Do | Auxiliary Verb

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Do has three main uses.

As an Auxiliary Verb

The auxiliary do is used to make emphatic, interrogative and negative verb forms. It is followed by an infinitive without to.

• Did you post the letters?
  
• Do you like football?
  
• This doesn't taste very nice
  
• Do sit down.
  
• I do admit that I was wrong.
  
• He did come.

Note that we use do to make questions and negatives with ordinary verbs, but not with other auxiliary verbs.

• Do you like dancing? (NOT Like you dancing?)
• I don't like reading. (NOT I like not reading.)
• Are they sleeping? (NOT Do they are sleeping?)
  
• I will not come. (NOT I do not will come.)
  
• Will you help me? (NOT Do you will help me?)
  
• I can't see anything. (NOT I do not can see anything.)
  

To make imperative sentences

Do can be used with be to make imperative sentences.

• Don't be silly!
  
• Do be quite!
  
• Do be a good child.
  

As an ordinary verb

Do is also an ordinary verb. The ordinary verb do can refer to almost any kind of activity.

• What were you doing in the morning?
  
• What did you do then?
  
• Do as I tell you.
  
• It was a stupid thing to do.
  
• Can't you do it yourself?
  
• You are a grown up man now. You should be able to do things on your own.
  
• Do with me what you like.
  
• I don't know what I did to make her angry.
  

The auxiliary do and ordinary do can sometimes occur together.

• What did you do then? (Did - auxiliary, do- ordinary)
  
• I don't do well in mathematics. (Don't-auxiliary, do- ordinary)
  

Note that the ordinary do has infinitives (to do, to be done) and participles (doing, done).

Do - Other uses

Do can be used to avoid repeating a verb or a verb phrase.

• She looks much younger than her husband does. (= ...her husband looks.)
  
• May I join you? Please do. (= Please join us.)
  
• Who said that? I did. (= I said that.)
  
• I thought I would take a day off school today. No you don't. (= You are not going to take a day off.)
  

Sections in this article

Primary Auxiliaries
Be as an ordinary verb
Be as an auxiliary verb
Be: structures
Do
Have
Have: structures
Modal Auxiliary Verbs
Verbs

See also

Introduction To Adverbs
Formation of Adverbs
Adjectives or Adverbs - Confusing Cases
Adverbs of Certainty
Adverbs of Degree
Adverbs of Indefinite Frequency
Adverbs of Manner
Adverbs of Place
Adverbs of Time and Definite Frequency
Focusing Adverbs