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Present simple: don't, doesn't, do you…? Exercises for negatives, questions and short answers

This A1 drill lesson gives present simple negatives and questions exercises: don't and doesn't, Do / Does questions, short answers, and be or do.

Grammar
Don't or doesn't + base verb, doesn't have, Do / Does + subject + verb, short answers (Yes, I do. No, she doesn't.) and Are you…? vs Do you…?
Topic
College roommates: Nadia's questionnaire for an invented Boston dorm, the resident assistant's email, move-in day with Jordan, Jordan's texts home, and a chat with Chris.
Activities
True or false, sorting, choices, gap-fills, drag-and-drop, word order, error-spotting quizzes, a memory game, matching, tables, a chat and a test, all auto-checked.

What's inside

  1. Chapter 1The rule

    • PictureUnlock
    • Study the scheme: don't, doesn't, do and doesGrammar schemeTry it
    • Is the sentence correct? Mark true or falseTrue or falseUnlock
    • Sort the sentences: don't or doesn't?Sort into columnsTry it
    • Choose do or doesChoose the optionUnlock
    • Write the short formFill in the gapsUnlock

  2. Chapter 2Don't or doesn't?

    • Fill in the gaps: don't or doesn't + verbFill in the gapsTry it
    • Choose the right negativeChoose the optionUnlock
    • Drag the words into the gaps: negative sentencesDrag and dropUnlock
    • Fill in the gaps: have in positive and negative sentencesFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Put the words in the right order: negative sentencesUnjumbleUnlock
    • Find the mistake in the negative sentencesQuizUnlock
    • Read Hugo's post and fill in the gapsFill in the gapsUnlock

  3. Chapter 3Questions with do and does

    • Fill in the gaps: make questionsFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Choose the right form of the questionChoose the optionTry it
    • Put the words in order to make questionsUnjumbleUnlock
    • Find the matching pairs: sentence and questionMemory gameUnlock
    • Find the mistake in the questionsQuizUnlock
    • Write the questions with do or doesFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Choose the right question for each answerQuizUnlock

  4. Chapter 4Short answers, and be or do?

    • Choose the right short answerChoose the optionUnlock
    • Match the questions and the answersMatchTry it
    • Sort the questions: be or do?Sort into columnsUnlock
    • Choose am, is, are, do or doesChoose the optionUnlock
    • Fill in the gaps: be or do in negative sentencesFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Fill in the table: questions and short answersFill in the tableUnlock
    • Choose the correct question: be or do?QuizUnlock

  5. Chapter 5Real life: Finding a roommate

    • Read Nadia's roommate questionnaireReal-life documentUnlock
    • Read the questionnaire again: true or false?True or falseUnlock
    • Read Chris's email and fill in the gapsFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Read Nadia and Jordan's first meeting and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
    • Read Jordan's messages and choose the right wordsChoose the optionUnlock
    • Choose the right replies: Chris asks you questionsChatTry it
    • Test yourself: choose the right answerQuizUnlock

  6. Chapter 6Homework

    • Choose don't or doesn't: my familyChoose the optionUnlock
    • Fill in the gaps: negative sentences at workFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Put the words in the right order: don't and doesn'tUnjumbleUnlock
    • Choose the right question: a new neighborChoose the optionUnlock
    • Write the questions for the answersFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Put the words in the right order: questionsUnjumbleUnlock
    • Find the matching pairs: positive and negativeMemory gameUnlock
    • Sort the sentences: correct or wrong?Sort into columnsUnlock
    • Fill in the table: positive, negative, questionFill in the tableUnlock
    • Write the short answersFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Fill in the gaps: be or do in questionsFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Match the questions and the answers: a new jobMatchUnlock
    • Read Marta's email and fill in the gapsFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Read the note for the pet sitter and drag the words into the gapsDrag and dropUnlock
    • Choose the correct sentenceQuizUnlock

49 exercises in 6 chapters. Start a 7-day free trial to open all of them, copy any part into your own lessons, and teach the lesson live.

Grammar: present simple negatives, questions and short answers

Negatives and questions in the present simple need a helper verb, do or does. The main verb goes back to its base form, so the -s of she works moves onto the helper: She doesn't work. Does she work? A short answer keeps only the helper.

Present simple: don't, doesn't, do you…?

Say what people don't do and ask about habits and facts (every day, on the weekend, at night): don't / doesn't and do / does + the base verb.

Don't and doesn't + base verb

I, you, we and they take don't (do not); he, she and it take doesn't (does not). The verb after doesn't has no -s: She doesn't drive. And has turns into doesn't have.

Negative: don't / doesn't + verb

subjectdon't / doesn'tbase verb (no -s)

I don't eat fish.

She doesn't drive.

They don't have a dog.

Every person: + − ?

WhoPositive (+)Negative (−)Question (?)
II work.I don't work. · I do not work.Do I work?
youYou work.You don't work. · You do not work.Do you work?
heHe works.He doesn't work. · He does not work.Does he work?
sheShe works.She doesn't work. · She does not work.Does she work?
itIt works.It doesn't work. · It does not work.Does it work?
weWe work.We don't work. · We do not work.Do we work?
theyThey work.They don't work. · They do not work.Do they work?

Questions: Do / Does + subject + verb

Start with Do or Does, then the subject, then the base verb: Do you like rock music? Does she have a cat? Keep the helper at the front: Do you like pizza?, not You like pizza?

Do / Doessubjectbase verb (no -s)

Do you like rock music?

Does he play golf?

Does she have a cat?

Short answers: Yes, I do. No, she doesn't.

Answer with a pronoun and the helper: Does Chris live here? – Yes, he does. Do they eat meat? – No, they don't. The main verb stays out of the answer, so Yes, I like and Yes, she has are wrong.

QuestionYesNo
Do I need a key?Yes, you do.No, you don't.
Do you dance?Yes, I do.No, I don't.
Does Chris live here?Yes, he does.No, he doesn't.
Does Nadia study biology?Yes, she does.No, she doesn't.
Does the room have a desk?Yes, it does.No, it doesn't.
Do you and Jordan share a room?Yes, we do.No, we don't.
Do they eat meat?Yes, they do.No, they don't.

Be or do?

Am, is and are go with an adjective, a noun or a place: Are you a student? I'm not tired. Do and does go with another verb: Do you like jazz? So there is no Do you are tired?

am / is / are + adjective, noun or place

  • I'm not tired. (Not: I don't be tired.)
  • Are you a student? Yes, I am.
  • Is she from Texas? No, she isn't.

do / does + another verb

  • I don't like cold pizza.
  • Do you like jazz? Yes, I do.
  • Does she work here? No, she doesn't.

Common mistakes

Watch for She doesn't works, He don't like tea, Does he has a dog?, I no have a printer and Yes, she do. He, she and it need does or doesn't, and the verb after it stays bare.

Common mistakes

  • She doesn't works on Sundays.

    She doesn't work on Sundays.

    after doesn't and does: no -s

  • He don't like tea.

    He doesn't like tea.

    he, she, it: doesn't and does

  • You like pizza?

    Do you like pizza?

    a question needs do or does

  • Do you are tired?

    Are you tired?

    with be, we don't use do

More traps

No -s after does: Does he have a dog? (Not: Does he has…?) Don't forget do / does: He doesn't play chess. I don't have a printer. (Not: He not play… I no have…) Short answers: Yes, I do. No, I don't. Yes, she does. (Not: Yes, I like. No, I not. Yes, she do.)

Examples

  • My roommate doesn't have a car.has → doesn't have
  • Do you have a pen? Yes, I do.Do you have…?
  • We don't go to school on the weekend.negative
  • What do your parents do? They're nurses.What … do?
  • Where does she live? She lives in Boston.Where … ?
  • What time do you eat lunch? At noon.What time … ?

More lessons on this grammar: Present simple lessons and exercises · Questions lessons and exercises

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What's in the lesson

  • 40 auto-checked exercises
  • 6 games
  • 1 real-life document
  • 1 grammar scheme
  • 1 picture

The main objectives of this lesson are to:

  • make negatives with don't or doesn't and the base verb: My dad doesn't drink coffee. We don't have a big kitchen.
  • drop the -s after doesn't and does: Does he have a dog?, not Does he has a dog?
  • ask yes/no questions with Do or Does and answer briefly: Do you cook? – Yes, I do. Does Jordan cook? – No, she doesn't.
  • choose be or do: Are you tired? but Do you like jazz?, and I'm not cold, not I don't be cold
Grammar:
present simple · don't / doesn't · do / does questions · short answers
Topic:
grammar practice · daily routines · college · roommates

Teaching tips

  • Hold a roommate interview in pairs: partners ask the questionnaire's questions (Do you get up early? Do you cook?), answer with short answers only, then tell the class one thing their partner doesn't do.
  • Hunt for the runaway -s: write She doesn't works and Does he has a car? on the board and ask students to fix the verb after doesn't and Does.
  • Play be-or-do ping-pong: call out an ending (…hungry?, …play hockey?, …from Canada?) and students fire back Are you or Do you as fast as they can.

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The whole course: English Grammar Practice · A1

English Grammar Practice · A1 has 24 drill lessons for adult beginners, one grammar point each, from the verb to be and the present simple to can, was and were and telling the time. Each has the rule as a scheme, 43 to 47 exercises that check themselves, 15 of them for homework, and no new words, so it works next to any course.See the course

  1. 1To be: I am, you are, she is
  2. 2To be negatives and questions: is it your bag?
  3. 3Subject pronouns and possessive adjectives: I, my, she, her
  4. 4This, that, these, those: what's this?
  5. 5Plural nouns: one box, two boxes
  6. 6A, an, the: a new apartment
  7. 7There is, there are: what's in the hotel?
  8. 8Have and has: she has a dog
  9. 9Present simple: she works, they work
  10. 10Present simple: don't, doesn't, do you…?
  11. 11Adverbs of frequency: always, usually, never
  12. 12In, on, at: times, days and months
  13. 13Prepositions of place: in, on, under, next to
  14. 14Can and can't: I can swim
  15. 15Imperatives: open, don't run, let's go
  16. 16Object pronouns: me, him, her, them
  17. 17Possessive 's: whose bag is this?
  18. 18Present continuous: what's happening now?
  19. 19Present simple or present continuous: every day or now?
  20. 20Like, love, hate + -ing: I love dancing
  21. 21Wh- questions: what, where, when, why?
  22. 22Countable and uncountable nouns: some, any, how much?
  23. 23Was and were: where were you yesterday?
  24. 24Telling the time and dates: what time is it?
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