Use of Do

Do - Present Tense

Singular

Plural

I do	We do
You do	You do
He does
She does	They do
It does

The verb "do" can be used to make a statement:

I do the laundry every weekend.

...but it is usually used to make the present tense or the past tense negative:

I don't have any money.

He didn't go to the store yesterday.

It's also used when making questions:

Do you know what time it is?

Does he have a coat? 

tement: I wear glasses Negative: I don't see well without my glasses. Question: Do you wear glasses?	I
Statement: You speak French. Negative: You don't speak Chinese. Question: Do you speak Vietnamese?	you
Statement: He works on a computer at work. Negative: He doesn't work outside. Question: Does he like his job?	he
Statement: She rides a bike to work. Negative: She doesn't have a car. Question: Does she wear a helmet? Answer: Yes, she does. (notice the answer to the question uses "do." )	she
Statement: It looks ripe. (ripe=ready to eat). Negative: It doesn't grow in the winter in Minnesota. Question: Does it grow in the spring? Answer: Yes, it does.	a strawberry = it
Statement: We live in Minnesota. Negative: We don't live in Canada. Question: Do we like Minnesota? Yes, we do.  Or.... Yes, we like Minnesota.	we
Statement: You play football. Negative: You don't play tennis. Question: Do you play football all year long? No, we don't. We play in the fall.	You
Statement: They walk their dogs every day. Negative: They don't take their cats for a walk. Question: Do they walk their dogs on a leash. Yes, they do.	They

The verb "do" is a very important verb. We use it to make the present tense, the present tense negative, and for asking questions.

Examples:

I do many things on the weekend. (present tense, "do" is the main verb)

He doesn't like to go to the store. (present tense negative, "like" is the main verb)

Do you want to see a movie? (present tense question, "want" is the main verb)

"Do" is often used as a main verb, but only for particular activities, such as housework, cleaning, studying, research, and shopping.

Examples:

I do the dishes every night. (do = wash)

She does her grocery shopping at Cub. (do = go/finish)

They do their homework at the library. (do = complete)

The past tense form of "do" is "did."

Examples:

I did the dishes last night.

She did her grocery shopping at Cub.

"Do" is also used for creating emphasis:

Example:

A: You don't like this very much.

B: No. I do like it! 

Do - Making the negative

Singular	Plural
I do not = I don't	We do not = We don't
You do not = You don't	You do not = You don't
He does not = He doesn't
She does not = She doesn't	They do not = They don't
It does not = It doesn't

he verb "do" is a helping verb. We use it to make the present tense and the past tense negative. (Click here for a video that shows the difference between the helping verb and the main verb. )

Examples in the present tense:

I don't work on the weekend. (present tense negative)

He doesn't like to go to the store. (present tense negative)

They don't have any money. (present tense negative)

The past tense form of "do" is "did." Did + not = didn't

Examples in the past tense:

I didn't work last night.

She didn't go shopping yesterday.

We didn't see that movie yet. .

Be careful: "Do" is also used as a main verb, but only for particular activities, such as housework, cleaning, studying, research, business, and shopping.

Examples:

I don't do the dishes every night. (do = wash)

She doesn't do her grocery shopping at Cub. (do = go/finish)

They do not do their homework at the library. (do = complete)

Their company doesn't do business in Minnesota.

Examples in the past tense:

I didn't do the dishes last night.

She didn't do her grocery shopping at Cub.

Separating the contraction creates emphasis

Examples:

I do not want to do the dishes!

He does not have his license!

Please, do not put that hot pan on the counter!

Never put do + not + ____ing

He doesn't going to work.( incorrect )

He doesn't go to work. ( correct )

Avoid bad American grammar!

She don't go to work on Sunday.

It don't matter to me.

He don't know.

Do (present tense) and Did (past tense)

as Helping Verbs to Make Negative Sentences

______________________________________________________________

Present Tense Negative

do + not + main verb

Singular	Plural
I do not ___ I don't ___	We do not ___ We don't ___
You do not ___ You don't ___	You do not ___ You don't ___
He does not ___ He doesn't ____
She does not ____ She doesn't ____	They do not ___ They don't ___
It does not ___ It doesn't ____

Past Tense Negative

did + not + main verb

Singular	Plural
I did not ____ I didn't _____	We did not ____ We didn't ____
You did not ____ You didn't ____	You did not ____ You didn't ____
He did not ____ He didn't _____
She did not ____ She didn't ____	They did not ____ They didn't ____
It did not ____ It didn't ____

e verb "do" is a helping verb. We add it to the simple form of a verb to make questions and negatives in the present tense and the past tense.

Examples:

I don't work on the weekend. (present tense negative).

I didn't work last weekend. (past tense negative)

He doesn't like to go to the store. (present tense negative)

He didn't like to go to the store when he was younger. (past tense negative).

They don't have any money. (present tense negative)

They didn't have any money last week. (past tense negative.)

Note: "Do" is also used as a main verb for activities, such as housework, cleaning, studying, research, business, and shopping.

Examples:

I don't do the dishes every night. I didn't do the dishes last night.

She doesn't do her grocery shopping at Cub. She didn't do her grocery shopping yesterday.

They do not do their homework at the library. They didn't do their homework last night.

Their company doesn't do business in Minnesota. They never did business here.

The past tense form of "do" is "did." Did + not = didn't

Examples:

I didn't go to work yesterday.

She didn't take the bus to work.

Separating the contraction creates emphasis

Examples:

I did not want to do the dishes last night. I do not want to do them now!

He does not have his license! He never did get it!

Please, do not put that hot pan on the counter!

Never put "did" + ____ing

He did going  to work last night. (incorrect)

He went to work last night. ( correct )

Avoid bad American grammar!

She don't go to work on Sunday. (She doesn't go to work on Sunday.)

It don't matter to me. (It doesn't matter to me.)

He don't know. (He doesn't know.)