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Present simple: don’t, doesn’t, do…?
A1 A1 grammar · lesson 10 of 24
You know the positive present simple from Lesson 9. Now you learn how to make negatives and questions with do and does.
Negative
Use don’t (do not) or doesn’t (does not) + the base verb. The base verb never changes: no -s, no -es. We use the short forms don’t and doesn’t in speaking and in most writing.
| Subject | Negative |
|---|---|
| I / you / we / they | don’t work |
| he / she / it | doesn’t work |
I don’t like fish.
Leo doesn’t eat meat.
We don’t have a car.
It doesn’t rain much here.
Questions
Put Do or Does before the subject. Then use the base verb. Use Do with I, you, we and they. Use Does with he, she and it. In short answers, repeat do or does, not the main verb.
| Question | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Do you like music? | Yes, I do. | No, I don’t. |
| Does she speak English? | Yes, she does. | No, she doesn’t. |
| Do they live here? | Yes, they do. | No, they don’t. |
Do you work at the weekend?
Does Mia play the piano? Yes, she does.
Do your friends live near you? No, they don’t.
Does the bus stop here?
Do as a main verb
Do can also be the main verb. Then you see it twice: I don’t do my homework at night. Does he do sport?
Common mistakes
✗ She don’t like tea.
✓ She doesn’t like tea.
✗ He doesn’t works here.
✓ He doesn’t work here.
✗ You like pizza?
✓ Do you like pizza?
✗ Does Tom plays football?
✓ Does Tom play football?