Do as auxiliary

Do, does and did as auxiliary verbs in English grammar

Do – as an auxiliary is normally used to form negative and interrogative (question) sentences in the Present Simple and Past Simple

• examples in the present:

• I don’t like football.
• Mary doesn’t live in Madrid.
• Do you like apples?
• Does your teacher speak French?

Do and does in front of a subject indicate an introduction to a question.

Do and does after a subject is usually* accompanied by not to form the negative of the verb.

*Do and does are sometimes used in the affirmative to emphasise a point:

• – Although John seems to be lazy he does work very hard.
• – Yes darling, I do love you very much.

• examples in the past:

• Alan didn’t go to university after leaving school.
• Where did your parents go to school?

Did  in front of a subject indicate an introduction to a question.

Did  after a subject is usually* accompanied by not to form the negative of the verb.

*Did is sometimes used in the affirmative to emphasise a point:

• – Despite not feeling well Mary did go to work last Friday.
• – No seriously Ann, I did see you yesterday.

Here is an Introduction to Auxiliary verbs and Modal verbs

For other examples of English Grammar lessons try here >>>