Using “Do” and “Does”: Grammar Rules, Examples, and Practice Exercises

11/24/2025 Learning & Grammer created by Sprachcaffe Team

Everything you need to know about do and does with examples | Do and does are the auxiliaries of the English language: we all know this, for better or worse. But what does "auxiliary verb" mean? What is its function, and if so, how and when are do and does used correctly?

Since we don't have anything similar in Italian, learning the correct use of auxiliary verbs in English can be one of the first challenges of learning this language. You'll see, however, that there's nothing to fear: with a little practice, the right lesson, and a lot of willpower, do and does will become an open book to you, with no more secrets! And you'll be able to use them with ease, like a native speaker.

There's a lot to say, so let's not waste time chit-chat and get straight to the point, learning how to use do and does, the two main auxiliary verbs in English! And pay attention, because at the end we'll also test you with a couple of skills tests!

Do and Does in English | Simple Present Tense Questions | Learn English DO vs. DOES

What 'Do' and 'Does' mean in English?

The verb "do," which we have already known and encountered many times, means "to do" in English.

Example: I do my homework every day.

This is its meaning as a main verb: in today's case, however, we see it in its auxiliary verb form , that is, a verb used with a main verb to form tenses, moods, voices, or to add specific meanings such as negation, interrogation, or emphasis. Auxiliary verbs help modify the meaning of the main verb and are essential in English sentence construction.

In this case, it has no real meaning, but it helps reinforce the meaning of the main verb. And remember: the verb do is essential in English for forming sentences, questions, and negations: it cannot be omitted.

Example: Do you like pizza? → Do you like pizza?*

*As you can see, there is no word that directly translates the verb do in Italian, because we don't use auxiliary verbs in this way.

When to use 'Do' and 'Does?'

Do and does are two very important verbs, therefore, that are used in different contexts.
We mainly use them for:

Forming questions : A question in English must always begin with do or does, unless it begins with one of the five "Ws" (when, what, where, who, whom).
Examples:
Do you know him? →
Does he come with us? → Is he coming with us?
Forming negatives : The negative form also requires the verb do, which in this case will be presented as "don't" (do + not) or "doesn't" (does + not).
Examples:
No, I don't know him. → No, I don't know him.
No, he doesn't come with us. → No, he doesn't come with us.
To form short answers: Thanks to the auxiliary verb, we don't have to repeat the entire sentence to give an answer, but we can form short answers.
Examples:
No, I don't.
Yes, I do.*
No, he doesn't.
Yes, she does.
*This phrase, used in the right context, can also mean "I do": it's the classic answer given at weddings during vows!
To emphasize positive sentences: Although it's less common and not as necessary as in other cases, in English we can also use the verbs do and does to emphasize positive sentences.
Examples:
You don't like tea, do you? I do like tea! → You don't like tea, right? Yes, I do!
I do believe you're right. → I really believe you're right.

How to use 'Do' and 'Does' in Questions?

We've understood, then, that using do and does in questions is essential, as well as in short answers and negations. But how do you do it? Let's take a look at it together.
First, the difference between do and does is that we use:

Do for the first and second person singular, the first, second, and third person plural.
( I, you, we, you, they )
Does for the third person singular
( she, he, it )
He do does his homework .

That said, the structure of the questions should be as follows:

Auxiliary Do/Does + Subject + Main verb + Object or other complements + ?

Do you live in Australia? →
Do they know our address? → Do they know our address?
Does she want another cookie? → Does she want another cookie?

When questions use interrogative words (when, who, what, why, how), do and does are used as auxiliary verbs for the simple present tense. The structure of the questions varies slightly depending on the interrogative word used.

The general structure to follow is always the following:

Interrogative word + do/does + subject + base verb + rest of the sentence + ?

Let's look at some examples to better understand how it works in these cases.
When do you wake up in the morning? → When do you wake up in the morning?
Where do Anna and John live? → Where do Anna and John live?
Why do you like this movie? → Why do you like this movie?
How do I get to the station? → How do I get to the station?
Why does he always arrive late? → Why does he always arrive late?

In case of a negative question, we will behave as follows:

Why don't you like this movie?

And in case of questions in the past , we simply conjugate the verbs do and does in the past tense, leaving the main verb in the present tense.

Why did you like the station? → Why did you like this film? →
When did you wake up this morning? → When did you wake up this morning?

Please note : if "who" is the subject of the question, then it is not necessary to use the auxiliary verbs do and does.

Who wants to come with me? → Chi vuole venire con me? (Here it's the subject, so no do)
Who do you know here? → Chi conosci qui? (In this case it's not the subject, so the auxiliary is needed.)

'Do' and 'Does:" Exercises for Memorizing

Now that you have got a solid foundation for your theory, all that's left to do is test yourself and test your newly acquired skills!

Try these two exercises on 'Do' and 'Does' in English: at the end, you'll also find the solutions so you can compare your answers.

Exercise 1: Complete the sentence with 'Do' and 'Does'
Complete the following sentences with "do" or "does" (depending on the context):

She _______ doesn't like coffee .
What time _______ they usually wake up? → What time do they usually wake up?
_______ do you know how to cook pasta ?
Where _______ he live? → Where does he live?
_______ do we need to bring anything to the party? → Do we need to bring anything to the party?
Why _______ she always forget her keys?
How _______ it feel to win the game? → How does it feel to win the game?
Who _______ you usually go to the gym with? → Con chi vai di solito in palestra?
When _______ they plan to finish the project? → When do they plan to finish the project?
_______ I need to see the doctor? → Do I need to see the doctor?

Exercise 2: 'Do' and 'Does:' Delete the incorrect auxiliary verb.
Delete the incorrect auxiliary verb and leave the correct one in the following sentences: