do in English – auxiliary and main verb
Is do an auxiliary or a main verb.
The verb do can be an auxiliary verb or a main verb in English.
1. do as a main verb
1.1. do as a main verb in simple present (do, does, don't, doesn't).
Pronouns | Affirmative sentences | Negative senteces | Questions |
---|---|---|---|
I | I do my homework. | I do not do my homework.* | Do I do my homework?* |
you | You do your homework. | You do not do your homework.* | Do you do your homework?* |
he, she, it | He does his homework. | He does not do his homework.* | Does he do his homework?* |
we, you, they | They do their homework. | They do not do their homework.* | Do they do their homework?* |
1.2. do as a main verb in Simple Past (did, didn't)
Pronouns | Affirmative sentences | Negative senteces | Questions |
---|---|---|---|
I, he, she, it, we, you, they | She did her homework. | She did not do her homework.** | Did she do her homework?** |
1.3. do as a main verb – past participle (done)
Pronouns | Affirmative sentences | Negative senteces | Questions |
---|---|---|---|
I, you, we, you, they | We have done the shopping. | We have not done the shopping. | Have we done the shopping? |
he, she, it | He has done the shopping. | He has not done the shopping. | Has he done the shopping? |
1.4. do as a main verb (Present Progressive, Gerund, present participle) – (doing)
affirmative | negative |
---|---|
I am doing my homework. | I am not doing my homework. |
Doing my homework is not always fun. | Not doing my homework is not clever. |
I saw Jane doing her homework. | I didn't see Jane doing her homework. |
2. do as an auxiliary
2.1. do as an auxiliary in negations in the simple present.
I do n't do my homework in the evenings.*
2.2. do as an auxiliary in negations in the Simple Past
I did n't do my homework yesterday evening.**
2.3. do as an auxiliary in quesions in the Simple Present
Do you like rugby? – Does he like rugby?
2.4. do as an auxiliary in quesions in the Simple Past
Did you see Peggy yesterday? When did you get up this morning?
2.5. do with the negative imparative
Do n't sing under the shower.
* Here we use do in the negative sentence as an auxiliary and do as a main verb .
** Here we use did in the negative sentence as an auxiliary and do as a main verb .
- You are here:
- Grammar Explanations
- Modal Auxiliaries
- Link to facebook
- Link to linkedin
- Link to twitter
- Link to youtube
- Writing Tips
Grammar: When to Use Do, Does, and Did
- 3-minute read
- 12th August 2022
Verbs are essential to creating complete sentences, as they help us express physical actions ( She jumped in the puddle) , mental actions ( He thought about puppies) , and states of being ( I am hungry) .
There are several types of verbs that can each be written in different tenses, so they can be tricky to work with, especially if English isn’t your first language . We’ve put together a guide to help you use one of the most common verbs, do , in your writing . Read on below to learn more!
Action Verbs
As the name suggests, action verbs are used to express actions completed by the subject of a sentence. The base verb do is conjugated according to the tense:
1. Present Tense
In the present tense, do takes the form do or does, depending on the subject:
Subject: | Verb: |
I/you/we/they | Do |
He/she/it | Does |
Consider the following examples:
We do our homework every night.
She does her homework every night.
2. Past Tense
In the simple past tense , the base verb do takes the form did with all subjects:
Subject: | Verb: |
I/you/we/they | Did |
He/she/it | Did |
We did our homework last night.
She did her homework last night.
Auxiliary Verbs
Auxiliary , or helping verbs, are used with another base verb to create negative sentences, questions, or add emphasis. Here’s how do should be used as an auxiliary verb:
1. Negative Sentences
Following the same subject–verb pairings introduced above, we combine the auxiliaries do , does , and did with the adverb not to create negative sentences:
We do not do our homework every night.
She did not do her homework last night.
Note that we can combine the auxiliary and the adverb to create the contractions don’t , doesn’t , and didn’t . You simply remove the space between the two words and replace the letter o in not with an apostrophe (’).
Find this useful?
Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.
Contractions are more common in conversations and informal writing and typically shouldn’t be used in formal writing (e.g., academic or business).
2. Questions
To create questions, the auxiliary is combined with the infinitive of another verb in this way: auxiliary verb + subject + infinitive verb .
● Simple present questions:
Do they sell children’s books?
Does he speak English?
Note that the third person verb speaks isn’t spelled with the s when paired with the auxiliary to form a question.
● Simple past questions:
Did you buy anything at the bookstore?
Did he learn how to speak English?
Note that did indicates the past tense, so the main verbs don’t also take the past tense (i.e., bought and learned ).
3. Emphasis
In positive sentences, we can also combine the auxiliaries do , does , and did with the main verb to emphasize that something is true:
We do sell children’s books.
He did learn to speak English.
Try saying these sentences aloud and adding emphasis to the auxiliary terms with your tone. It adds a dramatic effect!
Proofreading and Editing Services
Hopefully, this guide will help you feel more confident when using different forms of the verb do in your writing. If you’re still learning or want to be sure your work is error-free, our editors are ready to help. You can upload a free trial document today to learn more!
Share this article:
Post A New Comment
Got content that needs a quick turnaround? Let us polish your work. Explore our editorial business services.
5-minute read
Free Email Newsletter Template
Promoting a brand means sharing valuable insights to connect more deeply with your audience, and...
6-minute read
How to Write a Nonprofit Grant Proposal
If you’re seeking funding to support your charitable endeavors as a nonprofit organization, you’ll need...
9-minute read
How to Use Infographics to Boost Your Presentation
Is your content getting noticed? Capturing and maintaining an audience’s attention is a challenge when...
8-minute read
Why Interactive PDFs Are Better for Engagement
Are you looking to enhance engagement and captivate your audience through your professional documents? Interactive...
7-minute read
Seven Key Strategies for Voice Search Optimization
Voice search optimization is rapidly shaping the digital landscape, requiring content professionals to adapt their...
4-minute read
Five Creative Ways to Showcase Your Digital Portfolio
Are you a creative freelancer looking to make a lasting impression on potential clients or...
Make sure your writing is the best it can be with our expert English proofreading and editing.
Stack Exchange Network
Stack Exchange network consists of 183 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow , the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers.
Q&A for work
Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search.
Does she do her homework?
She does her homework. Does she do her homework?
Why the questioning sentence is using "do"?
2 Answers 2
To ask a question, we need to use an auxiliary verb at the beginning of the sentence. In our case, the auxiliary verb is do : this is called do-support .
But since "she" is a singular third-person pronoun, we turn do into does . The first do carries the third-person ending s (or es ) instead of the second. So there's no reason to leave the second verb with the same ending.
She flew home. ("Flew" is the Past Tense form of "fly") Did she fly home?
Notice how the auxiliary verb do assumed the Past Tense form did , and the main verb fly now has no need to be in the Past Tense form: the auxiliary verb does this work.
The main verb contains the meaning, the auxiliary verb is a "helping verb".
In your example sentence, the first do (in the form does ) is an auxiliary verb , and the second do (in the form do ) is a main verb .
- 1 Very nicely did (American regionalism) – TimR Commented Nov 30, 2014 at 18:42
The usual situation
When turning a statement into a question, we move the first word of the verb to the beginning of the sentence:
Statement: She is doing her homework. Question: Is she doing her homework?
An exception
If there is only one word in the verb, we use a form of to do to add a word to the verb, then move the added do :
Statement: She does her homework. Two-word verb: She does do her homework. Question: Does she do her homework?
Statement: She has a question. Two-word verb: She does have a question. Question: Does she have a question?
An exception to the exception
If the verb is a one-word form of to be , we can't use to do to add a word. All we can do is move the verb that exists.
Statement: She is a student . Mistake: She does is a student. Question: Is she a student?
You must log in to answer this question.
Not the answer you're looking for browse other questions tagged do-support ..
- Featured on Meta
- Upcoming initiatives on Stack Overflow and across the Stack Exchange network...
- Preventing unauthorized automated access to the network
Hot Network Questions
- What was Adam Smith's position on the American Revolution?
- Why does Lean 4 not execute the given code?
- looking for a word meaning trimming eyebrows
- I've been hunting for a new job. Should I adjust my job title for each application?
- Reviewing a paper that's badly written such that reading it takes a long time
- Nexus hub - why is the sprocket being dragged round by a dust cap?
- Your Average Character
- Mining metals with microbes
- On the closed convex hull of a weakly compact set
- Will I have enough time to connect between Paris Gare du Nord and Gare de l’Est accounting for any passport control?
- Opening URL in the Windows default Browser using C
- Why does it say the whole generation died, if Yocheved was still alive?
- An irreducible topological space is compact
- Is it possible to activate German SIM abroad for non-EU person?
- Stationary phase formula for a complex valued phase
- Roll a die in 3D
- How would an ancient Chinese necromancer delay their zombies from rotting?
- Reality Check - How possible is it for a single human to reach "Space Engineers" level of technological prowess?
- What does "epic column inches" mean?
- Man who breathes out oxygen, short story
- How can I get the % address of a graphic object?
- Shading problem with Game Asset
- Offering shelter to homeless employees
- Are these superheroes plagiarised?
Register to get your text revised right away for FREE ⚡
Today more than people got their English checked.
By continuing to use this website, you agree to our Terms of Service .
Get a FREE revision 🎁
Register a new account, welcome back, confirm your email.
Please click the link that we've sent to this address to post your question to our experts. Ok, I'll check my email
not your email? Change it now
Set a new email
Here you can set your new address email. Remember to use a valid email address. We will send you an email to confirm your account.
Facebook Login Discontinued
Unfortunately, the Facebook login method has been discontinued.
To access your TextRanch account, please click the "Reset Password" button below and input your Facebook Email. Our team will send you an email with further instructions.
If you don't remember your email, please fill out this form .
Your text is being reviewed by one of our Experts. We will notify you when your revision is ready.
Or wait in this page
Leave this page open, and your corrected text will appear as soon as it's ready!
You need to add a payment method to get our special promo ⚡
Enter your email below to get instant access to the first Chapter of our Ebook
Downloaded more than 1320 times today.
Add payment method
NOTE: Credits are valid for one year.
We're so happy that you liked your revision! Your feedback helps us improve our service. Want more FREE revisions ? 🎁
Step 1 out of 2!
Like us on Facebook by clicking the like button below:
Almost there!
Last step (2/2)
Share TextRanch on Facebook by clicking on the button below.
Congrats! You've just earned 3 credits!
Closing your account will prevent you from accessing your past revisions, and you will no longer be eligible for a FREE daily revision.
There is no cost to keep your TextRanch account, and we store all of your past revisions in a secure and private manner.
Help us understand
If we didn't meet your expectations, we'd really like to know more. Please tell us why you are closing your account:
The best way to perfect your writing.
Discover why 1,062,726 users count on TextRanch to get their English corrected!
1. Input your text below. 2. Get it corrected in a few minutes by our editors. 3. Improve your English!
One of our experts will correct your English.
she do homework vs she does homework
Explained by Miss E. Editor at TextRanch
Last updated: July 25, 2024
she do homework
This phrase is incorrect. In English, the third person singular form of the verb 'do' requires the addition of 'does'.
- Amy won't be home for hours and then she has to do homework .
- But usually, she would do her homework first thing.
- Bay used to get it all the time, especially when she didn't do her homework .
- She 'll just do her homework , she won't be in your way.
- I keep thinking she's going to come home from school and we'll have our usual little chat then she 'll do her homework .
- She can do her homework here, or she can go take a nap in there when she is tired.
- and she needs to do her homework and show it to you.
- Suitable place to study or do homework
- This is my friend, Giampiero. We do homework together.
- You can't be expected to do homework .
- Don't do homework in class.
- We will do homework but not now.
- Said he needed to do homework .
- It's not bad for the girl who hates to do homework .
- That's fine. Kid's got to do homework .
- Estimate number of hours required to do homework
- I thought we weren't allowed to do homework at the table.
- Tell her I went to a friend's house to do homework .
- Jesus Christ, I need my computer to do homework .
Alternatives:
she does homework
- she is doing homework
- she will do homework
- she did homework
- she has done homework
This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.
- She does homework every evening.
- She does her homework diligently.
- Does she do her homework on time?
- Who does homework regularly?
- Why does she do her homework late?
- She still does homework , that's how she is.
- Just make sure she does her homework .
- She never does her homework when she 's with you.
- Sure, if she does n't have homework .
- I'm dating a girl who does homework .
- Really, dollface, who does homework at a party?
- Ask your daughter to do Maria's homework .
- Thanks for helping with his homework .
- It's your homework to find out.
- I left my math homework upstairs.
- Here is your homework assignment for Monday.
- Go get started on your homework .
- Just finished my English homework with Anne.
- I already finished all my homework ...
- Finish the practice as homework for tomorrow.
- Our problems are homework for everyone tonight.
- Not doing your homework , Tim.
- Because I know, you've skipped homework ...
- Only you could turn blackjack into math homework .
- she will be doing homework
Related Comparisons
What our customers are saying.
Thanks to TextRanch, I was able to score above 950 on TOEIC, and I got a good grade on ACTFL OPIC as well. + Read the full interview
I love TextRanch because of the reliable feedback. The editors' comments are helpful and the customer service is amazing. + Read the full interview
TextRanch has helped me to improve my written skills as well as to communicate more naturally, like a local English speaker. + Read the full interview
TextRanch is amazingly responsive and really cares about the client. It's the best online service that I have ever used! + Read the full interview
I started to use TextRanch when I began to learn English. It has been an awesome way to improve my English skills. + Read the full interview
I love that TextRanch editors are real people who revise the text and provide feedback – it makes it so personal. + Read the full interview
I sometimes wonder if my English expressions make sense clearly and TextRanch helps me a lot in such cases. + Read the full interview
TextRanch has been really helpful in improving the flow and repairing the structure of my sentences. + Read the full interview
"Thank you!"
"I have literally been through chat, PI, claude, bard and bing and I got conflicting answers! Thank you! Human intelligence reigns!"
"Faster than AI"
"This was very helpful and I personally think this site is the best."
"It was extremely thorough and very helpful!"
"7 years without any disappointment. Always 100% satisfied. You guys are the best in the world at what you do. Thank you so much :)"
"In a world of text messages and online communication, this is great to have as a live tool. Thank you."
"Without textranch I would be stuck!"
"Accuracy and fast response. Personal comments from editor. Thank you."
"I wasn't aware of this service, it's fascinating and more reliable than standard IA tools available on the internet"
"The fact that you can get reliable fast feedback on your texts."
"you guys are better than grammarly i'm being honest here"
"OMG! This is really good than any other text correction tools I've used so far. Highly recommend this."
"Very fast and accurate. thank you."
"I love this app because it's help to writing skills all of students ♥️"
"This was exactly the mistake I was looking for, the wording dind´t sound right at first. Better than grammarly!"
"The immediate help that I received was reassuring and very satisfactory. Thanks."
"this helps A LOT for my studies."
"Woow!! I would never have expected such precision! Thank you soooo much!!"
"Real Time Editor and not AI. Many Thanks."
"The very first thing excites me about Textranch is how much your editors care."
"The fact that texts are checked by human editors rather than by AI, etc. I appreciate this!"
"Feel welcome, immediate response, high quality feedback"
"This is the best app that I have ever seen"
⚡️Ask our Editor now.
Fresh content for your texts, so you can be more professional.
estimated time: 30 minutes , directly in your inbox
📝 ️Notes for your editor
Let our editor help you, include background information, explanations of unusual words and special terms, or instructions about specific improvements you want.
Want to improve your English business writing?
More than 150,000 people like you receive our weekly newsletter to master their English skills!
Why choose TextRanch?
Lowest prices Up to 50% lower than other online editing sites.
Fastest Times Our team of editors is working for you 24/7.
Qualified Editors Native English experts for UK or US English.
Top Customer Service We are here to help. Satisfaction guaranteed!
Learn American English Online
UPDATED DAILY
COMMENTS
1.4. do as a main verb (Present Progressive, Gerund, present participle) – (doing) affirmative. negative. I am doing my homework. I am not doing my homework. Doing my homework is not always fun. Not doing my homework is not clever. I saw Jane doing her homework. I didn't see Jane doing her homework.
1. Present Tense. In the present tense, do takes the form do or does, depending on the subject: Consider the following examples: We do our homework every night. She does her homework every night. 2. Past Tense. In the simple past tense, the base verb do takes the form did with all subjects: Consider the following examples:
It neither says nor implies that she completes her homework (because it doesn't specify what homework it's talking about). It's also perfectly consistent with her doing other people's homework. (For example, she might be a nanny who, among other tasks, helps with homework every day.)
Does she do her homework? To ask a question, we need to use an auxiliary verb at the beginning of the sentence. In our case, the auxiliary verb is do: this is called do-support. But since "she" is a singular third-person pronoun, we turn do into does.
She does her homework. This phrase is correct and commonly used in English. This phrase is the correct way to express that a female subject is completing her homework. The verb "does" is used with third-person singular subjects like "she." Show examples from the web [+]
The correct phrase is 'she does homework.' In English, the third person singular form of the verb 'do' needs the addition of 'does.' 'She do homework' is incorrect as it doesn't follow the subject-verb agreement rule.
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 ...
For the formation of question sentences (interrogative) in simple past tense we put “did” before the subject. Did you enjoy your holiday. Did she write an email.
Other quiz: Tenses › View. Present Continuous Tense. What are you doing at this hour? A. I will watch a movie. B. I am watching a movie. C. I watched a movie last night.
To create a question that will be answered with a yes or no, start the question with Do, Does or Did, (Doesn’t, Don’t, Didn’t) for a negative question) then add a subject (the person or thing that does the action) followed by the base form of the verb and only then add the rest of the sentence.