SPOONFUL #33: DOODLY-DO: DO/DOES/DID

DO you realize that DO, DOES, and DID are fighting words? Read on and all will be explained. And don't worry: there are lots of examples!



DO - present tense; singular and plural; used with I, you, we, and they 

Do I have to answer that question?
Do you or Henry have a bike I can borrow?
Do your mother and father know where you're going at midnight?
Do we have to go to the dentist? I went last year!
Do they know what time we are meeting?
 
DOES - present tense; singular only; used with pronouns he, she, it, proper names, indefinite pronouns (anyone, someone, somebody, etc.), collective nouns (class and team, etc.) and more

Does she go to this school?
Does Angel have a dog? 
Does anyone know what's happening tomorrow?
Does the class have a answer? 
Does Betty or Bob have a bike I can borrow? 

DID - past tense; singular and plural; used liberally

Did you answer all the questions?
Did he remember to bring his homework to school?
How did the team do at Saturday's football game?
I did not leave the lights on. 
Warren and Silvester did one hundred laps each. 

DO, DOES, DID often feature in pointed questions, which can often lead to pointed responses. It's easy to see how these words can lead to arguments!!

Toodle-lo until next Sunday, when my Halloween post airs. Have a great week!

Sincerely,
Laura Fineberg Cooper
A Spoonful of Grammar

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