Grammar · Free lesson
Do or does? Make a present-simple question
“Does she work?” has just one third-person ending. Learn where it belongs, then repair a question yourself.
Professor Scott MendozaThe short answer
Use does with he, she, it or a singular noun; use do with I, you, we, they or plural nouns. The following main verb uses its base form.
Let do or does help form the question.
For present-simple questions with ordinary verbs, use Do/Does + subject + base verb. The subject is the person or thing the question is about. Use “does” with he, she, it or a singular noun such as “your brother.” Use “do” with I, you, we, they or a plural noun such as “your neighbors.” After either helper, the main verb is the base form: work, live or drive.
Change the subject. Check the helper.
Does Elena work on Saturdays?
Do your neighbors work from home?
Is your office open on Saturdays?
“Does Elena work?” uses work, not works. In “Is your office open?”, the verb is be, so the question starts with is instead of do or does.
Build a present-simple question
Find the subject
One person: she or your brother. Several people: they or your neighbors.
Choose the helper
Use does for he, she, it and singular nouns; use do for I, you, we, they and plural nouns.
Use the base verb
Put work, live or drive after the subject. Do not add another -s.
Try it now
Check what you’ve learned.
Read all answers and explanations
Complete the ordinary-verb question: ___ your brother drive?
DoesYour brother is singular, so this question uses does.
Complete: Does Mira ___ near the station?
liveDoes carries the agreement; the main verb stays live.
Which question correctly uses be?
Is the shop open?Is the shop open? asks about its state. Does the shop open? is a different ordinary-verb question.
Put it into practice
Repair the question.
Keep the same meaning: ask whether both of someone’s parents live nearby. Fix the helper and the main verb.
Does your parents lives nearby?
See a model answer
Do your parents live nearby?
Both edits are needed. Changing parents to parent would repair the grammar by changing the meaning, which this task asks you to preserve.
A little more clarity
Common questions
A few useful details before you move on.
Why is it “does she work,” not “does she works”?
“Does” already carries the third-person singular form. The main verb that follows stays in its base form.
“She works nearby.” → “Does she work nearby?”
Can do appear twice in one question?
Yes. One form of do can help make the question while the other is the main verb, naming the activity.
“Does Omar do yoga?” Does forms the question; do yoga names the activity.
Take it into your day
Ask someone about a routine. Try one question with “Do you…?” and one about another person with “Does…?”
Your next step · Available on Udemy
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