The verb do (does). The use of the verb do and does

What is the most difficult thing for English learners? Ask anyone, and you will be answered - times. But what is specific in these times is not so - there is no answer to this question. A casket just opens.

The reasons for the difficulty of learning the times in English

First, there are many times, especially the problems caused by the times of the verb do. After the Russian, where only three times, the abundance of verbal forms causes a real shock. Incorrectly presented material can permanently discourage the desire to learn English from a person. Secondly, after the first shock, it is difficult for people to compare Russian times and verbal forms with the corresponding verb forms in English. Hence the phrase: "Why did the British come up with so many times?" Especially often such questions are asked by young children when they are just beginning to learn the language.

The verbs do (does) in Present simple

As a rule, the difficulties begin already in the study of the first time - Present simple. Here, the pitfalls are contained in auxiliary verbs. Not only that in the Russian and Ukrainian languages they are not, so it is still not clear why they are in English. Paradoxical as it may sound, they are needed in order not to get lost in the times. The fact is that in English the words do not change either by birth, by number or by case. How to determine in what time the offer is said? On the auxiliary verb. For example, if we see in the sentence the verb do (does), we can safely say that before us - Present simple (simple present tense). Let us consider below the cases of its use.

The use of the verb do and does

Is it so terrible that the verb, without which it is impossible to write a sentence in the present tense? English verb do (does) - the most used. It can be both semantic and auxiliary. As the main verb, the verb do / does is used in its primordial meaning - to do. For example, we have a sentence

• Masha likes to do lessons and does not like to be disturbed. That is why she does homework alone. - Masha likes to do homework and does not like to be distracted. So she does one lesson.

As we see, here the verb do acts both as a semantic and as an auxiliary. In particular, in the part "Masha likes to do lessons" and "That is why she does homework alone" does just the semantic, and in the part "does not like to be disturbed" - auxiliary.

Another example:

• "My mom likes to do shopping, but I do not, because she's not for me", - little Tony says to Jane. "My mother likes to go shopping, and I do not, because she buys things just for herself," says little Tommy Jane.

Here, too, in the part "My mom likes to do shopping" do - semantic. Another thing is that when translated it does not appear in the speech. The fact is that the expression "do shopping" is in tune with our phrase "do shopping". But the translation often uses the "go shopping" design. In the part "but i do not, for she bies only things for her, not for me" do just acts as an auxiliary.

• Do you know her? She is so pretty. - Do you know her? She is so beautiful.

Thus, do / does appears in the role of the semantic verb in the same place, where in the Russian language we also use the verb "to do". As an auxiliary - in negative sentences, as seen from the examples given above. Let us consider this point in more detail.

• Why do they walk so slowly? - I do not know, maybe they have a lot of time and do not have to hurry. "Why are they going so slowly?" - I do not know, maybe they have a lot of time and they do not need to hurry.

Are the errors with auxiliary verbs harmless?

In this case, the verb do acts as an auxiliary in the negative and interrogative sentence. Note that without this verb it is impossible to correctly build a negative sentence in Present Simple, no less than to ask a question. No, you can certainly miss the verb do / does, but this for an English-speaking person will sound like "My go to the woods, squirrel shoot." It seems that all words are clear, and even the meaning is captured. But how serious will a person who talks like this be? Will it be taken seriously and considered equal? Hardly. Our people like to laugh at immigrants who do not speak the language well. But they do not think that they themselves look ridiculous and ridiculous in the eyes of the British. So we come to another important moment. With the verb do everything is clear.

And what to do with the verb does?

What is it for? Why are there two? How do you know when a verb is put? Guessing, trying to get a finger in the sky? It's not worth it. In English, as in any language, there are quite clearly prescribed grammatical rules, according to which the use of the verbs do / does is clearly limited. So, does we write in interrogative and negative sentences only if the subject can be conditionally assigned to the 3rd person singular. For example, in the example "That is why she does homework alone" we talked about Masha, who likes to do homework alone. Masha - the noun of the 3rd person singular, therefore here and there is this most does. In other cases we set do. Another important point, which is often overlooked. If in the sentence it already does as an auxiliary verb, then to the main semantic verb in the sentence the ending s is not put. If the subject is a noun in the 3rd person of the singular, then we add the ending s to the main verb. This will also serve as a marker of the present time.

Ask any schoolboy what is the most difficult thing in the "times" (well, except for their number)? Formulation of questions. This topic causes difficulties because teachers rarely give a clear and transparent scheme for constructing the issue. If you remember it once and for all, you can put any question at any time by analogy.

So, general questions and the use of the verb do

To be clearer, these are the questions that can be answered yes / no.

• Auxiliary verb + subject + semantic verb + what + where + when +?

On the example of Present simple it looks like this:

• Verbs Do (does) + subject + semantic verb + what + where + when?

That is, the auxiliary verb simply comes to the forefront.

Special questions and sentences with the verb do

They are built almost on the same principle. The only difference is that the so-called question word appears in these questions. Then the circuit is repeated.

• Interrogative word + auxiliary verb + subject + semantic verb + what + where + when +?

or

• What / where / when + auxiliary verb + subject + semantic verb + what + where + when +?
• What / where / when + verbs do (does) + subject + semantic verb + what + where + when?

And this scheme is always preserved, even if we ask for banal things:

• What spice do you like? - Ginger, of course. - What spice do you like? - Of course, ginger.

• Where does your sister do her hairdo? - What do you mean? She does it yourself. - Do you really think so? - I am sure. "Where does your sister make hair?" - What do you mean? She makes them herself. -Do you really think so? "I'm absolutely sure."

As you can see, in the example above, both general and special questions are presented. Note also that, as in the case of negative sentences, if the sentence has an auxiliary verb does, then the ending s to the main verb is not added. Because of this, an interesting picture is obtained.

Where does your sister do her hairdo? In this sentence, do and do. But does - auxiliary, because we are talking about the sister, and do - the semantic. The fact is that in English there is a stable word combination - to do smb's hairdo. It means "doing the hairstyle" in any context.

Forms of the verb do

The verb to do, like all English verbs, has many forms. Remember that to do is just an infinitive. What happens with this verb, say, in the past tense? In the Past Simple the verb to do changes and takes the form of did. This is an irregular verb, so we do not add any end -ed to it. It must be taught, like a number of other verbs, according to special tables.

• Janny: "Where did you go?" - "I am not obliged to tell you everything". - "Yes, but i am your mother." I did not know anything about your things and i was verry frightened because of that. " - They crossed the road, and between the mom and the little Jenny the following dialogue occurred: - Where did you go? - I do not have to report to you about everything! "Yes, but I am your mother." I did not know anything about your plans and it really frightened me.

As you can see from the example given above, for the past tense here the auxiliary verb did. Parallel to this, in the same sentence, no endings are added to the main verb according to the basic rule. This is logical - why add some endings to these unfortunate verbs, if there is already a direct pointer both for the time and for the nuances of the semantic meaning of the sentence? That's why such a mistake, like adding endings in the past tense in matters, seems stupid to Americans and Britons. The same picture is also observed in negative sentences: I did not know anything about your things and i was verry frightened because of that. Specifically, the "did not know" part clearly illustrates the rule, which was discussed above.

Here are some more examples:

• What did you want to tell me? - Is it important? You had never listened to me, so why did you ask now? "What do you want to tell me?" "Is it important, because you've never listened to me, so why are you asking now?" In any case, I do not want anything to say to you.

By analogy with the previous example, the parts "What did you want to tell me?" And "You had never listened to me, so why did you ask now?" Show that in the presence of the auxiliary verb did no ending is put anywhere. Often people confuse did as a semantic and as an auxiliary verb.

What to do in order not to confuse the use of the verbs do (does)?

First, do not be lazy and translate the sentence. Secondly - to learn the rules of using verbs and schemes for constructing sentences. Thirdly, to learn the times. In particular, an educated person should know that if did at the beginning of the sentence or at the beginning of the sentence, then this will be a question, hence, a second, semantic verb should appear. If next to did there is a negative part, then this is a negative. Again, next should be another verb, to which you do not need to add anything. If did it costs as if separately, then it should be translated as well as do.

Whatever it was, it's not all the forms of the verb do. Like all verbs, it has a form with an ending ing. This form is used to denote the gerundial forms, and to form a group of long times.

• What are they doing? - Cildren are just eating. - What are they doing? - Children just eat.