Practice
English practice: present simple questions and short answers
Sign in to saveDoes your first question use do or does? Check the subject first, then keep the main verb in its base form.
Ask and answer present simple questions with do or does and the correct base verb.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
Does your brother work from home? /dʌz jɔː ˈbrʌðə wɜːk frəm həʊm/
The short answer
Use do with I, you, we, and they. Use does with he, she, it, and one person or thing. After do or does, use the base verb: Does Maya work here? Yes, she does.
Do you take the train to work? Yes, I do.
Why it works: You takes do, and take stays in the base form after do.
6 more examples
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Do your colleagues start work at nine?
Colleagues is plural, so the question begins with do and start is the base verb.
Not this:Do your colleagues
startswork at nine? What changes: After do, use start, not starts. -
Does Priya live near the station?
Priya is one person, so the question begins with does.
Not this:Does Priya
livesnear the station? What changes: Does already marks the singular form, so live stays in the base form. -
Do you usually call your family on Fridays?
The word usually shows that the question is about a regular habit.
Not this:
Are you usually callingyour family on Fridays? What changes: The present continuous is not the normal choice for a regular habit. -
Does this bus stop outside the museum?
This bus is singular, so use does before the subject and stop after it.
Not this:Does this bus
stopsoutside the museum? What changes: Use the base form stop after does. -
Yes, she does.
This short answer confirms a question that begins with does.
Not this:Yes,
she do. What changes: Use does with she in a present simple short answer. -
No, they do not.
This short answer gives a negative reply to a question with do.
Not this:No,
they does not. What changes: Use do, not does, with they.
Read the full guide
Find the subject before you choose the helper verb. Use do for plural subjects and I or you. Use does for he, she, it, or one named person. Then put the ordinary verb in the base form, even when the subject is singular.
Ask about regular actions
Use the present simple when you ask about an action that happens regularly. Time words such as usually, every week, and on Mondays often show this meaning.
Do you read the news every morning?
Every morning shows that the question is about a habit.
Does Omar play football on Saturdays?
On Saturdays asks about Omar's regular activity.
Which words show a routine: right now or every weekend?
Every weekend. It points to something that happens regularly.
Choose do or does
Use do with I, you, we, and they. Use does with he, she, it, a singular noun, or one person's name. The helper verb comes before the subject.
Do they work in the city?
They is plural, so the question begins with do.
Does the receptionist work on Fridays?
The receptionist is one person, so the question begins with does.
Choose the helper verb: ___ your sister study at night?
Does. Your sister is singular.
Keep the main verb in the base form
After do or does, use the base form of the main verb. Do not add -s after does. Does already carries the third-person singular grammar.
Does he watch films in English?
Watch stays in the base form after does.
Do the shops close at six?
Close stays in the base form after do.
Complete the question: Does she ___ here? (work)
Does she work here? Use work, not works, after does.
Give a short answer
A short answer uses a pronoun and the helper verb from the question. You can say yes or no, then give the short answer. This sounds natural when the full answer is already clear.
Do you work from home? Yes, I do.
I do repeats the helper verb from the question.
Does Lina speak Spanish? No, she does not.
She does not gives a negative answer to a does question.
What is the short answer to Do they live nearby? if the answer is yes?
Yes, they do. Use they for the people in the question.
Ask about facts and schedules
Present simple questions can also ask about general facts and normal schedules. The answer may be true every day, on particular days, or as a general rule.
Does water boil at 100 degrees Celsius?
This asks about a general fact.
Do classes begin at ten on Wednesdays?
The question asks about the regular timetable.
Which form asks about a timetable: Do the doors open at eight? or Are the doors opening at eight?
Do the doors open at eight? Use the present simple for the normal timetable.
Do not use do with be or can
Be and modal verbs already make their own questions. Put the verb before the subject, without do or does.
Are you free after lunch?
Are moves before you to make the question.
Can your friend drive?
Can moves before your friend, so do is unnecessary.
Choose the natural question: Do you are ready or Are you ready?
Are you ready? Be forms the question by itself.
Before you go
Remember this
Use do with I, you, we, and they. Use does with he, she, it, and singular names or things. After do or does, keep the main verb in the base form. Answer briefly with the same helper verb: Yes, I do. No, he does not.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "English practice: present simple questions and short answers"
When do I use do in a present simple question?
Use do with I, you, we, and they. For example, Do your colleagues start work at nine? uses do because colleagues is plural. Put the main verb in the base form after do.
Do your colleagues start work at nine?
When do I use does in a present simple question?
Use does with he, she, it, a singular noun, or one person's name. Does Priya live near the station? is correct because Priya is one person, and live stays in the base form.
Do your colleagues starts work at nine?
Why does the main verb not have -s after does?
Does carries the singular grammar in the question, so the main verb returns to its base form. Does this bus stop outside the museum? is correct; does this bus stops is not.
Does Priya live near the station?
How do I make a short answer to a present simple question?
Repeat the helper verb and use a pronoun. For a does question, say Yes, she does or No, she does not. For a do question, say Yes, they do or No, they do not.
Does Priya lives near the station?
Can I use do or does with be and can?
No. Be and can make questions without do or does. Say Are you free after lunch? or Can your friend drive? Put the verb before the subject in these questions.
Do you usually call your family on Fridays?