Hindus practise idolatry,
Options-
a)- don't they?
b)- haven't they?
I think the answer is "don't they" but, according to the question the answer is "haven't they"
Why??? Please someone explain it to me...
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2You are correct. I cannot explain why your source would claim (b)– stevekeiretsuCommented Mar 26, 2020 at 2:35
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1Is it ‘don’t they?’ and ‘haven’t they?’, or is it without question marks?– FivesideddiceCommented Mar 26, 2020 at 2:51
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1Only "don't they?" is possible.– BillJCommented Mar 26, 2020 at 9:26
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1First of all Thank You All very much for the help... So basically my source is wrong. Thanks for guiding me otherwise it would create a lot of confusion for me. Heartly Thanks... 🙂– KAPIL KAPILCommented Mar 27, 2020 at 3:34
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Hi KAPIL, would you consider accept an answer? Any of those could help with your doubt? For do this you just need to click in the 'check' button below the chosen answer scoreboard– artu-hnrqCommented May 2, 2020 at 5:55
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2 Answers
Tag questions are used to confirm or check information or yet to ask for agreement.
And it's formed by an affirmation followed of a question made by the negation of its auxiliar verb
This way, since your question is in the present, option a is the right complement.
Hindus (do) practice idolatry, don't they?
You just could finish it with haven't they? if you make the question in the present perfect:
Hindus have practiced idolatry, haven't they?
Similarly you could, for example, ask tag questions in the negative form. But whatever time tense you choose use, the auxiliar verb in question part need to agree with the one used in the affirmation part:
Hindus didn't practice idolatry, did they?
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Your explanation is correct, but your examples have mistakes in them. Tag questions have to follow a declarative sentence, not an interrogative one. So "Hindus have practiced idolatry, haven't they?" is the example with the present perfect you are looking for. For the same reason, "Hindus (do) practice idolatry, don't they?" is the correct placement for the word "do." I'll remove my downvote if you fix your answer and mention having done so in the comments.– BobRodesCommented Mar 27, 2020 at 6:52
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Also, as well as having the wrong word order, your last sentence doesn't follow the rule that you laid down about tense agreement, does it? :)– BobRodesCommented Mar 27, 2020 at 7:22
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You're pretty much right Bob, my bad. Thanks for the review. Now the examples are correct, aren't they? 😄 Commented Mar 27, 2020 at 10:57
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1Yes, they are indeed. Well done, and thank you for going to the trouble. I've changed my downvote to an upvote.– BobRodesCommented Mar 28, 2020 at 1:26
The question has gotten it wrong. A is the correct answer. If the question said Hindus have practised idolatry, then the correct answer would be B.
The rule is that the tag question has to agree in tense with the main sentence and therefore use the auxiliary verb that the main sentence uses. If there is no auxiliary verb, then use the form of do that agrees in tense. Except use have or be if one of those is also the main verb in the sentence.
Some examples?
I go walking every morning, don't I?
I really messed that up, didn't I?
I have blue eyes, haven't I? ("Don't I?" is probably more typical in American usage.)
It's cold, isn't it?
I have really messed that up, haven't I?
I had gone too far by then, hadn't I?
I would get very wet if I went outside, wouldn't I?
I can make biscuits tomorrow, can't I?
I could do it later, couldn't I?
I should do the dishes after dinner, shouldn't I?
And also, you can do the reverse:
I don't go walking every morning, do I?
I didn't mess that up, did I?
I haven't spent all my money yet, have I?
Children don't like coffee, do they?
I'm not missing anything, am I?
I don't have blue eyes, do I? ("Have I?" is an alternative British usage.)
I haven't blue eyes, have I? (This is an alternative in British usage.)
And so on.
