The auxiliary verb ‘do’ in English (also called a helping verb), has the job of giving further information about the main verb in a sentence. It is used most commonly in interrogative (question) and negative constructions. Such as these examples:
- Do you want to go to the party on Thursday? / Does he like the new sweater you bought him? (interrogative, yes/no answer)
- What do you want to do this weekend? What does he like to do on Saturdays? (interrogative with ‘Wh” word, information answer)
- I don’t want to go to the party. / He doesn’t like the sweater. (negative)
Also, when using an auxiliary in a sentence, we do not change the main verb, it stays in the infinitive form. The same rule applies when using the past auxiliary ‘did’.
Example:
She likes reading books. (We change the verb ‘like’ to 3rd person singular.)
She doesn’t like reading books. (The verb stays in its infinitive form)
The structure of the sentence:
Negative Statement: Subject + Auxiliary + ‘not’ + Verb
I don’t like going to the movies.
She doesn’t eat meat.
Information Question: ‘Wh’ Question Word + Auxiliary + Subject + Verb
Where do you live?Who does she look like?
*When answering this type of question, we do not use the auxiliary ‘do’ in the answer.
What does she like to eat for lunch.She likes to eat salad.She does like to eat salad.
Yes/No Question: Auxiliary+Subject+Verb
Do you go to Europe in the summer?Does your sister study Spanish?
*When answering yes/no questions, we can use the auxiliary in the answer:
Do you like spinach?Yes, I do. or No, I don’t.
Or we can just answer yes or no.
Do you want some water?Yes, thank you.
We use ‘did’ for the past tense in all persons:
Negative Statement: Subject + Auxiliary + ‘not’ + Verb
I didn’t like the movie we saw last night.She didn’t like horror films when she was a child.They didn’t have class on Monday.
Information Question: ‘Wh’ Question Word+Auxiliary+Subject + Verb
What did I say to you?What did he study in college?Who did they say they were visiting last week?
Yes/No Question: Auxiliary+Subject+Verb
Did you like the zoo?Did your mother cook this meal?Did we forget our books on the table?
Here are exercises for practice:
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