Grammer - Junior Secondary 1 - Question tags

S/N

STEPS

TEACHER’S ACTIVITY

LEARNERS ACTIVITY

1

INTRODUCTION

The teacher revises the previous lesson and introduces the new topic by explaining what questions tags are

Question tags are phrases we add to the end of a statement to make it a question or to check that someone agrees with you.

Learners observe, learn and participate

2

EXPLICIT INSTRUCTION/TEACHER MODELLING

She explains the rules of usage of question tags.

In order to form question tags correctly, take note of the following usage rules

1.   It is used mostly in speech not in writing. Therefore we can use contracted forms of verbs in question tags e.g

You will go now, wont you?

2.   When we think the answer to the question is “yes”, we use a positive sentence and a negative tag e.g

a. You’re hungry, aren’t you? Yes I am.

b. We’ll finish late, won’t we?

3. When we think that the answer to the question is no, we use a negative sentence and a positive tag e.g

a. She can’t sing, can she? No, she can’t

b. They won’t deliver the goods, will they? No, not at this time

4. We use the same tense in the main sentence and tag: If the statement is in the present tense, the tag must also be in the present, If the statement is in the past tense, the tag must also be in the past e.g

a. He was late, wasn’t he?

b. She lives here, doesn’t she?

5. When the main sentence has an auxiliary or modal verb, the same auxiliary and modal verb must be used in the tag e.g

a. They mustn’t come late, must they?

b. He can do it, can’t he?

6. When the main sentence has any form of the verb to be(am, is, are, was, were), the same be verb must be used in the tag e.g

a. She is kind, isn’t she?

b. They were not informed, were they?

7. If the verb in the main sentence does not have an auxiliary or a modal verb, then use the appropriate form of the verb do/don’t/doesn’t/didn’t in the tag e.g

a. She loves rice and beans, doesn’t she?

b. They play well, don’t they?

8. If the subject in the main sentence is a noun, change it to a pronoun in the tag e.g

a. Usher dances well, doesn’t he?

b. Micheal Tyson was a great boxer, wasn’t he?

She further explains the two parts of a question tag

A question tag is made up of two parts

1.   A statement

2.   A question after it

If the statement is positive, the tag is negative. If the statement is negative, the tag is positive

Learners observe, learn and participate

3

EVALUATION

The Learners are asked to

1.   Define question tags

2.   Outline the rules of usage for question tags

3.   Discuss the parts of the question tag

- Learners observe, learn and participate

4

CLASS-WORK

Learners are asked to answer Exercise III 1-5 on page 234 of the New Concept English for Junior Secondary School 1.

Learners observe, learn and participate

5

ASSIGNMENT

Learners are asked to answer Exercise IV 1-10 on page 234 of the New Concept English for Junior Secondary School 1.

Learners participate

6

CONCLUSION

The teacher marks their books, corrects it and commends the Learners