't you?)
2. LET me have a rest, WILL YOU? (won't you?)
3. LET the children decide, WILL YOU? (won't you?)

The verbs stand up, have, decide, coming after “Let”, acquired an incentive connotation.

NOTE: TRAPS

Trap N1

As you know, in English there cannot be two negatives in one sentence. Those guys who forget this rule fall into a trap. Remember that in the separating question there are also words with a negative meaning - NOTHING, NOBODY, NEVER, NO ONE, NONE. In this case, the tails will be positive:

1. NOTHING is wrong, IS it?
2. You’ve NEVER been there, HAVE you?
3. NONE of the boys are here, ARE they?

Trap N2

Study the table. In what cases should the tail IT be used, and in what cases should the tail be THEY?

1. THAT is your book, isn’t IT?
2. EVERYTHING is okay, isn’t IT?
3. THESE are yours, aren't THEY?
4. EVERYONE took the test, didn’t THEY?
5. NOBODY called on the phone, did They?
6. SOMEBODY has come, haven’t THEY?
7. NO ONE knows this young writer, do THEY?