Complete the given sentence about the reaction of a tourist to another, by selecting the correct option :
Yesterday you loved the spicy Indian curry, you ?
(A) hasn't
(B) weren't
(C) did
(D) didn't
Complete the given sentence about the reaction of a tourist to another, by selecting the correct option :
Yesterday you loved the spicy Indian curry, you ?
(A) hasn't
(B) weren't
(C) did
(D) didn't
Options
(D) didn't — the statement is affirmative, simple past, with an ordinary verb ('loved'), so the tag must be the negative auxiliary 'did' → 'didn't'.
Marking Scheme
- 11 mark: correct option (D) 'didn't' selected.
Hint
Affirmative statement in simple past with an ordinary verb → negative tag with 'didn't'.
Quick Oral Answer
The answer is 'didn't' because the main clause is an affirmative simple-past sentence with an ordinary verb, so it needs a negative tag formed with the past auxiliary 'did'.
Analysis & Explanation
Question tags flip polarity and must match the main verb's tense and auxiliary.
Concept
- An affirmative statement takes a negative tag; the ordinary past-tense verb 'loved' pairs with the auxiliary 'did'.
Key Points
- 'Loved' is simple past with an ordinary (non-auxiliary) verb, so the tag must use did/didn't — not has/hasn't or were/weren't.
- The statement is affirmative, so the tag must be negative → 'didn't'.
Common Mistakes
- Choosing 'did' (positive) and forgetting a positive statement needs a negative tag.
- Misreading the tense and matching a 'have' or 'be' auxiliary instead of 'did'.
Common Mistakes
- 1Choosing 'did' instead of 'didn't', forgetting that an affirmative statement always needs a negative tag.
- 2Choosing 'hasn't' by mistaking the tense for present perfect instead of simple past.
- 3Choosing 'weren't' by wrongly assuming the sentence contains a form of 'be'.
Interesting Facts
Question tags are one of the few grammar structures in English where the auxiliary verb must exactly mirror the tense of the main clause, even when the main verb itself is not an auxiliary (hence 'do/did' support is inserted).
In spoken British and Indian English, question tags are also used for confirming shared experiences or making conversation, exactly as in this tourist-dialogue context.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the general rule for question tags?
If the statement is positive, the tag is negative; if the statement is negative, the tag is positive; the auxiliary/verb form in the tag must match the tense of the main clause.
Why not 'did' since the sentence is about the past?
'Did' is a positive tag, but the main sentence is already positive/affirmative, so it needs a negative tag ('didn't') to follow the question-tag rule.