Learn English: Uses of the Verb 'do' in English, Know the Rules

To become an expert in English one needs to understand the grammar primarily. It helps people become more confident in speaking and understanding the language.

The verb “do” plays an important role in English. It is probably one of the most important verbs that you will need to learn if you want to achieve fluency. Knowing how to use ‘do’ can help you form your sentences better, and will also allow you to better express yourself and your actions.

‘Do’ can be used in a variety of ways and that can be confusing to students hence and hence in this week’s Learn English column, we have brought to you the use of the word ‘do’ in English.

The auxiliary verb ‘do’ is used to make questions and negative sentences in the simple present tense.

Example: I do not want water.

They do not want to play.

It can also be used as a main verb. When do is used as an auxiliary verb it is a supporting verb. Because the main verb cannot combine directly with negatives or make questions, do is used to support the main verb.

Example: Don’t eat!

Don’t yawn!

It is also used to stand in for another verb to avoid repetition. The verb do is irregular. It has five forms: do, does, doing, did, done.

– The base form of the verb is do.

– The past simple form, did, is the same throughout.

– The present participle is doing.

– The past participle is done.

– The present simple tense do and the past simple tense did can be used as an auxiliary verb. As an auxiliary, do is not used with modal verbs.

Example: I do not want ice cream

He does not want to swim

They did not like the city

As an auxiliary verb do is used in the following ways:

– to help make the negative and question forms of present simple and past simple tenses.

Example: I didn’t brush my teeth this morning.

Do you know what color is this?

– to make the negative form of a command.

Example: Don’t push!

– to make a command more persuasive.

Example: Do let me dance

– to avoid repeating the main verb in additions, commands, sentence tags, and short answers.

Example: You live in Mumbai, don’t you?

They often visit the park, and so do we.

– In comparisons

Example: She paints better than I do.

– The positive forms of do cannot be contracted. In speech, the negative has contracted forms.

Example: I don’t agree with you.

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