Grammar : Tag Question

Tag Question

Tag Question বলতে কি বুঝায়? এর মূল গঠনটি কি?

Tag Question : Tag— শব্দের অর্থ জুড়ে দেওয়া এবং Question— অর্থ প্রশ্ন। সুতরাং Tag Question অর্থ প্রশ্ন জুড়ে দেওয়া। ব্যাকরণের ভাষায় কোন একটি বাক্যের শেষে প্রশ্নবোধক অংশ জুড়ে দিয়ে বাক্যকে হ্যাঁ অথবা না বোধক প্রশ্ন করাকে Tag Question বলে। যেমন:

সাধারণ বাক্য : He is your best friend. (সে তোমার সবচেয়ে ভাল বন্ধু)।

Tag বাক্য : He is your best friend, isn't he? (সে তোমার সবচেয়ে ভাল বন্ধু, তাই নয় কি?)

এই যে অতিরিক্ত একটি প্রশ্ন জুড়ে দেওয়া হল — তাই নয় কি? এটাই হল Tag Question.

Tag Question এর মূল গঠন — মূল Sentence অপরিবর্তিত + কমা ( , ) + মূল বাক্য অনুযায়ী Auxiliary verb + pronoun + প্রশ্নবোধক চিহ্ন ( ? )

Tag Question তৈরি করার পাঁচটি ধাপ রয়েছে। এগুলো একে একে সংক্ষেপে নিম্নরূপ বর্ণনা করা হল —

(১) মূল Sentence (বাক্যটি) অপরিবর্তিত থাকবে।

(২) তারপর Comma (কমা) বসাতে হবে।

(৩) মূল বাক্য অনুযায়ী Auxiliary Verb বসাতে হবে।

(৪) মূল বাক্যের Subject (কর্তা) অনুসারে Pronoun বসাতে হবে।

(৫) সর্বশেষে Interrogative Sign ( ? ) দিতে হবে।

Tag Question এর Auxiliary Verb পরিবর্তন / বসানোর নিয়ম আলোচনা করা হলো —

Tag Question এ মূল Sentence এর Tense অনুযায়ী Auxiliary Verb পরিবর্তন করতে হয়।এক্ষেত্রে প্রথমত লক্ষণীয় বিষয় হলো মূল বাক্যটি যদি affirmative হলে negative auxiliary এর short form বসাতে হয় এবং negative হলে affirmative auxiliary এর short form বসাতে হয়।

Affirmative Sentence এর Tag–form জন্য Auxiliary Verb এর Negative Tag–form নিম্নে উল্লেখ করা হল —

Simple Form	Tag–form
do not	don't
does not	doesn't
did not	didn't
am not	aren't/ain't
is not	isn't
are not	aren't
was not	wasn't
were not	weren't
have not	haven't
has not	hasn't
had not	hadn't
could not	couldn't
ought to	oughtn't
should not	shouldn't
must not	mustn't
might not	mightn't
shall not	shan't
will not	won't
can not	can't
may not	mayn't

Tag—Question করার নিয়মাবলি

Rule — 1

মূল Sentence টি যদি Affirmative এ হয় তাহলে Question Tag টি Negative হবে এবং মূল Sentence টি যদি Negative এ থাকে তবে Question Tag টি Affirmative এ হবে। Tag Question এ Subject এর Pronoun form ব্যবহার করা হয়।

Structure for affirmative sentence : Affirmative Sentence + ( , ) + auxiliary verb এর negative form + pronoun + ( ? )

যেমন —

He is at home now, isn't he?

I am happy, aren't I?

Karim is a good boy, isn't he?

Germany has won the football match, hasn't it?

The universities have opened recently, haven't they?

You have bought the book already, haven't you?

He can go to University by bus, can't he?

He is trying to give up smoking, isn't he?

Rule — 2

মূল Sentence এ auxiliary verb না থাকলে do/does/did বসে। অর্থাৎ বাক্যটি Present Indefinite Tense হলে do/does, don't/doesn't এবং past indefinite tense হলে did, didn't দিয়ে tag question করতে হয়। যেমন:

Banks close at 4 p.m, don't they?

He locked the papers in safe, didn't he?

You forget my birthday, didn't you?

I need some books, don't I?

The girl cried for help, didn't she?

It rained here yesterday, didn't it?

He dislikes the word dislike, doesn't he?

He worked very hard, didn't he?

He likes eating meat, doesn't he?

Rule — 3

Sentence এ main verb হিসেবে be verb (am, is, are, was, were, am to, is to, are to, was to, were to) ইত্যাদি থাকলে এগুলো দিয়েই tag করতে হয়। যেমন:

He was an honest man, wasn't he?

I am a teacher of English, aren't I?

The boy was really lucky, wasn't he?

I am reading, aren't I?

Rule — 4

British ইংরেজি নিয়ম অনুসারে main verb হিসেবে have verb (have, has, had, have to, has to, had to) থাকলে এগুলো দ্বারাই tag করতে হয়। যেমন:

He has to work hard to get higher salary, hasn't he?

কিন্তু American English নিয়ম অনুসারে don't doesn't দিয়ে এগুলোর tag করতে হয়। যেমন:

He has a cold bath every morning, doesn't he?

I have done the work, don't I?

Practice more :

I have a lot of tasks to do, haven't I? (British)
I have a lot of tasks to do, don't I? (American)

He has a sharp view, hasn't he? (British)
He has a sharp view, doesn't he? (American)

She had a pen, hadn't he? (British)
She had a pen, didn't she? (American)

You have a nice garden, haven't you? (British)

You have a nice garden, don't you? (American)

Job exam / others পরীক্ষায় British নিয়মের উপর প্রাধান্য দিতে হবে। যদি British নিয়মে উত্তর না থাকে তবেই কেবলমাত্র American font এ doesn't don't দ্বারা উত্তর করতে হবে।

Practice more :

My friend has a lot of money left in his pocket, hasn't he?

We have another carton of milk, haven't we?

Rule — 5

Subject এর স্থলে যদি I and We, we and you, I and you ইত্যাদি 1st + 2nd person থাকে তবে we দ্বারা tag করতে হয়। বাকিসব নিয়ম আগের মতনই। যেমন:

You and I went there, didn't we?

You and I talked with our teacher yesterday, Didn't we?

You and I talked with our professor yesterday, didn't we?

We and you go to the market, don't we?

Rule — 6

মূল Sentence টি যদি Affirmative এ হয় তাহলে Question Tag টি Negative হবে এবং মূল Sentence টি যদি Negative এ থাকে তবে Question Tag টি Affirmative এ হবে। Tag Question এ Subject এর Pronoun form ব্যবহার করা হয়।

Structure for negative sentence : Negative Sentence + ( , ) + auxiliary verb এর affirmative form + pronoun + ( ? )

যেমন :

I am not late, am I?

He couldn't have forgotten the address, could he?

The fan is not working, is it?

People can't fly, can they?

There has not been a great response to the sale, has there?

He never goes out with his dog, does he?

She won't be late, will she?

She won't dance in the party, will she?

We won't be late, will you?

Rule — 7

কোনো Sentence এ শুধু No / Not থাকলেই তা negative হয়। আবার বাক্যটি negative নয় কিন্তু বাক্যে নেটেটিভ অর্থ প্রকাশ করে এমন adverb যেমন— hardly, barely, rarely, scarcely, seldom, rare, little, few, nobody, no one / none, nothing, no, not, neither, never / not ever ইত্যাদি থাকলেও বাক্যটি negative হয় এবং Tag question টি Affirmative হয়। যেমন:—

He hardly visits us, does he?

Few people attended in the meeting, did they?

I have got little to do it, have I?

Lily hardly helps her mother with the housework nowadays, does she?

লক্ষণীয় : অনেক ক্ষেত্রে auxiliary verb এর সংক্ষিপ্ত রূপ থাকলে তার দুইটি পূর্ণরূপ হতে পারে। যেমন: it's = it has / it is ; won't = will not/shall not ; I'd = I would / I had ইত্যাদি। তাই এসব ক্ষেত্রে আসল উত্তর জানতে বাক্যের main verb এর অবস্থা খেয়াল রাখা অতীব জরুরী। যেমন—

It's hardly rained at this summer, has it?

[ hardly এর পরে verb এর rained (v3) ব্যবহৃত হয়েছে। তাই it's = it is না হয়ে it's = it has হয়েছে। সুতরাং Tag হবে— has it? ]

Practice more :

I'd meet you, wouldn't you?
(উপরের Sentence এ I'd প্রকৃত রূপ I would)

They'd gone to Chattogram, hadn't they?
(উপরের Sentence এ they'd এর প্রকৃত রূপ they had)

Rule — 8

Imperative Sentence এর Tag question করতে হলে বাক্যটি affirmative বা negative যাই হোক tag question করতে auxiliary verb সর্বদা affirmative form হবে।

(i) Let's / Let us দ্বারা বাক্য শুরু হলে Tag question এ shall we? বসবে। যেমন:—

Let's go home, shall we?

Let's go there, shall we?

Let us have a party, shall we?

Let us have some tea, shall we?

Let us go for a walk, shall we?

Let's go to the market, shall we?

Let us go out for a picnic, shall we?

Let us discuss the matter, shall we?

Let us start now, shall we?

(ii) Let him/Let me/Let them/Let her দ্বারা বাক্য শুরু হলে Tag question এ will you? বসে। যেমন:—

Let him do the work, will you?

Let her go there, will you?

Let me go to the school, will you?

Let them do the work, will you?

Let me do the sum, will you?

(iii) যে কোনো main verb দ্বারা বাক্য শুরু হলে Tag question এ will you বসে। যেমন:—

Pass the salt, will you?

Open the door, will you?

Go to the playground, will you?

Do it, will you?

Read the book, will you?

Respect the old, will you?

Shut the windows, will you?

(iv) Don't / Never + main verb দ্বারা বাক্য শুরু হলে Tag question এ will you বসে। যেমন —

Don't forget, will you?

Don't run in the sun, will you?

Don't do this, will you?

Never tell a lie, will you?

Don't make a noise in the class, will you?

Don't drive too fast, will you?

Don't tell Kamal, will you?

(v) Please/Kindly + main verb দ্বারা বাক্য শুরু হলে Tag question এ will you বসে। যেমন:—

Please forget me, will you?

Please go there, will you?

Kindly do me a favour, will you?

Please, look after my bag, will you?

Please lend me some money, will you?

Please, open the door, will you?

Please give me a glass of water, will you?

Kindly help me, will you?

Technique

সহজ কথায় Imperative Sentence এর সকল ক্ষেত্রে will you? বসে ; শুধুমাত্র Let's / Let us থাকলে shall we? হবে।

Rule — 9

Indefinite Pronoun যুক্ত Sentence এর Tag Question করার নিয়ম:—

(i) One ও body যুক্ত indefinite pronoun যেমন— Nobody, Anybody, Somebody, Everybody, No one (None), Everyone, Anyone, Someone দিয়ে বাক্য শুরু হলে tag এর pronoun হিসেবে they বসে। যেমন:—

Everybody loves a flower, don't they?

Everybody is present today, aren't they?

Some one called you at the door, didn't they?

Every one loves a child, don't they?

[ নোট :— Nobody, None, No one (None) দিয়ে কোনো বাক্য শুরু হলে তার tag question এর auxiliary verb টি affirmative হবে এবং অন্যগুলো দিয়ে শুরু হলে tag question টির auxiliary verb সবসময় negative হবে। ]

Nobody phoned, did they?

Nobody likes him, do they?

None of them do it, do they?

No one believe a liar, do they?

(ii) thing যুক্ত indefinite pronoun যেমন— Nothing, Anything, Something, Everything দিয়ে বাক্য শুরু হলে তার Tag এর Pronoun টি it হবে। যেমন:—

Everything looks beautiful, does it?

Anything looked ugly, didn't it?

[ Nothing দিয়ে কোনো বাক্য শুরু হলে তার tag question এর auxiliary verb টি affirmative হবে এবং অন্যগুলো দিয়ে শুরু হলে tag question টির auxiliary verb সবসময় negative হবে। ]

Nothing is better, is it?

Nothing is impossible, is it?

Practice more :

Nobody phoned you, did they?

Everybody was present there, weren't they?

No one was present in the meeting, were they?

Everything looked beautiful, didn't it?

Everybody hates a liar, don't they?

Everyone wants to happy, don't they?

Everybody leads a miserable life, don't they?

লক্ষণীয়
(i) শুধু one বাক্যের subject হলে এটাই শেষে tag এর pronoun হিসেবে ব্যবহৃত হয়। যেমন—

One needs to read, doesn't one?

One needs to do well in the examination, doesn't one?

(ii) এবং none of এর পরবর্তীতে you থাকলে tag এর pronoun হবে you ; যেমন—

None of you is brilliant, isn't you?

(iii) None এর পরবর্তীতে us থাকলে tag এর pronoun হবে we ; যেমন—

None of us has Phd degree, heve we?

None of us can solve this problem, can we?

Practice more :

Everybody likes flowers, don't they?

Somebody came here, didn't they?

Anybody can do this, can't they?

Everyone has left the place, hasn't they?

Someone will go there, won't they?

Anyone may answer, mayn't they?

Nobody phoned, did they?

None can help you, can they?

Nothing is certain, is it?

Everything was lost, wasn't it?

Something is better than nothing, isn't it?

Rule — 10

Here / There দিয়ে বাক্য শুরু হলে Tag question এর Pronoun হিসেবে here/there নিজেরাই বসে। যেমন:—

There has not been a great response to the sale, has there?

There has not been a great demand for the course, has there?

There are a few departments at Chittagong University, aren't there?

There were many problem, weren't there?

There were not many problem, were there?

There is a post office in our village, isn't there?

Rule — 11

Complex Sentence অথবা Compound Sentence এর Tag question বাক্যের main clause অনুসারে হয়ে থাকে। যেমন:—

Kuakata was the place we went for that rainy vacation, wasn't it?

[ এই Sentence এর main clause “Kuakata was the place” অনুসারে Tag question হয়েছে এবং subordinate clause “we went for that rainy vacation” এর tag উপর কোনো প্রভাব নেই। ]

They have tried but failed, haven't they?

Rule — 12

Statement এ যদি মূল verb হিসেবে need/needs ব্যবহৃত হয়, সেক্ষেত্রে Tag question এ need এর পরিবর্তে don't/doesn't এবং needn't এর পরিবর্তে need ব্যবহৃত হয়। যেমন:—

She needs a car, doesn't she?

I need your help, don't I?

She needs a pen, doesn't she?

You needed a blanket, didn't you?

I don't need any help from you, do I?

You needn't worry, need you?

We need not hurry, need we?

You need not go, need you?

The girls does not need any tutor, does she?

Rule — 13

Statement এ Subject হিসেবে all of you / some of you / most of you / everyone of you ব্যবহৃত হলে Tag question এ subject হিসেবে you ব্যবহৃত হয়। যেমন:—

All of you know this, don't you?

Some of you can speak well, can't you?

All of you were playing them, weren't they?

অবশ্যই পড়ুন
(১) দেশের ক্ষেত্রে Subject (কর্তা) she হয়। যেমন:—

Bangladesh is our motherland, isn't she?

Bangladesh is a democratic country, isn't she?

(২) Moon, train, ship, river, ferry, earth ইত্যাদি Subject হিসেবে ব্যবহৃত হলে Tag Question এ Subject হিসেবে she ব্যবহৃত হয়। যেমন —

The Padma is a big river, isn't she?

The Surma is the largest river in Bangladesh, isn't she?

(৩) Common gender হিসেবে Singular noun ব্যবহৃত হলে subject he হবে।যেমন:—

Man is mortal, isn't he?

Some important Tags worked out

Nothing will go futile, will it?

Who cares, do they?

Here is a cat, isn't there?

How peculiar, isn't it?

Who fears a rat, do they?

Bye, don't I?

I dare not do it, dare I?

Good morning / evening / afternoon / night, don't I?

I need a little milk, don't I?

I need to punish you, don't I?

The mother rose in her, didn't it?

They can Ilsha fish, don't they?

There have been significant change over time, haven't there?

Bangladesh defeated India by 65 times, didn't they?

Well, if I offer him a job, he won't refuse it, will he?

Congratulations on your brilliant success, don't I?

You'd obtained good marks, hadn't you?

Let all of us visit Paharpur, shall we?

You'd better leave the place, hadn't you?

You'd rather do the work, wouldn't you?

Let all the people leave the place, will you?

I seldom forget to take my purse, do I?

Time and tide wait for none, do they?

The Titanic was a big ship, wasn't she?

Nobody is a lack of natural resources, are they?

These questions seem to be easy, don't they?

The colour of her eyes is blue, isn't it?

Thanks for your hospitality, don't I?

Welcome, little John, aren't you?

Accept me as one of your friends, will you?

Neither of you hold the truth, did they?

The little kid shut the door, didn't it?

He does have money, doesn't he?

Check the beast in you, will you?

He put the glass on the table, didn't he?

Somebody is here, aren't they?

He as well as his brothers is lazy, isn't he?

Media played an important role, didn't they?

He'd rather leave the house, wouldn't he?

He'd better do the work, hadn't he?

Azibul Hasan

29 April, 2021