Understanding Question Tags in English Grammar

A question tag is a short question added at the end of a sentence, used to ask for confirmation or agreement. The general rule for forming question tags is that if the main sentence is positive, the tag is negative, and if the main sentence is negative, the tag is positive. The auxiliary verb from the main sentence is usually repeated in the tag, along with the subject pronoun.

Analyzing the Sentence: "He did not paint that beautiful picture"

Let's break down the given sentence:

• The subject is "He".
• The verb phrase is "did not paint".
• The sentence is negative because of the word "not".
• The tense is past simple, indicated by the auxiliary verb "did".

Forming the Correct Question Tag

Since the sentence is negative ("He did not paint..."), the question tag must be positive. The main sentence uses the auxiliary verb "did" for the past simple tense. The subject is "He". Therefore, the positive question tag using the auxiliary verb "did" and the subject pronoun "He" is "Did he?".

Evaluating the Options for the Suitable Question Tag

Let's look at the given options:

• Option 1: "Did he" - This tag uses the correct auxiliary verb ("did") and the correct subject pronoun ("He"). It is positive, which is required for a negative main sentence. This option follows the grammar rules for forming question tags in the past simple tense with a negative sentence.
• Option 2: "Had he" - This uses the auxiliary verb "had", which is used for the past perfect tense, not the past simple tense used in the main sentence. Therefore, this is not a suitable tag.
• Option 3: "Does he" - This uses the auxiliary verb "does", which is used for the present simple tense, not the past simple tense used in the main sentence. Therefore, this is not a suitable tag.
• Option 4: "Didn’t he" - This tag is negative ("Didn't he"). Since the main sentence is already negative, the tag must be positive. Therefore, this is not a suitable tag.

Based on the analysis, the most suitable question tag that correctly follows the rules of English grammar for this specific sentence is "Did he?".

Revision Table: Understanding Question Tags

Additional Information: Forming Question Tags

Forming question tags requires attention to the verb tense, auxiliary verb, and the positive/negative nature of the main sentence. Here are a few more points to remember:

• For sentences with modal verbs (like can, could, will, would, must, should), the modal verb is used in the tag: "He can paint, can't he?". "He cannot paint, can he?".
• For sentences using the verb 'have' as a main verb indicating possession, especially in British English, 'have' or 'do' can be used in the tag: "He has a car, hasn't he?" or "He has a car, doesn't he?". In American English, 'do' is more common: "He has a car, doesn't he?".
• For imperative sentences, tags like "will you?" or "won't you?" are often used: "Open the door, will you?".
• Sentences starting with "Let's..." use "shall we?": "Let's paint, shall we?".

Understanding the auxiliary verb and the subject of the main sentence is key to choosing the suitable question tag.