she does her homework on the weekend

Chapter 3: Simple Present

Daily Habits & Routines

Learning Goals

At the end of this chapter you should be able to:

• Add -s for the third person singular verb
• Write yes/no questions and short answers
• Write information questions using wh- question words
• Add the plural marker -s ,-es, and -ies to verbs and nouns

Recognize and use

• the simple present in the affirmative and negative
• adverbs of frequency

Activity 3.1: Conversation

Directions: Ask your partner or group the following questions about your morning routines. A “routine” is a habit you usually do or a series of actions you do regularly.

• What do you do before school?
• Do you ever wake up late? Do you usually wake up early?
• Do you drink coffee or tea in the morning?
• Do you do your homework in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening, or at night?
• How long does it take for you to get ready in the morning?
• How long does it take you to get to campus? Do you live close or far from campus?
• How do you get to campus? Drive? Bike? Bus? Walk? Carpool? Dropped-off?

Directions: Read this story out loud with a partner. One person reads a paragraph, then the other person reads the next paragraph. When you are finished, read the story again. This time, read the paragraphs, you did not read.

Yuri & Palani

       Hi! My name is Yuri. I am from Ukraine. I am a student at Clackamas Community College. I have a roommate. His name is Palani. He is from Laos. We live together, but we are very different.

       I wake up early at 6:00 am. Palani pushes the snooze button on his alarm clock many times, so he wakes up very late. He gets up at 7:30 am. I take a shower in the morning, but Palani takes a shower at night. I take a shower at 6:15 am. He takes a shower at 9:00 pm. I eat breakfast at home, but Palani doesn’t eat breakfast. I make coffee, and I eat cereal for breakfast. I bike to school, but Palani drives to school. I am never late. I leave at 7:30 am.  Palani leaves at 7:50 am. I arrive at school early, but Palani arrives late. I arrive at school at 7:45 am. Palani arrives at 8:05 am. Palani sometimes arrives late because he can’t find parking. We are friends, so I always save him a seat next to me. We sit with Jacques and Ana. They arrive early too. Class begins at 8:00 am.

       How often do you arrive late to class? Are you similar to me, or are you more similar to Palani?

Activity 3.2: Comprehension

Directions: Please write the answers to the questions in complete sentences.

1. What is the name of the man who is talking?

___________________________________________________________________

2. What is the name of his roommate?

3. What is Yuri comparing?

4. Who wakes up early? Who wakes up late?

5. What time does class begin?

6. Who arrives late? Who arrives on time?

7. How about you? Are you an early riser or a late riser?

8. What time does Yuri wake up? What time does Palani wake up?

Activity 3.3: Noticing

Part 1 Directions: Look at the story about Yuri and Palani. Choose (by underlining or otherwise markin g)  the verbs you find. Don’t choose the BE verb. We are not studying that verb in this chapter.

Part 2 Directions: Complete the table with the verb forms that agree with each subject.

Activity 3.4: Try It Out!

Directions: Write the correct simple present tense form of the verb (in parentheses) on the line.

1. I (wake up)_________________________ at 6:00 am.

2. He (wake up)_________________________ at 7:30 am.

3. You (eat)_________________________ breakfast on the bus.

4. They (take)_________________________ a shower before bed.

5. He (take)_________________________ a shower in the morning.

6. We (go) _________________________ to a restaurant for lunch.

7. She (have)_________________________ cereal for breakfast.

8. His class at Oregon City (begin)_________________________ at 9:00 am.

9. My classes at Harmony (begin)_________________________ at 6:00 pm.

10. She (wash) _________________________ the dishes in the morning.

Uses of the Simple Present

The simple present is used for talking about routines, habits, and repeated activities in the present time. We use the simple present to talk about facts, which are always true. Time expressions (e.g., every day, in the summer ) and adverbs of frequency (e.g., never, sometimes, always ) signal the simple present tense.

What is a routine? Something you do every morning, every week, every year.

• I brush my teeth two times a day.
• You go to the gym three times a week.
• He makes breakfast for my children every morning.
• She starts work at 7:00 am.
• They do laundry every Saturday.

What is a habit? Something you do regularly.

• My husband reads in bed before he goes to sleep.
• My cat wakes me up on Saturdays because he is hungry.

What is a repeated action? Action that we do more than once.

• I shop at Winco (not every week, but I like to go there).
• She wears shorts in the summer.

What is a fact? Something that is always true.

• The moon revolves around the earth.
• She has two children.
• Vegetables are healthy.
• Water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit.

Forms of the Simple Present

Affirmative statements in the simple present.

You must add an -s to the verb with the subjects he , she , and it .

subject + verb

Activity 3.5: fill-in-the-blank.

Directions: Write the correct form of the verbs in parentheses.

1. Yuri (wake up)______________ at 6:00 am.

2. Palani (drive)______________ to school.

4. Yuri (make)______________ coffee.

5. I (cook)______________ breakfast.

6. She (eat)______________ cereal.

7. Palani (take)______________ a shower in the evening.

8. They (carpool)______________ together.

9. She (ask)______________ for a pencil.

10. Yuri and Palani (attend) ______________ Clackamas Community College.

11. We (attend) ______________ Clackamas Community College.

12. I (take)______________ a shower in the morning.

13. He (make)______________ and (drink)______________ coffee every morning.

14. She never (arrive)______________ late.

15. Class (begin)______________ at 11:30 am.

16. He usually (find)______________ parking easily.

17. Palani (live)______________ with Yuri.

18. They (brush) ______________ their hair in the morning.

19. We (brush)______________ our teeth twice a day.

20. My cats (sleep)______________ all day.

Activity 3.6: Listening

Directions: Read the paragraph. Then, listen to your instructor read the paragraph. Listen for the verbs and write them on the line. Listen closely for the correct form of the verb.

Ana and Pedro’s Morning Routine

        Ana and Pedro (1)__________ at 6:00 am. Ana (2)__________ coffee. Her brother, Pedro, (3)__________breakfast. She (4)__________a shower at 6:30 am. Her brother (5)__________ a shower at 7:00 am. They (6)__________ and (7)__________ their teeth. Ana (8)__________ the cat. Ana (9)__________ her hair and (10)__________ makeup. Pedro (11)__________ his hair. Ana’s book bag (12)__________ready. Pedro (13)__________ his books in his backpack. Ana (14)__________lunches. Class (15)__________ at 9:00 am. Ana and Pedro (16)__________ the house at 8:30 am. They (17)__________ at school at 8:45 am. Ana (18)__________ out books from the college library before class. She always (19)__________ good books to read. Ana and Pedro (20)__________ to class at 8:55 am. Their first class (21)__________ at 10:50 am.

Activity 3.7: Interview

Part 1 Directions: Interview your partner.

1. Where do you live?

2. What time do you wake up?

3. When do you eat breakfast?

4. What do you eat for breakfast?

5. How do you get to school (walk, bus, car, etc.)?

6. What time do you go to school?

7. What time do you get home?

8. When do you go to bed?

Part 2 Directions: Write 8 sentences about your own daily routine using the same questions.

1. ________________________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________________________

3. ________________________________________________________________

4. ________________________________________________________________

5. ________________________________________________________________

6. ________________________________________________________________

7. ________________________________________________________________

8. ________________________________________________________________

Part 3 Directions: Share and compare your daily activities. Read your sentences to your partner. Your partner reads to you. See if you have the same (or different) daily activities.

Part 4 Directions: Your instructor will give you a Venn Diagram to complete. Write sentences about yourself where it says You. Write sentences about your partner where it says Partner. If you and your partner have any activities that are the same, write them where it says both.

Adverbs of Frequency with the Simple Present

Adverbs of frequency (AoF) let us talk about how often we do something.

How often do you come to class?      I always come to class!

How often do you shop at Fred’s?     I often shop at Fred’s.

Study the chart below to learn the meanings of the following adverbs.

Adverbs of Frequency (AoF) with the BE Verb 

With the BE verb, the AoFs are added between BE and the rest of the sentence. You will see in the next section that this is different with other verbs.

subject + BE + AoF + rest of sentence

Activity 3.8: fill-in-the-blank.

Directions: Put the correct form of the BE verb followed by the AoF on the line.

1. I (be/always) _____________________________________ late.

2. He (be/never) _____________________________________ on time.

3. She (be/often) _____________________________________ busy on Saturday.

4. It (be/never) _____________________________________ cold in August.

5. You (be/usually) _____________________________________ cold in the morning.

6. We (be/never) _____________________________________ hungry in the morning.

7. They (be/seldom) _____________________________________ tired at 9:00  pm.

8. You (be/rarely) _____________________________________ late for school.

9. He (be/sometimes) _____________________________________ tired after work.

10. It (be/usually) _____________________________________ sunny in Los Angeles.

Activity 3.9: Fill-in-the-Blank

1. Class (usually)___________________________ interesting.

2. They (often)___________________________ busy.

3. I (always)___________________________ friendly.

4. You (never)___________________________ hungry after lunch.

5. She (always)___________________________ hungry at 3:00 pm.

6. He (rarely)___________________________ on time for class.

7. They (sometimes)___________________________ confused in class.

8. You (often)___________________________ sleepy.

Adverbs of Frequency with Other Verbs

But, what if we want to say how often we do some activity? In that case, we don’t use the BE verb. We use another verb, like eat, sleep, cook, drive, or talk.

Instead of adding the AoF after the verb, like we did with the BE verb, we add it before the verb. We do this because we are saying how often the activity of the verb happens.

subject + AoF + verb + rest of sentence

We use the AoF to talk about how often or how frequently something happens.

How often do you eat breakfast? I always eat breakfast.

In the sentence above, we are saying how often we eat breakfast (always).

How often does he cook dinner? He usually cooks dinner.

In the sentence above, we are saying how often he cooks dinner. (usually).

How often do they walk to school? They never walk to school.

In the sentence above, we are saying how often they walk to school (never).

Activity 3.10: Fill-in-the-Blank

Directions: Write the Adverb of frequency (AoF) and the verb in the correct form on the line.

When we use any verb except the BE verb, the AoF goes before the verb.

1. I (never/eat) ___________________ breakfast.

2. You (often/do) ___________________ laundry on Saturdays.

3. He (usually/swim) ___________________ on weekends.

4. She (never/sing) ___________________ karaoke.

5. It (rarely/rain) ___________________ in July.

6. They (seldom/watch) ___________________ movies.

7. We (always/do) ___________________ our homework.

8. She (sometimes/make)___________________ the bed.

Activity 3.11: Fill-in-the-Blank

Directions: Put the AoF and the verb in the correct order.

Ana and Pedro (wake up) _______________________________ at 6:00 am.

Our class (start) _________________________________________ at 6:00 pm.

The college (cancel) ________________________ classes because of snow.

The teacher (give) ____________________________________ us homework.

Vegetarians (eat) ________________________________________ vegetables.

The students (sleep) ____________________________________ during class.

7. sometimes

Ana (make) _________________________________________ lunch for Pedro.

Students (speak) ____________________________________ English in class.

Activity 3.12: Classmate Interview

Part 2 Directions: Choose 5 of the questions (and answers) from Part 1. On your own lined paper, use the answers to write sentences about your classmate’s activities. Remember to use adverbs of frequency. Turn this in to your teacher. Write your name, the date, and Activity 3.12 on the top of your paper.

Activity 3.13: Game

Directions: The purpose of this game is to practice using adverbs of frequency. Your teacher will give you some AoF game cards (often, sometimes, never).

• Stand up and find a partner.
• Ask your partner a question. Begin the sentence “How often…”
• The partner answers the question using an AoF.
• If your partner answers your question using the AoF that you have in your hand, give your partner the card.
• If your partner answers using an AoF that you don’t have, then change to another student and try again.
• You can only ask two questions before you need to change partners.
• You can only talk to the same person after you have talked with all your other classmates.
• Talk to as many partners as you can. When you have no more cards, sit down.

The goal of the game is to give away all of your cards.

Student 1: How often do you eat french fries for breakfast?

Student 2: I never eat french fries for breakfast.

(Student 1 gives the card saying “never” to Student 2)

Student 1: How often do you do your homework?

Student 2: I usually do my homework.

(Student 1 doesn’t have a ”usually” card. Student 1 changes partners and tries again.)

Ideas for Questions: How often do you…

wash your hair?

eat at a restaurant?

call your brother?

walk to school?

Pronunciation and Spelling: Adding -s and -es

We add -s and -es for two reasons:

1. The word is a noun, and we are making it plural.

2. The word is a verb, and it agrees with the subject (he, she, or it–3rd person singular)

Pronunciation

In English the same letters can have different sounds. For example, the letter “c” can sound like /k/ in cat , but it can also sound like /s/ in ice .

For words that end in -s or -es, there are three different sounds: /s/, /z/, and /ɪz/. We can predict how the -s or -es ending will sound by the last sound of the word before we add the -s or -es ending.

/θ/=th as in bath   /ð/=th as in that   /ʤ/=j as in judge    /tʃ/=ch as in church     /ʃ/=sh as in wash

Activity 3.14: Pronunciation

Activity 3.15: listening.

Directions: Listen to the teacher say a list of words and then sentences. You will hear each word or sentence two times. Decide if the ending sound is  /s/, /z/, or /ɪz/ and choose (by circling or otherwise marking) your choice.

1.    /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

2.   /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

3.   /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

4.   /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

5.   /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

6.   /s/       /z/      /ɪz/

7.   /s/       /z/      /ɪz/

8.   /s/       /z/      /ɪz/

9.   /s/       /z/      /ɪz/

10. /s/       /z/      /ɪz/

11.  /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

12.  /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

13.  /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

14.  /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

15.  /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

Activity 3.16: Listening & Speaking

Part 1 Directions: Identify which of the three ending sounds (/s/, /z/, or /ɪz/) is at the end of each of the target words. Write the sound symbol on the line.

/s/                /z/              /ɪz/

1.  changes _____

2.  crabs _____

3.  dishes _____

4.  touches _____

5.  helps _____

6.  books _____

7.  pencils _____

8.  sleeps _____

9.  mixes _____

10. kisses _____

11.  The students eat breakfast. _____

12.  My sister walks her dog. _____

13.  The dogs eat peanut butter. _____

14.  The student catches the bus. _____

15.  I have three cats.     _____

16.  Most teachers have pets. _____

17.  She writes a book.     _____

18.  Natasha buys food.     _____

19.  Yuri wakes up on time. _____

20.  She sees her daughter. _____

Part 2 Directions: With a partner, say the word or sentence. Your partner will point to the sound they hear.

If a word ends in /s/,  /z/,  /ch/,  /sh/  or  /x/ sound    →    add -es

Only add -es for the he/she/it form of the verb (third person singular).

watch   →   watches

wash    →   washes

kiss      →    kisses

I pass out papers.    →    She passes out papers.

I wash the dishes.   →    He washes the dishes.

Activity 3.17: Fill-in-the-Blank

Directions: Write the correct form of the verb in parentheses on the lines.

1. (watch) I __________ TV in the morning, but she ________ TV at night.

2. (wash) They ________ dishes together after dinner. He ________ dishes on  weekends.

3. (fix) My father and I _________ cars together. My husband ________ the bicycle.

4. (teach) They  ________ their daughter Ukrainian. Eva ________ her son Amharic.

5. (brush) I ________ my teeth twice a day. He _______ three times a day.

6. (kiss) She _______ her husband in the morning. I ________ my children before bed.

7. (stretch) I always ________ before exercise. Viktor ________ after exercise.

8. (guess) I never ________ the answer, but Tatiana often ________ the answer.

9. (mix) She ________ Spanish and English. They _______ English and Ukranian.

10. (splash) The kids ______ in the bathtub. My daughter always ________, too.

11. (cash) I ______ my check at the bank. He _________ his check too.

12. (latch) I ________ my screen door. She ________ her screen door.

13. (notice) I always ________ mistakes. She never ________ mistakes when she writes.

14. (touch) He ________ the door. We ________ the window.

15. (brush) They  ________ their hair once a day. He _________ his hair three times a day.

16. (pass) She ________ all her classes. They ________ their ESL classes.

17. (ask) I ________ for vegetarian food. Natasha ________ for Ukrainian food.

18. (ask) He ________ a question. We ________ to play a game.

19. (watch) She ________ Jackie Chan movies. They ________ Jet Li movies.

20. (dance) I ______ twice a week. He ________ once a week.

Activity 3.18: Listening

Directions: Read the story. Then listen to your teacher read the story. Listen for the missing words and write them on the line. Remember that the subject and the verb of a sentence have to agree. If they don’t agree, you should listen again. Some verbs end in -s and some verbs end in -es.

Viktor and Tatiana

        Viktor and Tatiana (1)_________ married. They (2)_________ English at Clackamas Community College. They (3)_________ from Ukraine. Tatiana sometimes (4)_________ angry with Viktor because he doesn’t help around the house. Tatiana (5)_________ dinner and Viktor (6)_________ TV. Tatiana (7)_________ the house, and Viktor (8)_________ English.

Then Tatiana remembers that Viktor (9)_________ the car while she (10)_________ books. In the grocery store, he always (11)_________ the shopping cart. He (12)_________ for her when she is sick. He also (13)_________ the socks when they (14)_________ movies at home. On school nights, Viktor (15)_________ the dishes after Tatiana cooks. He (16)_________ her every day when they leave the house, and he (17)_________ her every night before they (18)_________ asleep. Then Tatiana isn’t angry anymore.

If a word ends in a consonant plus -y, change -y to i and add -es. If the word ends in a vowel plus -y, just add -s.

Consonant + -y

Change -y to i and add -es

cry       →   cries

study   →   studies

pay      →   pays

buy      →   buys

Activity 3.19: Fill-in-the-Blank

Directions: Write the correct form of the verb on the line in the sentences below.

1. (study) I ___________ in the morning, but he ___________ at night.

2. (worry) He ___________ about money. I ___________ about him.

3. (cry) The cat ___________ when I leave. The babies  ___________ all the time.

4. (play) She ___________ piano. We ___________ violin.

5. (pay) I ___________ for groceries with a credit card. Tatiana ___________ with cash.

6. (stay) He ___________ after class for help. They ___________ after class to talk.

7. (stay) She ___________ at a hotel. I ___________with my mom.

8. (worry) My husband ___________ about school. I ___________ about our health.

9. (enjoy) We ___________ playing board games. He ___________ online games.

10. (say) They ___________ they are busy Friday, but she ___________ Friday is ok.

11. (fly) A bird ___________ south in winter. Birds ___________ north for the summer.

12. (buy) They ___________ paper online. She ___________ supplies at the store..

13. (fly) He ___________ to Paris today. I ___________ to Denver tomorrow.

14. (study) We ___________ before vocabulary tests. She ___________ for grammar.

15. (pay) He ___________ for 2 classes. I ___________ for 3 classes.

16. (try)     I ___________ to study 3 times a week. She ___________ to study every day.

Activity 3.20: Listening

Using infinitives with like, want, & need.

Some verbs can be combined with an infinitive (to + verb) to express a different meaning or opinion about the activity.

Activity 3.21: Fill-in-the-Blank

Part 1 Directions: Complete the sentences by writing like, want, or need on the line.

1. I ___________ to pay my rent.

2. She ___________ to study for the test.

3. They  ___________ to buy a diamond necklace.

4. You ___________ to have an expensive new car.

5. I ___________ to read a book before bed to help me sleep.

6. You ___________ to do your homework.

7. We ___________ to eat dessert first.

8. I ___________ to sleep until 10:00 am, but I __________ to get up because work starts at 7:00 am.

Negative Statements in the Simple Present

Negatives with the be verb, activity 3.22: writing.

Directions: Make these sentences negative by adding not after the verb.

1. She is a hairdresser.

2. He is busy today.

3. They are from Colombia.

4. He is a contractor.

5. It is sunny.

6. They are students.

7. He is a teacher.

8. The dog is in the garden.

Negatives with All Other Verbs

Using auxiliary verbs.

There are three auxiliary verbs in English: BE, DO, and HAVE. We will learn about BE and DO in this class. We will learn about using HAVE as an auxiliary in the next level. You have already seen the first of our three auxiliary verbs, BE, in Chapter 2. We combine the BE verb with the -ing form of the verb to create the present progressive (an action happening now).

When we make negative sentences with other verbs, we use the auxiliary verb, DO. It has two forms: do and does . The negative not comes after do or does and is followed by the base form of the main verb.

The base form is the infinitive without the to . Instead of “to sing” (infinitive), the base form is sing . Do not add -s to the base verb. Let’s look at an example sentence.

subj      do/does    neg.     base verb     rest of sentence

He         does           not        sing               in the shower.

• He is the subject
• Does is the auxiliary verb. Do/Does agrees with the subject (3rd person singular: add -es).
• Sing is the main verb in the base form. Do not add -s to the main verb.

subject + auxiliary DO + not + base form + rest of sentence

Negative contractions.

To make negative contractions, we contract the auxiliary verb and the negative.

Activity 3.23:  Choose the Correct Form

Directions: Choose the correct form, and then write the contraction on the line. Remember that the auxiliary DO (do/does) has to agree with the subject.

1. The teacher do not / does not eat meat.                                                 ___________________

2. I am a homemaker. I do not / does not work outside my home.    ___________________

3. She is a driver. She do not / does not work in an office.                     ___________________

4. He is a vegetarian. He do not / does not eat meat.                             ___________________

5. They do not / does not drink coffee in the evening.                            ___________________

6. Palani do not / does not like to wake up early.                                     ___________________

7. Yuri do not / does not want to come to school late.                            ___________________

8. Yuri do not / does not press snooze on his alarm clock.                    ___________________

9. They do not / does not have the same habits.                                     ___________________

10. It do not / does not  look like a good book.                                         ___________________

11. The students do not / does not do their homework.                        ___________________

12. He do not / does not get good grades on tests.                                ___________________

Activity 3.24: Fill-in-the-Blank

Directions: Write the correct form of do or does on the line.

1. (do/sing)        She ___________ not ___________ in public.

2. (do/write)     They ___________ not ___________ on the wall.

3. (do/drive)     He ___________ not ___________ for a job.

4. (do/ask)        You ___________ not ___________ for a diamond ring.

5. (do/play)       We ___________ not ___________ guitar.

6. (do/like)        The dog ___________ not ___________ my cat.

7. (do/type)       She ___________ not ___________ fast.

8. (do/read)       He ___________ not ___________ online.

Activity 3.25: Writing

Directions: Make these sentences negative. Use full forms for numbers 1-5 and contractions for numbers 6-10.

1. I go to work at 3:00 pm.

2. She wants to eat Chinese food.

3. They have two children.

4. He has a dog and two cats.

5. You need to stand in line.

6. She finishes her homework.

7. I eat breakfast.

8. You drink coffee.

9. He drinks diet soda.

10. My car has red seats.

Activity 3.26: Interview

Part 1 Directions: Use the sentences below to interview your partner. Take notes on your own lined paper.

Student A: Tell me a food you don’t like.

Student B: I don’t like eggs.

2. Tell me a movie you don’t like.

3. Tell me a place you don’t like.

4. Tell me a sport you don’t like.

5. Tell me a color you don’t like.

6. Tell me a singer or band you don’t like.

7. Tell me a type of music you don’t like.

8. Tell me a book you don’t like.

Part 2 Directions: Now, write 5 sentences about your partner. Use your notes to help you.  Write your partner’s answers in FULL sentences.

Yes/No Questions & Short Answers

Yes/No questions mean that the answer to the question is either yes or no . These questions don’t use wh- question words. Remember, when we use an auxiliary verb, the main verb is in the base form. The auxiliary verb goes before the subject and the main verb goes after the subject.

auxiliary DO + subject + base verb + rest of sentence

Short answers.

Short answers are quick answers to yes/no questions. Remember that if the question uses the BE verb, use the BE verb in your answer. If the auxiliary DO is used in the question, then use DO in the answer.

Do you have cats?    Yes, I do.

Are you a teacher?    Yes, I am.

Do you drink coffee in the morning?      Yes, I do.

Does he drink coffee in the morning?    No, he doesn’t.

Activity 3.27: Fill-in-the-Blank

Directions: Complete the questions with the missing auxiliary verb and subject.

A: Does she wake up early?

B: No, she doesn’t.

1. A:___________________ do her homework every day?

B: Yes, she does.

2. A:___________________ wash the dishes after dinner?

B: Yes, he does.

3. A:___________________ eat dinner together?

B: Yes, they do.

4. A:___________________ work late every day?

5. A:___________________ drive to school?

6. A:___________________ study vocabulary?

B: Yes, I do.

7. A:___________________ eat lunch at home?

B: No, we don’t.

8. A:___________________ ask questions?

9. A:___________________ practice English at the grocery store?

10. A:___________________ do laundry on Saturdays?

Activity 3.28: Game

Information questions in the simple present.

We have seen several lists of wh- question words in previous chapters. Here is a bigger list. You can practice making questions with the new words and review the ones you have seen in Chapters 1 and 2.

* What time asks about specific time. When asks about general time.

What time does class start?     Class starts at 9:00 am.

When is your birthday?         My birthday is in August.

We form information questions (sometimes called wh- questions) the same as yes/no questions. Add the question word (who, what, where, when, what time, etcetera) to the beginning of the question.

wh- + auxiliary DO + subject + main verb

Activity 3.29: choose the correct form.

Directions: Choose the correct question word.

1. Who/What is your teacher?                            My teacher is Susan.

2. Where/What is your address?                        My address is 19 Molalla Ave, Oregon City.

3. Where/When do you wake up?                      I wake up at 7:30 am.

4. Why/Who do you have an umbrella?           Because it’s raining.

5. How/Where do you take ESL?                         I take ESL classes at CCC.

6. When/What do you work?                               I work at 5:00 pm.

7. Why/How do you get to school?                     I take the bus.

8. What/How do you cook hotdogs?                 I boil them, but some people grill them.

9. How much/How often milk do you want?   I want 1 cup.

10. How many/Why cookies do you want?       I want 2 dozen.

Activity 3.30: Fill-in-the-Blank

Directions: Fill in the blank with the correct question word.

1. A:___________ do you go to work?

B: I go to work at 5:00 am.

2. A:___________ is he wearing a sweater?

B: He’s cold.

3. A:___________ do you study vocabulary?

B: I use vocabulary cards.

4. A:___________ are they from?

B: They’re from Italy.

5. A:___________ are you doing?

B: I’m doing my homework.

6. A:___________ often do you sleep in?

B: I sleep in on Saturdays.

7. A:___________ time does class start?

B: Class starts at 6:00 pm.

8. A:___________ do you study?

B: I study at the library.

9. A:___________ is your favorite actor?

B: My favorite actor is Brad Pitt.

10. A:___________ many classes do you take?

B: I take three classes each term.

Activity 3.31: Interview

Directions: Your instructor will give you a worksheet that you can use to interview a classmate.

• Match the wh- question word with the question. You can only use a word one time.
• When you finish matching you will have 10 questions and 10 answers. Choose 5 questions to ask your classmate.
• Write the answers to the 5 questions below.

1. ___________________________________________________________________

2. ___________________________________________________________________

3. ___________________________________________________________________

4. ___________________________________________________________________

5. ___________________________________________________________________

Activity 3.32: Error Correction

Directions: There are 10 mistakes in the paragraph below. Find the mistakes with the simple present, adverbs of frequency, negative sentences, or -s / -es endings and correct them.

My name is Jacques. I lives next to Yuri and Palani. I am a student at CCC also. I arrive always early to class. My brother drive me to school. I do not drives. I eat lunch with my friends. We eat often at Ana and Pedro’s house. I doesn’t cook. After class, always I study in the library. I finishes my homework in the afternoon. I study with my friend. My friend Palani finish his homework at night. I live with my family. My mother cook dinner for the family. She wash the dishes after dinner. I dry them.

Activity 3.33: Writing

Directions: Rewrite these sentences to include the adverb of frequency (AoF) in parentheses.

1. (usually) We eat dinner outside in summer.

2. (always) I wear slippers in the house.

3. (never) My family wakes up early.

4. (sometimes) My friends and I watch movies on Fridays.

5. (rarely) We eat uncooked food.

6. (often) They are late to class.

7. (never) I finish my homework on the computer.

8. (seldom) She takes her dog to the dog park.

9. (usually) You are on time.

10. (rarely) She eats fast food.

11. (never) It snows in August.

12. (always) It rains in October.

13. (often) We have homework.

14. (never) They forget books at home.

Activity 3.34: Writing

Directions: Write the question on the line below. Use the answer for extra information. Some questions are wh-questions, and some are yes/no questions.

1. A: ______________________________________________________________

B: I wake up at 8:00 am.

2. A: ______________________________________________________________

B: Yes, I do (I have a dog.)

3. A:_______________________________________________________________

B: My birthday is in August.

4. A: ______________________________________________________________

B: No, I don’t. (I don’t do my homework in the morning.)

5. A: ______________________________________________________________

B: I take a shower in the morning.

6. A: ______________________________________________________________

B: I arrive early for class.

7. A: ______________________________________________________________

B: He drives to school.

8. A: ______________________________________________________________

B: He washes the dishes every day.

9. A: ______________________________________________________________

B: Yes, I do. (I exercise 3 times a week.)

10. A: ______________________________________________________________

B: I eat fast food once a month.

Directions: Write a paragraph comparing your daily schedule with a partner’s daily schedule. Use the simple present tense, adverbs of frequency, and time expressions.

Pre-writing: 

• Write 6 questions to ask your partner. Use 6 different wh-question words. There is a place to write each question in the chart that follows.
• Answer the 6 questions for yourself.
• Choose a partner, ask your questions, and then write down your partner’s answers.
• Use your own 8.5″ x 11″ lined paper. Do not use other paper sizes, please.
• Heading: Put your full name, the due date, and Ch. 3 Writing Assignment at the top of your paper. Your instructor will tell you where the heading goes (left or right side).
• Indent the first sentence, skip lines (double space), and leave a 1-inch margin on the sides and bottom.

Writing and Grammar:

• First sentence: begin writing by using this topic sentence: [Partner’s name] and I are classmates, but we are very different.
• In your sentences, write your answer and your partner’s answer.
• Use 3 adverbs of frequency.
• Write 2 negative sentences.
• Use full forms; do not use contractions.
• Use capital letters and punctuation correctly.
• Use the rubric below to check your work.

Model Paragraph:

My partner and I are classmates, but we are very different. I get up very early at 5:00am. My partner doesn’t get up early. She often gets up at 9:00am. I usually drink coffee in the morning, but my partner doesn’t like coffee. She likes tea instead. I have two children, so I am busy with them. My partner is married, but she doesn’t have any children. I leave for school at 8:30am. My partners never goes straight to school. She goes to her parents house first. She always helps them because they are very old. My parents are still young at age 50 and 55.

Assignment Rubric:

Self-Assessment

These were our goals at the beginning of Chapter 3:

At the end of this chapter you will be able to:

• Add -s , -es, and -ies to verbs and nouns

Directions: Choose yes if you think you achieved the goals or no in the table below if you think you did not achieve the goals. Then, write an example of the goal in the last column.

Explorations 1: Grammar for the Experienced Beginner Copyright © by Susan; Jen; and Kit is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Do vs. Be: Are You Confused? Do You Need Help?

Even my intermediate level students still struggle with knowing when to use Do and when to use Be in questions.  It’s time to review.

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• English Grammar
• Present tense

Present simple

Level: beginner

The present tense is the base form of the verb:

I work in London. 

But with the third person singular ( she / he / it ), we add an –s :

She works in London.

Present simple questions

Look at these questions:

Do you play the piano? Where do you live ? Does Jack play football? Where does he come from ? Do Rita and Angela live in Manchester? Where do they work ?

We use do and does to make questions  with the present simple. We use does for the third person singular ( she / he / it ) and do for the others.

We use do and does with question words like where , what and when :

Where do Angela and Rita live ? What does Angela do ? When does Rita usually get up ?

But questions with who often don't use do or does :

Who lives in London? Who plays football at the weekend? Who works at Liverpool City Hospital?

Here are some useful questions. Try to remember them:

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Present simple negatives

Look at these sentences:

I like tennis but I don't like football. (don't = do not) I don't live in London now. I don't play the piano but I play the guitar. They don't work at the weekend. John doesn't live in Manchester. (doesn't = does not) Angela doesn't drive to work. She goes by bus.

We use do and does to make negatives with the present simple. We use doesn't for the third person singular ( she / he / it ) and don't for the others.

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Present simple and present time

We use the present simple to talk about:

• something that is true in the present:

I 'm nineteen years old. I 'm a student. He lives in London.

• something that happens regularly in the present:

I play football every weekend.

• something that is always true:

The human body contains 206 bones. Light travels at almost 300,000 kilometres per second.

We often use adverbs of frequency  like sometimes , always and  never with the present simple:

I sometimes go to the cinema. She never plays football.

Here are some useful sentences. Complete them so that they are true for you and try to remember them:

Complete these sentences so that they are true for a friend and try to remember them:

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GapFillTyping_MTY2MzY=

GapFillDragAndDrop_MTYyNTg=

GapFillTyping_MTYyNjE=

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Level: intermediate

Present simple and future time

We also use the present simple to talk about:

• something that is fixed in the future:

The school term  starts next week. The train leaves at 19.45 this evening. We fly to Paris next week.

• something in the future after time words like when , after and before and after if and unless :

I'll talk to John when I see him. You must finish your work before you go home. If it rains we'll get wet. He won't come unless you ask him.

ex. Present simple 8

Level: advanced

We sometimes use the present simple to talk about the past when we are: 

• telling a story:

I was walking down the street the other day when suddenly this man comes up to me and tells me he has lost his wallet and  asks me to lend him some money. Well, he looks a bit dangerous so I 'm not sure what to do and while we are standing there  …

• summarising a book, film or play:

Harry Potter goes to Hogwarts School. He has two close friends, Hermione and … Shakespeare's Hamlet is the Prince of Denmark. One night he sees his father's ghost. The ghost tells him he has been murdered  …

Hi, it was mentioned that simple present tense can be used to represent actions which are true in present. I would like to know if I can use simple present tense to refer activities which are currently happening like present continuous tense? Or it only denotes actions which are in present but not at the moment?

Thanks 

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Hello zamrasahamed,

In general, we use present simple for present but less momentary actions or state and present continuous for things that are currently happening. But there are exceptions and this also depends on your definition of the concept 'currently happening'.

If you have any specific questions about specific sentences, please let us know and we'll be happy to explain them.

Best wishes, Kirk LearnEnglish team

Thanks for your explanation sir, what I meant by “currently happening” is actions that are happening right now. Let’s take this sentence as an example, when I was in England, I ate pizza but now I eat sandwiches. In here, it doesn’t mean I am eating sandwiches at the moment rather it tells I eat sandwiches in these days at present. Unlike this, can I use simple present tense to illustrate actions which are currently happening in any occasion? For example, let’s consider I currently study mathematics at my high school because I am a mathematics student but at the moment I am watching tv not concentrating on studies. When I say to someone “I study mathematics now”, does it mean I am currently at the moment studying mathematics? Or it means I am currently a mathematics student?

That is correct: 'I study mathematics now' would generally mean that you are a mathematics student and not that you are studying mathematics at the moment of speaking. 

It sounds to me like you have a correct understanding of these tenses, but let me mention a use of these forms that doesn't fit into the general rule of using present continuous for the moment of speaking. Let's say that you recently changed subjects from economics to mathematics and your cousin comes to visit you. Your cousin doesn't know that you changed subjects and so you know that he thinks you are an economics student. Even if you are watching TV while you're speaking with your cousin, you could say 'I'm studying mathematics now' to announce that there has been a change in your studies.

This is one of several ways we can use continuous forms to show something about what we are saying. In other words, in my example, the continuous form doesn't refer to an action in progress at the moment, it announces a change in a situation to someone who didn't know about the change. 

The other most common possible alternative meanings of the continuous form are explained on our Continuous aspect page.

I hope this helps and that it's not too confusing. I just wanted to mention it since you seem to have special interest in the topic.

Here are some sentences I've seen in some news reports:

Jackson said it is important for parents to remain consistent with cultivating empathy over time. The philanthropy claimed it is the largest-ever individual philanthropic gift received by the four universities. He told me I have not written it up to a required standard. The guy who wrote to me is Scottish and currently in jail for murder in Walla Walla, he said thanks for putting me in your book. 

I wonder if you tell me why the tense isn't backshifted in these cases.

best wishes,

Hello Lander,

When the statement being quoted is still true at the time of quoting we often do not backshift. For example:

"I love you," she said. She said she loved me. [She loved me when she said it; maybe she still loves me now and maybe not] She said she loves me. [She loved me when she said it and she still loves me now]

In your first and third examples, I would say that the situations are still true: it is still important for parents to be consistent and the text is still not written up to the required standard.

Backshifting from past simple to past perfect is actually not all that common. Generally we prefer to just leave the verb in the past tense unless we want to emphasise that there was a change. In your second example, 'had claimed' would suggest to me that later the claim was withdrawn. In your final example 'had said' would suggest to me that something changed later - he withdrew his thanks, for example. Obviously it's difficult to be sure without seeing the sentences in context.

The LearnEnglish Team

what is the verb tense of the sentence below, because I did not find it in the conjugation table of the verb finish (https://fr.bab.la/conjugaison/anglais/finish).

here is the sentence: -are you finished.

Hello midohada,

In this case, 'finished' is an adjective and 'are you' is the verb 'be' in interrogative (question) form. In informal English, it means the same exact thing as 'Have you finished?'

Simple present ' Do/Does ' is used as supporting verb to make positive sentences negative, yes/no questions, and wh- questions. But this does not happen with the verb ' to be. ', WHY? ' Am ' is used as main verb. Eg. I am. I am not. Am I? Am I not? Who am I? Who am I not? Please explain. 1) Why is it so? 2) is 'am' used as supporting verb? Yes? No? (Simple present)

KesariSir, Bharat

Hello Prakash,

You're right that the verb 'be' is an exception to the normal rule. This is quite common in languages, in fact, and linguists believe it is because 'be' is such a common word that we learn it before we have internalised the grammatical system. In other words, we learn to use 'be' before we know any grammar patterns and it simply has its own very simple system (just add 'not').

It happens with 'have'

You have not

Have you not?

What have you?

What have you not?

You had not

Had yoy not?

What had yoy?

What had yoy not?

Other verbs?

Hello again Prakash,

'Have' is also an extremely common verb and the explanation is the same. However, although the forms you give as examples are possible, we generally see them as old-fashioned in modern English and use some form of do to form negatives and questions. Thus don't you have? is much more common than haven't you? and you don't have... is more common than you have not... .

Please note that in all of this I am talking about have as a main verb , not as an auxiliary in perfect constructions or as a tag question created with have as an auxiliary verb.

You added, don't you have.

What is proper place of NOT 

don't you have, means

do not you have?

• Do you not have?
• Don't you have?
• Do not you have?

Don't you have... is a contracted form of Do you not have...

The uncontracted form sounds quite formal and is much less common.

Peter M, Sir i want to follow you on social media

I don't use any social media at all. I'm not a fan of it!

If it is so, (I think) we do have these exceptions:

DO can be used with BE

• do be. (do for emphasizing)
• do not be. or don't be. (negative imperative)

what are other exceptions?

Hello Kesari-ji,

I'm not sure I'd call those exceptions, but in any case, I can't think of any other cases off the top of my head.

I can say fairly confidently that there are no other exceptions in English as it is commonly spoken in the UK and North America. There could be others, but I'm afraid your question would take some time to research properly. I'd suggest asking in the English Stack Exchange for ideas.

Hi KirkSir,

Thank you for your response and for taking the time to research this for me. I'm sorry it took up your time. Only a true lover of language would do that. I'll check out the English Stack Exchange as you suggested.

If possible, please, contact me using my email.

I'm happy to help and hope you find some useful information in the Stack Exchange.

I'm afraid we don't contact users from our individual email accounts. Sorry!

Hello, Can you tell me why the present simple is used in the sentence below? I heard from David last night. He says hello.

Hello Khangvo2812,

You can use the past simple or present simple here. The past simple means 'He said hello to you when I spoke' while the present simple can be understood as 'He says hello to you through me right now.

Hello Peter I don't anticipate it stopping means : Most people consider a long time : a month or more than a month and Temporary: a few days or a few weeks can I use What most people consider ?

I'm afraid I don't understand what your question is. Could you please use inverted commas (') around the language that you're asking about? I think that would help me understand.

All the best, Kirk LearnEnglish team

Hello Peter example i study computer engineering i am studying computer engineering you have said before i use simple present if we do not except to change in the near future what does mean near future more than year i use simple present a year or less i use present continuous?

The near future is not a fixed time which we can describe in this way. It is a question of how the speaker sees the action or situation. If the speaker sees the situation as permanent or unlikely to change for what they consider a long time then the present simple will be used. If the speaker sees it as temporary then the present continuous will be used. Sometimes a temporary situation can last year if in the speaker's mind it is going to change at some point. It's not a question of how long but rather how the speaker sees things.

I can say 'I study physics' even though I know the course only lasts four years because I don't anticipate it stopping. I can say 'I'm living in London' even if I think I'll be in London for a decade because I don't see it as my home but rather a place I'm in for a certain time. It's a question of perspective and it's subjective.

In the Simple Present Tense, we often use 'do' and 'does' as auxiliary verbs to emphasize positive sentences and commands. For example, 'I do speak' and 'He does come' However, when 'do' is used as a main verb, can we also use 'do' or 'does' for emphasis in sentences like- I do do. He does do. And similarly, can we use 'do' for emphasis in commands like- Do do.

I'd like to understand if 'do' and 'does' can be used to emphasize when 'do' is functioning as a main verb, such as 'I do my homework' or 'He does the dishes.'

Is it common to use 'do' and 'does' for emphasis in such sentences?

Additionally, can they be used in commands like- Do do your work

I am aware that these sentences may not be typical in daily conversation, but I am inquiring about their grammatical usage.

Kesari Prakash, Maharashtra, India.

Hi Prakash,

Yes, it is grammatically fine, including in commands (imperatives). As you suspected, these sentences sound a bit unusual because of the double "do", but they are grammatical.

I should mention that "do" as a main verb requires an object or a complement, so the first set of sentences should be something like:

• I do do (well).
• He does do (a good job).
• Do do (that).

I hope that helps.

LearnEnglish team

Jonathan Sir, Sir i want to follow you on social media

Hi Prakash,

Thanks! But sorry, I don't use social media much. But you may be interested in LearnEnglish's Facebook page , which is pretty active!

Could you please explain the grammatical differences between the following sentences:

'It is a bus.' 'There is a bus.' 'There goes the bus!' Additionally, could you clarify the grammatical roles of the words 'there' and 'bus' in these sentences? Specifically, are they considered dummy subjects, subjects, adverbs of place, or nouns?

Sure, I'll try to help.

It is a bus  - in this sentence, the speaker/writer is identifying something ("It"). "It" is a dummy subject.

There is a bus  - "There" is an adverb, introducing the subject of the sentence "a bus". The normal word order of the sentence is inverted.

There goes the bus  - "There" is an adverb of place. It indicates a particular place or space (while in the previous sentence, in the most common use of "There is", "There" indicates the existence of something, with a weaker meaning of pointing to a particular place or space). The normal word order is inverted too. The subject is "the bus".

Thank You Jonathan Sir

Hello, Which grammatical construction should I use in video tutorials? I mean knitting tutorials, where I show how to knit step by step. Is it correct to use Present Simple in tutorials and video instructions? For example: «I just cut it in two places, here and here, to have such tails, and after this I make 9 loops with the needles...» I've met people using Present Simple and/or Going To in their tutorials. Why nobody uses Present Continuous without Going To in the tutorials?

Hi chonburi,

Grammatically, there's no problem with using present continuous to explain what you are doing in that moment ( I'm cutting here ... I'm looping it ... ). The present continuous focuses on what's happening at a particular moment.

But since you probably have many steps to make the final product, it would be unusual to use the present continuous to focus on every single step. It's more usual to use the present simple to describe a sequence of actions like this. But, while mainly using the present simple, you can also use present continuous at particular times to emphasise important moments or actions.

Does that make sense?

Yes, that makes sense. Thank you very much for your help!

Can I use the present simple to describe what I see in an image? Not just the facts, but even the actions in progress at the time the photograph was taken?

Hello CarolinaRuiz,

My sense is that we typically use the present continuous to describe an image, unless we're using link or stative verbs.

Imagine an image of a family having a picnic on the grass in a park. We'd typically say things like 'The mother is giving the children some fruit', 'The father is arranging the blanket', 'The girl is drinking some water' to describe actions -- note all the present continuous forms here. But we do also use the present simple quite a bit, e.g. 'The boy looks hungry', 'The father is happy', 'The girl wants to play football', etc. These are all stative or link verbs.

But of course if we're talking about an image of a picnic we were at some time in the past, we'd probably use a range of past tense forms.

In a speaking exam where we're asked to speculate what will happen next in an image, we of course would use appropriate forms there as well.

Hope this answers your question. If not, please let us know.

Hello, Kirk.

Yes, it answered my question. Thank you!!

OK, thanks for confirming! Best wishes

Could you please help me with the following:

1. From today, they take their exams. (Their exams started today and will continue for about two weeks). Is Present Simple correct here? Or have I to day "From today, they have taken/have been taking their exams" or "From today they are taking their exams"?

2. I've seen the following sentence on BBC website: "Goalkeeper signs new three-and-a-half-year Bristol City deal". Could you please explain why Present Simple is used here? Is "will sign" or "is going to sign" possible here?

Thank you so much for your help! I appreciate it a lot! And I'm grateful for the answer to this post beforehand!

Hello howtosay_,

1. The present simple is fine here. The exams are a scheduled event and the present simple is appropriate for this. You could use other forms. Will be taking is often used for expected events or actions, and are taking is also possible for arrangements. Will take is possible but would suggest a decision being taken by the speaker rather than a description of the situation. The present perfect does not work here as it suggests an action which began in the past and continues to the present, not one beginning in the present and extending into the future.

2. The present simple is very common in news headline. If you look at the article you will see other verb forms used in the main body, such as present perfect and past simple.

Sir, could you please answer me which one is correct? 1.When I have breakfast, my mom prepares my lunch. 2.When I am having breakfast, my mom prepares my lunch. Is there have any difference? could you explain me, Sir?

Hello JameK,

The second sentence tells us that your mom prepares your lunch while you are in the process of eating breakfast.

The first sentence is ambiguous. It could mean that your mom waits until you have breakfast and then starts to prepare lunch. Maybe you prepare your breakfast and the kitchen is only available for her to prepare lunch once you sit down to eat, for example. Alternatively, it could mean that on certain days you don't have breakfast and on certain days you do and on the days when you have breakfast your mom prepares your lunch. Without any other context it's not clear.

Thank you Sir.

Hello Sir, thank you so much for your wonderful and practical explenation. I wanted to please ask you about the last part, where you explained about using "Present simple" \ "Present continuous" - when talking about the "past" - when you're telling a story and you want to pull the listener into the moment . In the example story you gave, you used both tenses.

My question is - how sould I know, in this case, when to use in the story the"Present simple" and when the "Present continuous"?

Great, I'm glad you found it useful :)

The present simple is used for the main sequence of events (i.e. the things that happened). The present continuous is used for events which are a background to others, as in the example above ("While we are standing there ..." - it seems that "standing there" was the background action to another action that happened). In that way, the use is similar to the use of the past simple and past continuous in a conventional past narrative.

The present continuous can also be used to heighten even further the effect of being in the moment. Adapting the example above, for example: "Well, he's looking a bit dangerous so I'm not feeling sure ..."

Sir I'm have some questions regarding simple present tense. For example Daniel goes to market or I don't like black coffee. These are simple present but what about these sentences like Tom does work everyday or I do work everyday. Can you explain do and does sentence ? Next one is about questions. For example where do you live ? or where she does live ? these sentences are easy because w form words are used in first place but the problem is with the sentences like. Do you know how to bake a cake ? In this w form word is used in between of the sentence. Sir can you explain this too ?

Hello AbdulBasit1234,

'do' and 'does' work as both auxiliary verbs and as main verbs. For example, in 'Tom does work every day', 'does' is a form of the verb 'do' -- it means to carry out an action. But in questions or negatives, 'do' and 'does' are auxiliary verbs: in 'He doesn't work on Monday', 'doesn't' is an auxiliary verb; 'work' is the main verb. It's also possible for 'do' to be both an auxiliary and a main verb in a sentence where the main verb is 'do': 'He doesn't do much work' ('doesn't' is auxiliary, 'do' is main).

I'm not sure I understand your second question. If you are asking about 'how', 'how to bake a cake' is simple a phrase. A phrase can take the place of a simple noun. For example, we could replace the phrase with a noun like 'Judy' ('Do you know Judy?') and the sentence structure is the same.

All the best, Kirk The LearnEnglish Team

I am a little bit confused about the present tense in short story.

Story: I was walking down the street the other day when suddenly this man comes up to me and tells me he has lost his wallet and asks me to lend him some money. Well, he looks a bit dangerous so I'm not sure what to do and while we are standing there …

I am confused about where it starts with "I was" and then turns to present tense.

Hope you can answer

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Do vs Does: How To Use Them Correctly in English

If you are new to English or a long-time speaker and wondering about how to use “ do ” and “ does “ the right way in writing and speaking, then you have come to the right place . Once you finish reading this, you will have mastered the verb and be ready to use it confidently.

When I was working as an English teacher my student used to ask me the difference of do and does and especially the meaning of does all the time! So I used all their questions to make this long but helpful guide for you guys to learn about them!

“ Do ” is a verb in English that means “to carry out an action” and is used with the pronouns -I, -you, -we, -they, -these and -thos e. “ Does “ is the same verb but used only with third-person singular subject pronouns -he, -she, -it, -this, -that or -John. “ Do ” and “ does ” are also used as auxiliary verbs for questions .

In its present tense, we use “ do ” and “ does ” by themselves to answer a question, “Yes, I do ” / “Yes, she does “, and when talking about an action that is being carried out, “I do my homework every night” / “He does his homework every night”.

How to use Do and Does in a Sentence

Use ‘ Do ‘ with I, you, we, they, and plural nouns for actions/questions (e.g., ‘Do we have milk?’). ‘ Does ‘ pairs with he, she, it, and singular nouns (e.g., ‘Does he like coffee?’). ‘ Do ‘ also applies in commands, unlike ‘ Does .’

Here are some uses of “ do ” and “ does ” in sentence form for you to read and say as practice:

How to use do in a sentence

• I do my best to go to school every day.
• You do whatever you want.
• We do our homework after dinner.
• They do the dishes after dessert.
• Tom and Jerry do the dishes after dinner.
• Do your homework now! (Imperative)

How to use does in a sentence

• She does her exams every Summer.
• He does a good job cleaning his room.
• It does not sound good.
• John does his laundry on Sundays.
• That does not look fun.
• This does sound good!

Using “ Do ” and “ Does ” in Negative Form

“”To form negatives in English, use ‘do not’ (don’t) for ‘I,’ ‘you,’ ‘we,’ ‘they,’ and ‘does not’ (doesn’t) for ‘he,’ ‘she,’ ‘it’ before the main verb. For questions, invert ‘do/does’ and the subject. E.g., ‘Doesn’t he agree?'”

• I do not want to go to school.
• We don ‘ t like football.
• She does not play tennis.
• Lisa doesn’t speak French.

“ Do not ” and “ does not ” can be shortened to “ don’t ” and “ doesn’t ” by removing the space and “o” in “not”, making it faster and easier to say. “ Do not ” and “ does not “ stay with the same pronouns as “ do ” and “ does “.

Here are some examples of the uses of “ do ” and “ does ” for you to try:

• I do not like golf.
• We do not play video games.
• They don’t eat vegetables.
• Those don’t taste good.
• She does not speak Spanish.
• Jane does not swim at the beach.
• It doesn’t sound very good.
• This doesn’t look like a fish.

Do as an Auxiliary Verb

“‘Do’ is one of the three primary auxiliary verbs in English , alongside ‘ be ‘ and ‘ have ,’ playing a crucial role in forming questions, negatives, and adding emphasis to statements. For the pronouns ‘I,’ ‘you,’ ‘we,’ and ‘they,’ use ‘do,’ while ‘does’ pairs with ‘he,’ ‘she,’ ‘it.’ To construct questions or negatives, position ‘do’ or ‘does’ before the main verb. For instance, ‘Do you work here?’ illustrates a question, while ‘I do not know’ exemplifies a negative statement. Additionally, the auxiliary ‘do’ can emphasize a verb, as in, ‘I did see you at the concert,’ underscoring the action.”

Using “ Do ” as an Auxiliary Verb to Make Questions

“ Do “ and “ does ” are used very often in questions as auxiliary verbs. This means they help the main verb of the question by setting the tense of the question to the present tense.

In the first question below, “speak” is the main verb and “ do ” is the present tense auxiliary verb. (Note: if the question started with “ did “, the question would be past tense. “ Do “ makes the question the present tense).

• Do they speak English? Yes, they do . / No, they do not .
• Do you like my shoes? Yes, I do . / No, I don’t .
• Do you walk every day? I do. / I don’t . / I do not.
• Does she do laundry at the weekends? Yes, she does . / No, she doesn’t . / No, she does not .
• Does it eat fish? Yes, it does . / No, it doesn’t .
• Does John like dogs? Yes. / No.

Remember that the answers to “ does ” and “ do ” questions can often be short or yes/ no replies.

Imperatives

“ Do “ and “ do not “ (don’t) are used to form imperative sentences. “ Does “ cannot be used to form an imperative sentence. Imperative sentences are in the form of commands, orders, instructions, requests and apologies. Here are some examples of how to use the verb “ do ” in imperative sentences:

• Do your homework! (Order)
• Do not walk on the grass. (Instruction)
• Do come to visit us when you’re in town, please. (Request)
• Don’t touch that. (Command)
• Don’t be late or you’ll miss the bus! (Warning)
• Do forgive me, I forgot it was your birthday. (Apology)

Similarities of the Verbs “ Do ” and “ Does “

Since “ does “ is just another form of “ do ” (they mean the same but are used with different pronouns), what “ do “ they have in common?

⦁ They are both verbs/action words: What do you do after school? / What does that sign say? ⦁ They are both used with pronouns right before, and after: Do I know you? Yes, you do. / She does her homework at night / What does he do on Mondays? ⦁ They are both present tense: We do like football. / He does hate tennis. ⦁ They are both in the same position for questions and answers: Do you like golf? Yes, I do . / Does she like swimming? Yes, she does . ⦁ They can both be substitutes to the main verb to avoid repetition or when the action is obvious: How do they swim so fast in the sea? / How do they do that?

The Differences Between “ Do ” and “ Does ” Grammar

• “ Do “ will only be used when talking about yourself as -I, and with plural subjects such as -you, -we, -they, -these, -those, or when talking about two or more singular subjects such as -Jane and I Example: Lisa and I do our hair before bed. / These do not look like dogs.

2. “ Does ” will be used when talking about singular subjects such as -she, -he, -it, -this, -that or -Jane. Example: He does swimming lessons at 6 pm. / Michael does not like dogs.

3. You can only use “ do ” for imperative sentences, and you cannot use “ does “ because an imperative is talking to you and everyone, which is plural, and therefore we use “ do “.

Read the examples below for practice:

• Do not walk on the grass! (Correct)
• Does not walk on the grass! (Incorrect)
• Don’t be late! (Correct)
• Doesn’t be late! (Incorrect)

Using “ Do ” as a Substitute Verb

“ Do “ can be used as a substitute verb for almost any verb when trying to avoid repetition in a sentence or when the main verb is obvious making it very special.

Substitute:

• “If he wants to talk on the phone, he can do it in the other room”.
• “Stop eatin g in bed, do it in the kitchen”.

The original verbs “talk” and “eat” are replaced by “ do ” to make the sentence shorter and not to repeat the same phrase.

If you are talking about an action that has already been mentioned in the conversation previously or something that is happening around you at that time, then “ do ” and “ does “ can be used to replace the verb.

Here is an example:

If you are watching a football game with your friend and the player scores an amazing goal, instead of saying:

“How does he score such amazing goals?” which is a very long and boring question. It would be best if you said, “How does he do that?”.

“ Do ” has replaced the verb “score” and “that” has replaced the subject “amazing goals”.

Another example:

Suppose your friends are talking about travelling to every country in Europe. Instead of saying:

“How do we travel to every country in Europe?” you should say, “how do we do that?”. “

“ Do “ replaces “travel” and “that” replaces “every country in Europe”.

Using “ Do “ and “ Does ” for Emphasis

We can use “ do ” and “ does “   in sentences to emphasise the main verb to strengthen or assert the expression or when you are trying to make a point or if someone doubts you.

Here are some examples for you to read (the first sentence is the normal expression, and the second is using “ do “ and “ does “ for emphasis:

• I love Lisa. / I do love Lisa.
• He uses a dictionary. / He does use a dictionary.
• Spain gets very hot in Summer. / Spain does get very hot in Summer.
• I really like ice cream. / I do really like ice cream.
• We use Facebook to chat. / We do use Facebook to chat.

Tom: I go swimming every day. John: No, you don’t . Tom: I do go swimming every day!

Slang Terms for “ Do “ & “ Does ” Verbs

• An event or a party : We are going to Tom’s do tonight! / We are having a do for my birthday. (Used to replace ‘party’)
• To kill : I’m going to do him in.
• Make something better, i.e. a house : He will  do  it up, and it will look amazing.
• Go away (UK) : Do one, or we will call the police.
• Asking for a favour (US ): Do me a solid.
• Have sex/ intercourse with : They want to do each other.

“Do” vs “ Does ” Grammar: Dictionary Definitions

Here is a list of some links to the most popular dictionary websites with more information on “ do “ and “ does ” verbs:

• Merriam-Webster Dictionary: Definition of “do” & the definition of “does” .
• Cambridge Dictionary: Definition of “do” grammar & the definition of does” grammar.
• Collins Dictionary: Definition of “do” & the definition of “does” .

Using “do” and “does” in American English and British English

There are no differences between using do and does in American English vs British English in spelling, pronunciation and meaning.

How to teach do vs does to kids

If you are a teacher or parent and it is time for the do vs does lesson you should begin like this:

• Start with “ do” and teach the students “ I do “, “ You do “, We do “, and “ They do “.
• Next, you should teach them “does” with “He does”, “She does”, and “ It does “.
• Move to the negative form: Do not and don’t / does not and doesn’t .
• Do questions and answers. Ask them simple questions like “ do you like apples?” so they can answer “Yes, I do .” or “No, I don’t .” / “Yes, he does .” or “No, she doesn’t .”
• Use flashcards and play educational videos for kids like the video above which can be very helpful when it is a song.
• Begin teaching the past tense of “ do ” and “ does ” which is “ did “.

Use of Do or Does Grammar & Do and Does Rules – Recap

Do and does verbs are used in close-ended questions to get a “yes” or “no” answer. Do and does are used as auxiliary verbs in questions. Do and does use the negative with “not” or “n’t”. Does and do use the imperative sentence for commands, orders, instructions and requests. Does uses third-person singular pronouns Do and does uses in slang terms often have very different meanings in the verb form. Does and do used for emphasis will only apply when you want to assert your sentence or question.

Exercises for you to practice: Do or Does Grammar Worksheet for Beginners

Do these with a friend and comment on the answers below, and show us how well you know the verbs “ do “ vs “ does “ after reading this article. ( Answers are at the end )

• How many sit-ups can you _____? ( do does )
• _____ I speak Spanish? ( Do Does )
• _____ you know how to play football? ( Do Does )
• Do you like India? Yes, I _____ . ( do does )
• _____ John like sushi? Yes, he does. ( Do Does )
• Does this smell bad? Yes, it _____ . ( do does )
• I do my English lessons at the weekend and Lisa _____ her lessons on Mondays. ( do does )
• Does Jerry like dogs? Yes, he _____ . ( does doesn’t )
• Lisa and I _____ our homework at 5 o’clock. ( do does )
• These _____ not look very good. ( do does )
• This _____ not sound like a good idea. ( do does )
• _____ not walk on the grass! ( Do Does )
• “You don’t use chopsticks when you eat rice?” “I _____ use chopsticks!” ( do does )
• If she _____ her homework she can watch TV. ( do does )
• What will we _____ tonight, Tom? ( do does )
• _____ anyone know what time it is? ( Do Does )
• When _____ he want to go to the cinema? ( do does )
• Do you want ice cream? No, I _____ . ( don’t doesn’t )
• _____ she like rock music? No, she doesn’t. ( Do Does )
• Do you think the exam will be hard? No, I _____ . ( do not does not )
• _____ they go to the park every day? Yes, they _____ . ( Do Does ) + ( do does )
• Do they want some chocolate? No, they _____ . ( do don’t )
• _____ Sarah like to play football? No, she _____ . ( Does Do ) + ( Does Doesn’t )
• _____ they come from the USA? No, they _____ . They come from Canada. ( Do Does ) + ( doesn’t don’t )
• What time _____ Tom want to go to the cinema? ( does doesn’t )

Let us know how you did in the Do or Does Grammar Worksheet!

Answers to the Do or Does Grammar Worksheet for Beginners

• How many sit-ups can you do ? ( do does )
• Do I speak Spanish? ( Do Does )
• Do you know how to play football? ( Do Does )
• Do you like India? Yes, I do . ( do does )
• Does John like sushi? Yes, he does. ( Do Does )
• Does this smell bad? Yes, it does . ( do does )
• I do my English lessons at the weekend and Lisa does her lessons on Mondays. ( do does )
• Does Jerry like dogs? Yes, he does . ( does doesn’t )
• Lisa and I do our homework at 5 o’clock. ( do does )
• These do not look very good. ( do does )
• This does not sound like a good idea. ( do does )
• Do not walk on the grass! ( Do Does )
• “You don’t use chopsticks when you eat rice?” “I do use chopsticks!” ( do does )
• If she does her homework she can watch TV. ( do does )
• What will we do tonight, Tom? ( do does )
• Does anyone know what time it is? ( Do Does )
• When does he want to go to the cinema? ( do does )
• Do you want ice cream? No, I don’t . ( don’t doesn’t )
• Does she like rock music? No, she doesn’t. ( Do Does )
• Do you think the exam will be hard? No, I don’t . ( do not does not )
• Do they go to the park every day? Yes, they do . ( Do Does ) + ( do does )
• Do they want some chocolate? No, they don’t . ( do don’t )
• Does Sarah like to play football? No, she doesn’t . ( Does Do ) + ( Does Doesn’t )
• Do they come from the USA? No, they don’t . They come from Canada. ( Do / Does ) + ( doesn’t don’t )
• What time does Tom want to go to the cinema? ( does doesn’t )

If you found this article helpful, please share it with others. We would really appreciate it! Once Upon A TEFL

Founder of Once Upon A TEFL

Ryan Cantrell

I completed my degree in English at University College Cork in 2016 and soon after began teaching English as a foreign language. It was a way to work and travel that opened many doors and created many amazing memories. Throughout this blog, I aim to share both my travel experiences and English language expertise to help readers gain a better understanding of different cultures and the intricacies of the English language. I hope you find the content helpful and gain some benefit from it!

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• Grammar and vocabulary
• Grammar practice

Adverbs of frequency

Do you want to practise using adverbs of frequency in English?

• Read about the grammar.
• Play the games to help you practise.
• Print the activity sheet for more practice.
• Remember to leave a comment!

We can use adverbs of frequency to say how often we do something.

I always go to the cinema at the weekend. She usually has cereal for breakfast. They sometimes watch TV in the evenings. We never go to museums.

How to use them

Always  means every time. Usually  means most times. Sometimes  means a small number of times. Never  means no times.

She always practises the piano in the evenings. Every day! We usually go to the park on Sundays. Most Sundays! They sometimes make a cake. Just for special days! He never forgets his homework. No times!

We usually put the adverb before the verb.

She always does her homework after school. I usually have cereal for breakfast.

If the verb is to be , we put the adverb after the verb.

They are usually on holiday in July. He is sometimes late for school.

To ask a question, use often  or how often .

Does she play football often ? How often do you play computer games?

I like the excellent

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This so boring

i like advers and frequency

you guy s just try easy but many times I tried hard

I like this game but I got two of them wrong.

I onli did 1 mistake!

not a hard lesson

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POSITION OF ADVERBS OF FREQUENCY

An exercise by montse morales for the english learning website ..

Show all questions

• She goes to bed at eleven (usually) Check Hint Show answer
• They visit their aunt on Sunday (sometimes) Check Hint Show answer
• I have breakfast (always) Check Hint Show answer
• I have lunch at school (often) Check Hint Show answer
• We play basketball (never) Check Hint Show answer
• She does her homework (usually) Check Hint Show answer
• You get up late (never) Check Hint Show answer
• He finishes early (often) Check Hint Show answer
• He walks home (sometimes) Check Hint Show answer
• She studies at home (usually) Check Hint Show answer
• I am happy (always) Check Hint Show answer
• She is tired (never) Check Hint Show answer
• We are hungry (often) Check Hint Show answer
• They are in the garden (sometimes) Check Hint Show answer