The correct option to fill the gap in the sentence "Bimbo sings beautifully .... ?" is
B. doesn't she.
Step-by-Step Explanation:
- Understanding the Sentence Structure:
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The sentence begins with "Bimbo sings beautifully," which is a positive statement. In English, when we want to ask for confirmation of a positive statement, we typically use a tag question that is negative.
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Identifying the Subject and Verb:
- The subject of the sentence is "Bimbo," which is a singular noun (referring to one person).
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The verb in the statement is "sings," which is in the present simple tense.
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Forming the Tag Question:
- In English, tag questions are formed by taking the auxiliary verb (or the main verb if there is no auxiliary) from the statement and changing its form to the opposite (positive to negative or negative to positive).
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Since "sings" is a present simple verb, we need to use the auxiliary verb "does" to form the tag question. The statement is positive, so the tag must be negative.
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Choosing the Correct Option:
- The correct negative form of "does" for the subject "Bimbo" (which is third person singular) is "doesn't." Therefore, the tag question becomes "doesn't she?"
- This leads us to the correct answer: B. doesn't she.
Why the Other Options Are Incorrect:
- A. isn't it:
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This option is incorrect because "isn't it" is used for statements that are about a subject that is not a person or when the subject is "it." In this case, "Bimbo" is a person, and the verb "sings" does not relate to "is."
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C. isn't she:
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While "isn't she" is a tag question that could be used for a positive statement about a female subject, it is incorrect here because the main verb is "sings," which requires the auxiliary "does" rather than "is."
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D. does she:
- This option is incorrect because "does she" is a positive tag question. Since the main statement is positive ("Bimbo sings beautifully"), the tag must be negative. Therefore, "does she" does not fit the structure of the sentence.
Common Pitfalls:
- Confusing the use of "is" and "does" in tag questions. Remember that "is" is used for states of being, while "does" is used for actions.
- Forgetting to match the subject and verb correctly in the tag question. Always ensure that the auxiliary verb corresponds to the subject of the main statement.
Revision Summary:
- Tag questions are formed by reversing the positivity or negativity of the main statement.
- Use "doesn't" for positive statements with the verb "sings" and a third-person singular subject.
- "Isn't it" and "isn't she" are incorrect in this context due to the verb used.
- Always ensure the subject and auxiliary verb match in tag questions.