Do and does: move agreement into the auxiliary
Ordinary present-simple questions and negatives use do or does. With he, she and it, does carries agreement and the main verb returns to its base form. Do not add -s to both parts.
| English example | Reasoning |
|---|---|
| Leo plays chess. | Plays has the third-person ending in the affirmative sentence. |
| Does Leo play chess? | Does now carries agreement, so play loses -s. |
| Leo does not play chess. | Use does not to form the negative; play remains in its base form. |
One worked example
- Leo plays chess.Plays has the third-person ending in the affirmative sentence.
- Does Leo play chess?Does now carries agreement, so play loses -s.
- Leo does not play chess.Use does not to form the negative; play remains in its base form.
Watch out: This pattern applies to ordinary verbs. Be questions invert be; modal questions invert the modal, such as can. Subject questions follow another pattern: Who plays chess?
Goal, prerequisites and card origin
What you will learn: Form present-simple questions and negatives with ordinary verbs.
What you need first: English subjects and affirmative present simple.
An original PEAZIT working card. Independent expert review and effectiveness testing have not yet taken place. · v1
British Council — grammar reference ↗Show connections
Ordinary present-simple questions and negatives use do or does. With he, she and it, does carries agreement and the main verb returns to its base form. Do not add -s to both parts.