Every language has elementary rules that, for one reason or another, prove difficult both to remember and to follow. IN English language such an example is the rule for choosing between do or does, forms of the auxiliary verb to do. The guide to action is quite simple, and it is based on distinguishing personal pronouns by number and person.

Definition

Both do and does refer to the present tense and are forms of the auxiliary verb to do, which, along with to have and a number of other verbs, serves primarily to indicate that a question or negation is formulated.

Comparison

For greater clarity, all personal pronouns, which determine the difference between do and does, can be presented in the following table:

Only one cell of this table - the third person singular - requires the use of does, the rest are content with the shorter do. But the problem of memorization remains, despite the simplicity. We can give you a helper algorithm: First, all plural personal pronouns require the verb do. Secondly, if you are dealing with a singular personal pronoun, then when addressing someone or talking about yourself (I do this; you do that), use do when describing the actions of someone (he/she /it (in the case of an animal) does something) – does.

We/you/they do gymnastics in the morning. We/You/They do/eat exercises in the morning.

I do gymnastics in the morning. I do exercises in the morning.

He/she/it does gymnastics in the morning. He/she/it does exercises in the morning.

In interrogative sentences, everything is the same - when asking about someone (for the singular), use does, for someone - do.

Does he/she/it like milk? Does he/she/it like milk?

For both first and second person:

What do I/you want to do? What do you want to do/What do I want to do? (why not ask yourself, really).

And do not forget that all of the above applies only to the present tense - Present Simple. When dealing with the Past Simple, you can forget about the difference between do and does, and feel free to use the third form of the auxiliary verb to do – did.

Conclusions website

1. For plural personal pronouns, do is always used to indicate the present tense.
2. For personal pronouns in singular We only need does to describe the actions of one person/animal (third person), both in affirmative and negative/interrogative sentences. When talking about yourself or addressing someone else (first and second person), use do.

In the Russian language, we very often enhance the emotionality of a statement, making our speech more expressive. Let's look at a few such examples:

"I nbut in fact called you. He really wants to help her. She yet I forgave him."

As you can see, with the expressions “in fact”, “really”, “still” we emphasize the actions that are mentioned in the sentences.

In English, we can use the verb do to add emphasis to our speech. In the article I will tell you how to do this.

From the article you will learn:

The verb do to enhance the expressiveness of oral speech

I think you already know that the verb do in English can play several roles:

• verb "to do/make".

Now we will look at another use of the verb do - to strengthen the statement.

We can use it in affirmative sentences to enhance the meaning of the semantic verb (the action we are talking about). This strengthening of do is translated into Russian as “really”, “in fact”, “still”, “still”, “exactly”, “surely”.

For example: She really loves him.

Depending on the tense in which you reinforce the sentence, the verb do has the forms:

• in the present tense - do/does
• in the past tense - did
• imperative mood (request, order) - do

Let's look at all these cases in detail.

Attention: Confused about English rules? Find out in Moscow how easy it is to understand English grammar.

Using do/does for emphasis in the present tense

To emphasize the action being discussed in a sentence, you need to put do before this action.

In the Present Simple tense we use do or does depending on the character:

• do - when we say “I, you, you, they, we, people, children, etc.”
• does - when we talk about one person (he, she, it, my friend, his sister, etc.).

We do not change the action (verb) itself (there is no need to add the ending -s/-es), that is, we leave it in initial form.

The outline of such a proposal would be as follows:

Actor + do/does + action + other members of the sentence

She does need your help.
She really needs your help.

They do know it.
They actually know this.

He does want to find a job.
He really wants to find a job.

Using did to reinforce the past tense

When we reinforce an action that happened in the past, we put do in the past tense (did). After did we put the action itself (verb) in the initial form (no need to add the ending -ed).

The outline of such a proposal:

Actor + did + action + other members of the sentence

He did call you.
He actually called you.

They did live in the house.
They actually lived in this house.

She did sign that agreement.
She definitely signed that contract.

Using do for emphasis in the imperative mood

The imperative mood is an order, request, advice. At the same time, we do not name the person we are addressing.

For example: Do it. Bring your phone. Call him.

In such sentences we can also use the amplifier do, which will be translated as “certainly, certainly, yes, etc.”

In this case, we put it at the very beginning of the sentence. After it comes the action (verb) in the initial form.

Do not confuse such sentences with interrogative sentences in the Present Simple.

The outline of such a proposal would be:

Do + action + other parts of the sentence

Do come to my party.
Be sure to come to my party.

Do write him.
Be sure to write to him.

Do ask him.
Yes, ask him.

So now you know how to make your speech more vivid by adding do. Now let's put this into practice.

Reinforcement task

Translate the following sentences into English. Leave your answers in the comments below the article.

1. We really want to go to the concert.
2. He actually believes in ghosts.
3. Be sure to read this.
4. They actually got married.
5. Be sure to come to us.
6. She really loves him.

Morphology studies the word as a part of speech. Verbs are used to express state or action. They show what people do, think or feel and are one of the eight parts of speech. For example, they are used to express:

• actions (Tom does this work every day);
• states (Jack is feeling better today);
• natural phenomena (It's raining in the street).

All verbs in English are classified as state or action verbs, also called "dynamic verbs". Action verbs show an action that a person or object performs. State verbs show how things exist in reality - their appearance, smell, color.

The most important difference between state and action verbs is that action verbs can take the Continuous Tenses, but state verbs cannot. Here are some examples of action verbs (They are playing football. Mark cooked dinner for us last night) and state verbs (I think that’s a good idea. It costs twenty dollars).

English verbs can also be used in active or passive voice. Active voice means an action that the subject does: Tom throws the ball. Andy has lived in Queens for twenty years. The passive voice describes what is done or done to an object. It is not used as often as the active voice. In English it is always used with the verb to be and combined with the past participle (the third form of the verb).

Voice is a characteristic feature of Russian and English grammars. Here are some examples of verbs in the passive voice: The work was done quickly. That document will be done by Robert. My car was made in Germany

English verb form

There are various forms of verb construction. Its main forms in English are divided into the infinitive, or present participle with the ending ing, the past participle and the main form, most importantly, the conjugated form. The difference between English and Russian lies in the complex tense construction of the verb. Here's each form with a few examples:

• Infinitive (to + verb) - to do, to think, to eat;
• Present participle (gerund or verbs with ing form) - doing, going, eating;
• Past form (used with the past indefinite) - went, did, played;
• Past participle (used with perfect tenses) - done, gone, eaten, played;
• Conjugated form (only used in present indefinite tense) - do - does, play - plays, speak - speaks.

Species differences

In English, along with independent verbs, phrasal, auxiliary and modal verbs are often used. The verb to do must be written in transcription and can act as an independent, phrasal or auxiliary.

Independent verbs act in a sentence as a simple predicate. They carry out the main semantic load and serve to convey any action or express feelings, thoughts, or natural phenomena. For example: He does business in different countries. He does business in different countries. He helps her do the dishes. He helps her wash the dishes.

Phrasal ones consist of a main verb with a preposition or adverb. They are very common in spoken English, but are also used in writing. Here are some phrasal verbs: He often does me down. He often deceives me. Riders were completely done up. The riders were completely exhausted. I’ll be done by five o’clock. I'll be ready by five o'clock.

Auxiliary verbs do not have independence in a sentence. They mainly form complex tense forms with some basic verbs. These include to do, to be, to have, shall (should), will (would) and they serve to transform an ordinary sentence into an interrogative or negative one. They don't know it. What books do you like to read?

Conjugation table and tenses

Unlike nouns, which have a declension, in English, as in Russian, verbs change tenses, that is, they are conjugated. The summary table shows their main times:

The pronunciation of the verb to do is recorded in dictionaries, and its application in English is used in different ways. It can be used as an auxiliary or main to talk about action in general, and also in combination with nouns to address various issues and problems of everyday life.

The auxiliary verb to do is mainly used to create interrogative and negative sentences in the present and past tense.

The present tense is usually one of the first verb tenses that new English students learn. It is used to describe actions that occur on a regular basis, to express feelings, facts, opinions and events. The present simple tense should not be confused with the present continuous tense, which is used to describe what is happening at the moment. For example:

• present simple tense (I catch the bus at 8:50 a.m. to go to work. I take the bus at 8:50 to get to work);
• present continuous tense (I am riding the bus to work. I ride the bus to work).

A good way to improve your speaking skills is to use role-playing exercises. You can use the following dialogue with a classmate or friend to practice using the present simple tense.

John: Hello, Can I ask you some questions?

Ann: Yes, I can answer some questions.

John: Thank you for taking the time. What do you do?

Ann: I work in a library. I'm a librarian.

John: Are you married?

John: What does your husband do?

Ann: He works in the shop.

John: Do you usually have dinner together?

Ann: Yes, we do.

John: Where do you like to go on holiday?

Ann: We like to go to the mountains if we can.

John: What kind of books do you read?

Ann: I often read horror stories.

John: Thank you very much for answering my questions.

From the dialogue it is clear that the present simple is used to describe what is done every day with the inclusion of adverbs always, sometimes, usually, etc., which indicate habit. Other cases that require the present simple tense:

• permanent or long-term situations (Where do you work? The store opens at 9 a.m. She lives in New York.);
• regular habits and daily routine (I usually get up at 7 a.m. She doesn’t often go to the cinema. When do they usually have lunch?);
• facts (The earth revolves around the sun. What does “strange” mean? Water doesn’t boil at 20 degrees.);
• feelings (I love walking around late at night during the summer. She hates flying! I don’t want to live in Texas.);
• opinions and states of mind (He doesn’t agree with you. I think he is a wonderful student. What do you consider your best achievement?);
• timetables and schedules (The plane leaves at 4 p.m. When do courses begin this semester? The train doesn’t arrive until 10.35 a.m.).

The present simple tense can be expressed in three ways: affirmative, negative or question. Conjugation of verbs in the affirmative form is easy for the first and second person. You just need to use its basic form. For third person, add s to the verb. For example: I eat lunch at noon. You play tennis at noon. He walks to school every day. She watches TV in the evening. It sleeps under the couch. We study English at school. They eat lunch at noon.

Use of the verb to do in English (table)

Negative form uses auxiliary do for the first and second person and does for the third. You can also express the negative form in abbreviated form. For example: I do not leave work early on Mondays. You don't like to watch TV. He does not understand the question. She doesn't ride a bike. We don't have any money. They don't leave at noon.

If the present tense is expressed in question form, do or does is used, followed by the subject and the main verb. For example: Do I work in this company? Do you get up early? Do we often drive to work? Do they understand French? Does he like to watch TV? Does she believe in ghosts? Does it leave at noon?

Formation of the verb do (does) - did (rule and table)

The simple past tense of the verb is used to talk about things that happened and ended in the recent past. Next The dialogue clearly shows the use of the simple past tense:

Mike: Hi Mary, what did you do on Saturday?

Mary: I did a lot of things. I went shopping.

Mike: What did you buy?

Mary: I bought some new clothes. I also played volleyball.

Mike: Who did you play?

Mary: I played Jack.

Mike: Did you win?

Mary: Of course I won!​

Mike: What did you do after volleyball?

Mary: Well, I went home and took a shower and then went out.

Mike: Did you eat in a restaurant?

Mary: Yes, my friend Peter and I ate at The Good Fork.

Mike: Did you enjoy your dinner?

Mary: Yes, we enjoyed our dinner very much. We also drank some wonderful wine!

Mike: Unfortunately, I didn’t go out this weekend. I didn't eat in a restaurant.

Mary: What did you do?​

Mike: I stayed home and studied.

The auxiliary verb to do and interrogative pronouns show at what time the dialogue took place: What did you do? I went. What did you buy? I bought. I played. I took. I ate. We enjoyed it. We drank. I stayed. I studied.

The simple past is used to describe something that happened at a specific time in the past, using time words: ago, in the past or yesterday. Where did you go yesterday? The flight left last night. They didn't come two weeks ago.

In a positive form for regular verbs the ending -ed is added to the main verb. But there are also irregular verbs. Here are some of the most common: go - went, buy - bought, take - took, come - came, have - had, eat - ate, and drink - drank.

Irregular verbs need to be remembered: They returned late last night (regular verb). She played volleyball yesterday (regular verb). It sounded easy to them (regular verb). I went to Paris last week (irregular verb). I bought a new cap yesterday (irregular verb). They went to the shop a few hours ago (irregular verb). We thought about it (irregular verb). I came by bus last week (irregular verb). They came back late last night (irregular verb).

The negative form of the past tense is constructed using the auxiliary verb did with the particle not (in the abbreviation didn’t) plus the main verb without any changes: I didn’t hear the question. You didn't fly to San Francisco last week. She didn't want to do the work. They didn't ask any questions in class. It didn’t break yesterday. I didn't like the music last night. He didn't buy anything last week. We didn't go to Paris last week.

The interrogative form uses an auxiliary verb, followed by a subject-subject, and then the base form of the verb. Informational questions begin with words like “where” or “when”: Did we make a reservation? Did you understand the question? Did she want to leave the party? When did you finish the book? Where did he live last year? How much did it cost? What did they say?

The verb to do can also be used to form a negative imperative form or to strengthen a request before the imperative form: Don’t go there. Don't open the window. Do come to me today. Come (by all means) to me today.

Also, the verb to do is used to enhance the action expressed by the main verb in the Present Indefinite and Past Indefinite tenses. Its amplifying structure is visible in the following examples: I think you don’t know my brother. - You aren't right. I do know him very well. Why didn’t you speak to him? - But I did speak to him yesterday.

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As you know, a question is a request to receive information or perform an action. Every day we ask ourselves and others many different types of questions (Who am I? Why did I come into this world? Who is the nicest person in the world? How to learn English in a month?..). The questions are different, but formally they have one thing in common: common feature(or rather, a sign): at the end of every interrogative sentence there is always a question mark.

So, let's figure out what types of questions there are in English.

Closed questions

Closed questions are those types of questions that require a “yes/no” or “true/false” answer.

For this type of question, English uses auxiliary verbs ( do/does, am/is/are, have/has). The auxiliary verb is placed at the beginning of the sentence. Thus, the predicate and subject change places.

Formation of questions in the Present Continuous

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The verb to do is one of the most important verbs in the English language. A very large part of English grammar rules is devoted to the use of the verb do. And without knowledge of these rules, communication in English becomes impossible.

The verb do as a semantic verb.

The verb do in English means “to do some action or work.” In most cases, the English do is similar to the Russian verb "do", but there are a number of difficult cases that you need to know and remember about.

Firstly, you need to understand the difference between the verbs to make and to do. Both of these verbs are translated in the dictionary as do “to do.” But remember this:

• to make – used when an action is performed, having visible results.
• to do – used in all other cases.

For example:

I make a sandwich
I'm making a sandwich.

Make is used because there is a visible result - a sandwich.

Secondly, phrases such as:

• to do crosswords – solve crosswords (rather than do crosswords)
• to do an exam - take an exam (rather than do an exam)
• to do ironing – iron (in in this case, the literal translation of “do ironing” is clear, but sounds clumsy)

should not confuse you. In such cases, do not limit yourself to a literal translation, but look for a word in Russian that has a suitable meaning.

Auxiliary verb DO or 50% of the entire grammar

The verb do in English is used as an auxiliary verb to construct questions and negatives. In these cases, the verb do itself is not translated in any way. To ask a question grammatically correctly, you need to put the verb do before the subject. For example, we have an affirmative sentence:

You like cats.
You love cats.

To get a question from an affirmative sentence, just put the verb to do at the beginning of the sentence:

Do do you like cats?
You love cats? (do – auxiliary verb, like – semantic)

That is, in an interrogative sentence the words are in the following order:

• Question word (optional)
• Auxiliary verb do (or one of its forms)
• Subject
• Predicate
• All the rest

The questions have been sorted out. Now I’ll tell you how a negative sentence is constructed. It's almost as simple as that. You need to put two words immediately after the subject - “do not”.

For example, an affirmative sentence:

I like cats.
I love cats.

Let's turn it into negative:

I do not like cats.
I do not like cats.

The English don’t like to talk a lot, so instead of “do not” they use the shortened version “don’t”.

I don't like cats.
I do not like cats.

It should be noted that in some cases interrogative and negative sentences are formed without using the auxiliary verb do. This happens when one of the so-called strong verbs is used as the subject. Strong verbs include the verb to be and all modal verbs except the verb to have to.

Forms of the verb do

The verb to do has 4 forms:

Do And does are used in the present tense did- in the past tense, and done is a past participle that is used in some complex tense constructions.

Pronunciation of the basic forms of the verb to do:

The verb to do has two present tense forms: do and does. This is unusual for English verb. A logical question is “When to use do, and when does?” The rule is simple - does is used in the third person singular, do in all other cases. If the subject is the pronoun he/she/it or any singular noun, then does is used.

For example, in these cases does is used:

Does he live in Paris?
Does he live in Paris? (Does – auxiliary verb, live – semantic)

Does she live in Paris?
Does she live in Paris?

Does this factory produce toys?
Does this factory make toys?

And in these - do:

Do you live in Paris?
Do you live in Paris?

Do these factories produce toys?
Do these factories make toys?

The second form of the verb do - did used to construct interrogative and negative sentences in the simple past tense (Past simple). In the past tense, we always simply replace the verb do with did:

What did you want to tell me?
What did you want to tell me? (did – auxiliary verb, want semantic)

Compare with Present Simple:

What do you want to tell me?
What do you want to tell me?

IN negative sentences in the past tense the abbreviation is also used. Instead of “did not” they usually say “didn’t”:

I didn’t see him yesterday.
I did not see him yesterday.