The auxiliary verb "do" is used in English grammar to form questions, negations, and for emphasis, and its usage changes based on the person (first, second, third) and tense (present, past).
Uses of "Do"
Here’s a breakdown of how to use "do," "does," and "did":
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Forming Questions: "Do" and "does" are used to form questions in the present simple tense. "Did" is used for the past simple.
- Example: Do you like coffee?
- Example: Does she like coffee? (Third person singular)
- Example: Did they go to the store?
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Forming Negations: "Do," "does," and "did" are used with "not" to form negative sentences. Contractions like "don't," "doesn't," and "didn't" are common.
- Example: I do not like coffee. (or I don't like coffee.)
- Example: He does not like coffee. (or He doesn't like coffee.)
- Example: They did not go to the store. (or They didn't go to the store.)
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Emphasis: "Do" can be used to add emphasis to a positive statement.
- Example: I do like coffee! (Emphasizing that you really like it).
"Do," "Does," and "Did" Explained
| Form | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Do | Present tense, with I, you, we, they | Do you understand? I do like pizza. |
| Does | Present tense, with he, she, it | Does she speak French? She does care. |
| Did | Past tense, with all subjects | Did you go to the party? I did see him. |
Third Person Singular (He, She, It)
According to the reference, when you're talking in the third person (he, she, or it), you use "does" and "doesn't" for negative sentences and questions in the present tense. For example:
- She likes bananas. (Positive sentence)
- She doesn't like bananas. (Negative sentence)
- Does she like bananas? (Question)
