English Grammar Lab

← A1

Questions with do and does

You will be able to Ask questions about routines and facts.

Explanation

Begin questions with do for I, you, we and they, and does for he, she and it.

Examples

Detailed course

Understand the grammar point

Go to practice ↓

Detailed explanation

This lesson focuses on questions with do and does. The structure helps learners share basic information, and it should always be interpreted as part of a complete message rather than as an isolated formula. Before selecting a form, identify the subject, time reference, clause relationship, and the information that receives emphasis.

Formation is central. Put do before I, you, we, or they, and does before he, she, it, or a singular noun. Keep the main verb in the base form. Build the sentence in stages: identify the grammatical subject, choose the auxiliary or main verb form, and complete the clause in normal English word order. In negatives and questions, check whether the structure supplies its own auxiliary or requires another one.

The pattern can help users describe a simple situation, form clear statements and questions, and notice subject and verb agreement. These purposes may overlap, so context decides which interpretation is natural. Time expressions, determiners, linking words, and punctuation often provide evidence for the correct choice.

A useful contrast prevents overgeneralisation. Questions with be use am, is, or are directly and do not use do or does. Ask how the nearest alternative would change time, certainty, focus, politeness, or register. A grammatically possible sentence may still communicate the wrong relationship if that contrast is ignored.

The guided examples are complete messages. Notice how the target structure agrees with its subject and how the surrounding vocabulary makes the intended meaning clear. When producing a new example, preserve the relationship between form and meaning while changing the people, place, and lexical details.

A reliable self-check is to paraphrase the sentence in simpler language. If the paraphrase changes the time relationship, degree of certainty, or focus, review the original form. Compare the sentence with the common mistakes and explain why the corrected version is preferable.

How to form it

Put do before I, you, we, or they, and does before he, she, it, or a singular noun. Keep the main verb in the base form.

Use the structure to share basic information.

Use the structure to describe a simple situation.

Use the structure to form clear statements and questions.

Use the structure to notice subject and verb agreement.

Questions with be use am, is, or are directly and do not use do or does.

Guided examples

Do you read English stories after school?

You takes do at the start of the question, before the subject.

Does Amir practise football every Wednesday?

Amir is singular, so the question starts with does, not do.

Where do your friends meet at lunchtime?

Friends is plural, so the question word where is followed by do.

What time does the library close today?

Library is a singular subject, so does follows the question word.

Do we need our notebooks for this activity?

We takes do at the start of the question.

How often does your teacher give homework?

Teacher is singular, so the question uses does after how often.

Common mistakes

Not: Does you read English stories after school?

Use: Do you read English stories after school?

You always takes do in questions, never does.

Not: Do Amir practise football every Wednesday?

Use: Does Amir practise football every Wednesday?

Amir is a singular subject, so the question needs does, not do.

Not: Where does your friends meet at lunchtime?

Use: Where do your friends meet at lunchtime?

Friends is plural, so the question needs do, not does.

Not: What time does the library closes today?

Use: What time does the library close today?

After does, the main verb stays in its base form: close, not closes.

Before you practise

  • Identify the communicative purpose.
  • Check the subject and required verb or auxiliary.
  • Confirm the time reference and clause order.
  • Compare the sentence with the nearest alternative.
  • Read the complete sentence and verify the meaning.

Reading text

Questions for a Study Partner

About 143 words

Hana and Karim are in a table beside the classroom window. They need to choose study partners for the English club. They do not know each other well. Do you read in English every week? Someone points to a notebook and a weekly plan. Does your brother help you study? The first answer is short, so everyone can follow it. Where do you keep your notebook? One detail is still unclear. When does the club meet? They check the materials slowly. Soon the result is clear: the work is finished. The morning feels easier because the small task is finished. Hana and Karim look at a notebook and a weekly plan again before they move on. One helper writes the next step on a small card. The group speaks quietly, and the plan becomes clear. No one hurries, because the small details matter.

Reading comprehension

  1. Who is involved in the reading?

    Show answer

    Hana and Karim

  2. Where does the reading take place?

    Show answer

    a table beside the classroom window

  3. What task are the people trying to complete?

    Show answer

    choose study partners for the English club

  4. What problem makes the task less simple?

    Show answer

    they do not know each other well

Grammar in the text

  1. Do you read in English every week?

    You takes do to start the question.

  2. Does your brother help you study?

    Brother is singular, so the question uses does.

  3. Where do you keep your notebook?

    You takes do after the question word where.

  4. When does the club meet?

    Club is a singular subject, so the question uses does.

Key point

Use this pattern when the meaning needs it in the reading: Do/Does + subject + base verb. In short, do and does help form present-simple questions. Example: "Do you read in English every week?"

Practice

  1. Complete the sentence from the same situation: "Do you ____ in English every week?"

    Show answer

    Do you read in English every week?

  2. Complete the sentence from the same situation: "Does ____ brother help you study?"

    Show answer

    Does your brother help you study?

  3. Complete the sentence from the same situation: "Where do you keep ____ notebook?"

    Show answer

    Where do you keep your notebook?

  4. Complete the sentence from the same situation: "When does ____ club meet?"

    Show answer

    When does the club meet?

Listening practice

Watch a TEDx talk

“Your body language may shape who you are” — Amy Cuddy (TED). Listen for clear, natural English and pick up new vocabulary while you review this grammar point.

Check your understanding

According to Amy Cuddy, what happened to participants who held a high-power pose for two minutes?

Check your understanding

What is Amy Cuddy's key piece of advice, in her own words?

Practice

Choose the correct answer. ___ she live in Tunis?

Practice

Choose the correct answer. ___ they play tennis?

Practice

Choose the correct answer. Where ___ your brother work?

Written practice

Produce the answer yourself. Capitalisation and final punctuation do not affect validation, but the grammar and word order must be correct.

Grammar transformation

Written practice

Change the statement into a question.

You work on Fridays.