The rule, as people use it

Be, do and have have two jobs. They can be main verbs ("I have a dog"), and they can be helpers that sit in front of another verb to build tenses, questions and negatives. The term for the helper job is auxiliary. Each one has its own territory.

"Be" helps with -ing forms and the passive: "I'm working." "It was made in Italy." "Have" helps with the perfect: "I've finished." "She hadn't heard." "Do" is the helper for the present and past simple, which don't have one of their own. That's why you need it for questions and negatives: "Do you live here?" "She doesn't eat meat." "Did they call?"

The mistake learners make is skipping "do" when there's no other helper: "You like coffee?" works as a casual, rising question, but "She not like coffee" and "Where you live?" don't. Put "do", "does" or "did" in. And once "does" or "did" is there, the main verb loses its ending: "Does she work?", not "Does she works?".

These helpers also give you short answers and tags, which make conversation sound alive. "Are you coming?" "Yes, I am." "Have you eaten?" "No, I haven't." "You live near here, don't you?" And "do" can add stress when you want to insist: "I do like it, I'm only full."

Examples

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Fill the gap

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  1. 1

    (do / be) you live near the office?

  2. 2

    George (not / like) horror movies.

  3. 3

    (do / have) you finished the book yet?

  4. 4

    She (be) talking on the phone right now.

  5. 5

    Where (you / go) last night?

  6. 6

    Does Fatima (work) on Saturdays?

  7. 7

    "Are you hungry?" "Yes, I ."

  8. 8

    You've met my brother, (have)?

Practice · 3 min

Write eight questions you might ask a new coworker: two with "do", two with "does" about someone else, two with "did", and two with "have". For example: "Do you drive to work?" "Have you worked here long?" Say each question out loud, then answer it with a short answer using the same helper. Check that no main verb after "does" or "did" has an ending.

Say it today

Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.