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English grammar

CEFR A1

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Test yourself (27 questions)

Do and does in English: questions and negatives

By Michael McGettrickUpdated 11 October 2026

In the present simple, questions and negatives need a helper verb: do or does. Do you like tea? I don't like tea. He, she and it take does, and the -s goes on does, not on the main verb: Does she like tea?

Quick check

Three quick questions on what you have just read. The full practice is further down.

Pick the right one

0/3

Pick do, does, don't or doesn't.

  1. you like it? (a question)

  2. she know him? (a question)

  3. I know. (not)

The chart: do and does

The whole system on one screen. The part that changes is coloured.

the -s for he / she / itWhat do the colours mean?
I, you, we, theyhe, she, it
. .
. .
? ?
, ., .

Look at the word before. I, you, we, they and two or more people: do. He, she, it and one person or thing: does.

  • ? (they: do)
  • Tom ? (Tom = he: does)
  • Tom Ana ? (two people = they: do)

One -s only

In a positive sentence the -s goes on the verb: . In a question or a negative it moves to does, and the verb goes back to its base form.

The -s moves from likes to doesn't and does
WrongRight
Does she likes it?Does she like it?
He doesn't likes it.He doesn't like it.
Does he has a car?Does he have a car?

The -s goes on only one of the two verbs, never both. The same goes for has: He has a car, but Does he have a car?

Negatives: don't and doesn't

Put don't or doesn't before the main verb.

Long formShort formExample
.
.

In speech and messages, say don't and doesn't: I don't know. (I have no idea.) The long forms are for careful writing, or to make the not strong: I do not want it!

Questions: do or does first

Do or does jumps to the front. The person and the bare verb follow.

Question word
Helper
Who
Verb
Rest
empty
?
empty
?
?
empty
?
empty
  • ? (a yes or no question)
  • ? (asking about a place)
  • ? (asking about her job)

With a question word, the word comes first and the order stays the same: When does the shop open? (asking about a time)

Short answers

Answer with yes or no, the person, and the helper. Do not repeat the main verb.

QuestionYesNo
?, ., .
?, ., .
?, ., .

Yes, I like is wrong: like needs a thing after it. Say Yes, I do.

Be needs no do

The verb be (am, is, are) makes its own questions and negatives. It never takes do.

WrongRight
Do you are ready?Are you ready?
She doesn't be here.She isn't here.
Does he is a doctor?Is he a doctor?

See to be for am, is and are.

Do as a helper and as a verb

Do is also an ordinary verb (to make an action happen, to work at). Then you can see it twice: once as the helper, once as the verb.

  • ? (What is your job?)
  • ? (Is sport one of your activities?)
  • . (She never does it.)

Common mistakes

WrongRightWhy
Does she likes it?Does she like it? -s : .
He don't know.He doesn't know. .
You like tea?Do you like tea? .
Yes, I like.Yes, I do. helper.
Do you are ready?Are you ready? .

You like tea?, said with a rising voice, is normal in casual speech, but in writing and careful speech use do. He don't is heard in some dialects; in standard English it is he doesn't.

What to do next

  1. Ask three people around you: Do you like coffee? Does your friend like coffee?
  2. Do the drills below.
  3. Back to the present simple for the uses and the spelling.

Practise: test yourself

Sort into groups

0/8

Do or does? Which helper goes with each subject?

Tap a word, then the group it belongs in.

Pick the right one

0/6

Pick do, does, don't or doesn't.

  1. you like it? (a question)

  2. she know him? (a question)

  3. I know. (not)

  4. He want it. (not)

  5. We need it. (not)

  6. Where Ana live? (a question)

Put the words in order

0/4

Make the question. Do or does goes first.

  1. You like it. Now ask.

    Your sentence is empty.

  2. She knows Tom. Now ask.

    Your sentence is empty.

  3. Ask Sam where he lives.

    Your sentence is empty.

  4. They want it. Now ask.

    Your sentence is empty.

Spot the mistake

0/4

Each sentence has one mistake. Tap it.

Matching

0/5

Match each question to its short answer.

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Frequently asked questions

When do I use do and when do I use does?
Look at the word before. I, you, we and they take do: Do you like it? He, she, it, and one person or thing, take does: Does Tom like it? It is the same choice as the -s in the present simple: she likes, does she like.
Why is it does she like and not does she likes?
Because the -s only goes on once. In a question or a negative it goes on does, so the main verb stays in its base form: Does she like it? She doesn't like it. Never Does she likes or doesn't likes.
What is the short form of does not?
Doesn't. Do not becomes don't. We use the short forms nearly all the time in speech and messages: I don't know. She doesn't eat meat. The long forms are for careful writing or for strong emphasis.
Do I use do with am, is and are?
No. The verb be makes its own questions and negatives: Are you ready? She isn't here. Never Do you be ready? or She doesn't be here.
Can I say Do you do sport?
Yes. Do can be the helper and the main verb in one sentence: Do you do sport? What does she do? (What is her job?) The first do is the helper; the second is the verb do.