Present simple: questions & negatives

In positive present-simple sentences, the verb changes with he/she/it: it usually adds a third-person ending, such as -s or -es (she works, he goes). See Present simple if you need that part first. But the moment you make a question or a negative, the main verb steps back to its base form, and one small word takes over: do or does.

For ordinary main verbs, the rule is wonderfully consistent: do/does + the base form for questions, don't/doesn't + the base form for negatives. The most important exception at this level is the verb be — we'll come to it at the end. (Other special verbs like can follow their own pattern too, which you'll meet separately.)

Quick shortcut: whenever you see do/does or don't/doesn't, the verb right after it is in its base form — does she work, doesn't work. That single habit prevents the most common slips, like does works or doesn't works.

Negatives: don't/doesn't + base form

To make a present-simple verb negative, put do not or does not — usually shortened to don't or doesn't — in front of the base form of the verb:

• I work from home. → I don't work from home.
• They like coffee. → They don't like coffee.
• She works in London. → She doesn't work in London.
• He likes football. → He doesn't like football.

The key point: once doesn't appears, the main verb goes back to its base form. The he/she/it meaning is already shown by doesn't — so the -s isn't needed twice. That's why it's ✅ doesn't work, never ❌ doesn't works.

Yes/no questions: do/does + subject + base form

To ask a yes/no question, start with do or does, then the subject, then the base form:

Do/Does + subject + base form … ?

• Do you work from home?
• Do they like coffee?
• Does she work in London?
• Does he like football?

Again, the main verb stays in its base form, because do/does is already carrying the grammar. So it's ✅ Does she work?, never ❌ Does she works?

Short answers

We usually don't repeat the whole verb in an answer. Instead we answer with do/does or don't/doesn't:

• Do you like tea? — Yes, I do. / No, I don't.
• Does he work here? — Yes, he does. / No, he doesn't.

Notice the main verb (like, work) isn't repeated in the short answer — do/does or don't/doesn't stands in for it.

Wh- questions

For what, where, when, why, who, which, how questions, put the wh- word first, then the same do/does + subject + base form pattern:

Wh- word + do/does + subject + base form … ?

• Where do you work?
• What does she do?
• When do they arrive?
• Why does he leave so early?

One special case — asking about the subject. When who or what is the subject of the question — the person or thing the question is about — we normally don't use do/does. The verb simply stays in its normal present-simple form, with -s if the answer would be he/she/it:

• Who works here? (the normal, neutral question — not Who does work here?)
• What happens next? (not What does happen next?)

Compare the two patterns side by side:

• Who do you see every day? = you see someone → use do.
• Who sees you every day? = someone sees you → no do in the normal question, and the verb takes -s.

The exception: the verb be

Among ordinary verbs, be is the one that does not use do/does. It makes negatives and questions on its own, because am/is/are already act as their own auxiliary — they don't need do/does.

• Negative: I'm not tired. · She isn't happy. (not doesn't be)
• Question: Is she happy? · Are you ready? (not Does she be…?)

Because this verb is so common and works differently, it has its own lesson — see The verb "to be".

Common mistakes

• ❌ She doesn't works. → ✅ She doesn't work. (after doesn't, use the base form)
• ❌ He don't like it. → ✅ He doesn't like it. (he/she/it needs doesn't, not don't)
• ❌ Does she works here? → ✅ Does she work here? (after does, use the base form)
• ❌ Where you work? → ✅ Where do you work? (questions need do/does)
• ❌ Does she be happy? → ✅ Is she happy? (be doesn't use do/does)

Quick check

Make the sentence negative, or write the question:

1. (negative) He likes tea. → He ____ tea.
2. (question) They work on Saturdays. → ____ they ____ on Saturdays?
3. (wh- question) She goes there by bus. → How ____ she ____ there?
4. (negative) I am ready. → ____ ready.

Key takeaways

• Present-simple negatives use don't (with I/you/we/they) or doesn't (with he/she/it) + the base form.
• Present-simple questions use do or does + subject + the base form.
• After do/does/don't/doesn't, the main verb loses its -s ending: doesn't work (not works), Does she work? (not works).
• Answer short with do/does or don't/doesn't; build wh- questions as wh- word + do/does + subject + base form.
• When who/what is the subject, drop do/does and keep the normal present-simple form: Who works here?
• The verb be is the exception — am/is/are make negatives and questions by themselves: isn't, Are you…?