Introduction
Tag questions and yes/no questions are essential for effective communication, especially in business settings. In the TOEIC Listening & Reading test, understanding these question forms can help you better comprehend dialogues and texts, and respond appropriately.
Explanation
Tag Questions: These are short questions added to the end of a statement. They are used to confirm information or seek agreement. The structure usually involves a positive statement followed by a negative tag, or a negative statement followed by a positive tag.
Example: "You're coming to the meeting, aren't you?"
Example: "She doesn't work here, does she?"
Yes/No Questions: These questions are designed to be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." They typically start with an auxiliary verb (do, does, is, are, etc.).
Example: "Do you have the report ready?"
Example: "Is the office open on Saturdays?"
Common mistakes
Confusing the tag polarity: Ensure the tag is the opposite of the statement.
Incorrect: "It's cold today, is it?"
Correct: "It's cold today, isn't it?"
Using the wrong auxiliary verb in yes/no questions.
Incorrect: "Has she work here?"
Correct: "Does she work here?"
Tips for the TOEIC test
Listen for the intonation in tag questions. A rising intonation often indicates the speaker is unsure and seeking confirmation, while a falling intonation suggests they expect agreement.
Pay attention to the auxiliary verbs in yes/no questions to understand the tense and subject.
Mini practice
Fill in the blanks with the correct tag or auxiliary verb:
You finished the presentation, _______?
_______ the meeting start at 10 AM?
They aren't traveling to New York next week, _______?
Answers:
didn't you
Does
are they