Negatives and Questions: Using Do and Does

The single most common beginner mistake in English is leaving out do or does. Many languages build negatives and questions without a helper verb; English does not.

Negatives

Add don't (I / you / we / they) or doesn't (he / she / it) before the base verb.

• ❌ I no like coffee. ❌ I not like coffee.
• ✅ I don't like coffee.
• ✅ She doesn't like coffee.

The -s moves onto doesn't, so the main verb loses it: She doesn't like (not "doesn't likes").

Questions

Put Do or Does at the front.

• ❌ You like tea?
• ✅ Do you like tea?
• ✅ Does he work here?

Again: Does he work, not "Does he works".

Short answers

English rarely answers with just yes or no — it repeats the helper.

• Do you speak French? — Yes, I do. / No, I don't.
• Does she live here? — Yes, she does. / No, she doesn't.

The exception: be

The verb be (am / is / are) needs no helper at all.

• ✅ I am not tired. (not "I don't be tired")
• ✅ Are you ready? (not "Do you be ready?")

Quick summary

	Positive	Negative	Question
I / you / we / they	I work	I don't work	Do you work?
he / she / it	He works	He doesn't work	Does he work?
be	I am late	I am not late	Are you late?

Try it yourself

The quiz below focuses on exactly where the -s belongs and when be breaks the pattern.