English Grammar

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Warm-Up Question:

Ask a partner these questions. Explain your answers:

1. You like learning English, don’t you?
2. Do you have any brothers or sisters?
3. Your parents support your future work goals, don’t they? If not, why not?
4. You are from ______, aren’t you? What city exactly?

Grammar Focus

Short Answers and Tag Questions help us give quick, short replies or check information politely. With many action verbs (or stative verbs), short answers use “do” or “does” to say yes or no without repeating the whole sentence. Tag questions add a small question at the end to confirm or ask for agreement.

Examples:

• He looks tired, doesn’t he? (stative verb)
• Yes, he does.
• They don’t play football, do they? (action verb)
• No, they don’t. They play tennis.

We use “do” with I, you, we, and they. We use “does” with he, she, and it. In positive sentences, the tag is negative, and in negative sentences, the tag is positive.

With the BE verb, short answers use “is” or “are” to say yes or no without repeating the whole sentence. 

Examples:

• “You’re from Canada, aren’t you?”
• “Yes, I am.”
• “He’s a teacher, isn’t he?”
• “No, he isn’t. He is the director.”

🗣️Why This Grammar Matters for Listening and Speaking

Knowing short answers and tag questions helps you in real conversations by making your speech natural and clear. Here’s why:

• Confirm information:
  • “You like coffee, don’t you?” helps check facts politely.
• Give quick answers:
  • Instead of repeating a long sentence, say “Yes, I do.” or “No, he doesn’t.” OR “Yes, he is (a student). or No, she isn’t (tired).
• Join conversations:
  • Use tags to keep talks friendly and open, like “She works here, doesn’t she?”
• Understand others:
  • Recognize short answers or tags to follow conversations better.

This grammar helps you sound more natural and understand people in everyday conversations like small talk, interviews, and friendly chats. It makes speaking and listening easier because you can catch short questions and answer clearly.

With short answers and tag questions, you don’t need long sentences. You can reply quickly and politely, like “Yes, I do” or “He doesn’t, does he?” These forms are common in daily English. When you know them, people can understand you better, and you can respond faster.

This is very useful in real life at school, at work, or just talking with friends. It helps you avoid confusion and makes your conversations smoother, more polite, and more confident.

Now, let’s practice your grammar skills with a game.

Use these questions to practice short answers and tag questions.
They will help you speak more naturally, answer quickly, and ask polite questions in everyday conversations. Try to listen carefully and speak with a partner.

1. Give Short Answers:
   
   • Can you answer questions about yourself using “Yes, I do” or “No, I don’t”?
     ➤ For example: “Do you like rice?” → “Yes, I do.”
2. Talk About Others:
   
   • Can you answer for someone you know using “Yes, he does” or “No, she doesn’t”?
     ➤ For example: “Does your friend play guitar?” → “No, he doesn’t.”
3. Ask and Check for Information:
   
   • Ask your partner a question and guess the answer using a tag question. Then check!
     ➤ For example: “You like music, don’t you?” → “Yes, I do!”
4. Showing Interest in Others:
   
   • Think of a way to start a friendly conversation using a tag question.
     ➤ For example: “It’s a nice day, isn’t it?” or “You’re from Mexico, aren’t you?”

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