Do or Does? When and how to use “Do or Does” in English

There are many specificities in English language that we don't have in Portuguese, one of them is the use of auxiliaries do and does. We'll talk more careful about them, showing their formation, structure and specific about how and when to use the auxiliaries “do” and “does”. Check it out! / There are many specificities of the English language that we don't have in Portuguese, and one of them is the use of the auxiliaries “do” and “does”. We will talk more carefully about them, showing their formation, structure and how and when to use them. Check out!

When we want to make some questions in Portuguese in the Present Tenses we use the auxiliary “do” or “does. To know when we have to use “do” or “does” will depend on the subject. / When we want to ask questions in English at present, we use the helper “do” or “does. Knowing its correct use depends on the subject that accompanies it.

Look at the examples bellow: / See the examples below:

  • Ofyou like cinema? Yes, I of.

  • she doeshe like cinema? Yes,hedoes.

  • Oftheylike cinema? Yes, theyof.

  • she doesshe like cinema? Yes, shedoes.

the use of "Of". / The use of "of".

We use “do” with the subjects: I, you, we and they. / we use "of" with the subjects (personal pronouns): Me, you, us and them.

Examples: / Examples:

  • It hurts know you?

  • do we have to wait?

  • do they want to go out?

the use of "Does". / The use of “does”.

We use "does" with third person singular pronouns, which means the subjects: He, she and it. / we use "does" with the third person singular pronouns, which are the subjects of the clause: He, she and he/she.

Examples: / Examples:

  • does he study here?

  • does she love you?

  • does it rain in August?

negatives / negative

Do and does also has the negative form. The negative form of the is do not. But we almost never talk or even write like this, because we use the contracted form which is don't. / "Do" and "Does" also have a negative form, which is do not. However, it is almost never spoken or written like this in English, because we use the contracted form, which is don't.

Examples: / Examples:

  • I do not (don't) like watching TV.

  • I do not (don't) like wake up early.

The negative form of does is does not. That also, has the contracted form which is doesn't. / The negative form of does is does not, and its contracted form is doesn't.

Examples: / Examples:

  • he does not go with us.

  • she does not work with me.

Past Tense / Past

In the Past "do" and "does" turns into "did". / In the past both “do” and “does” become "did".

Look at the examples: / See the examples:

  • Did your mum call you?

  • Did do you like it?

  • Did she eat her lunch?

  • Did we go to work last friday?

  • Did did you go to school yesterday?

Like do and does, did also has its negative form (did not) and the contracted form is didn't. / Like “do” and “does”, “did” also has a negative form (did not) and its contracted form is didn't.

Examples:

I did not (didn't) I want nothing.

you did not (didn't) help them.

note: Remember that here we are talking about "do" and "does" as auxiliaries, NOT as main verbs. As auxiliaries, both "do" and "does" have no meaning, as do "did" and "will".


By Janaína Mourão
Graduated in Letters - English

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