What Does vs. What Do
Should we say, “What does Gloria and I have in common?” or “What do Gloria and I have in common?”
If you turn the question around to place the subjects first, you would say, “Gloria and I does/do have what in common.”
Gloria and I are the subjects so we need a plural verb. Which verb is plural? We would say she does but we would say they do. So do is the plural verb. Therefore, the answer is, “What do Gloria and I have in common?”
Try this example: “What does/do the children look like in their costumes?”
If you turn the question around to place the subjects first, you would say, “The children does/do look like what in their costumes.”
Because children is a plural subject, we again need the plural verb do.
Try this example: “What does/do the coach expect from the team?
Turning the question around, we realize that our subject is coach, which is singular. Therefore, we would say, “What does the coach expect from the team?”
Quiz
1. What does/do she look like without makeup?
2. What does/do you and your husband think of the movie?
3. What does/do the team uniform look like?
4. What does/do the team members think of the new coach?
Answers
1. What does she look like without makeup?
2. What do you and your husband think of the movie?
3. What does the team uniform look like?
4. What do the team members think of the new coach?
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April 11th, 2007 at 9:20 pm
Hello
Would like to know the rules of ‘ does and do’
Example: Question 1. HOw much does it cost?
Question 2. How much does food leave in a pan?
I realise the last question is incorrect but would kindly like to know the rules of when to use Does & Do
Kind regards
Greg .
April 14th, 2007 at 4:06 am
“Does” is singular.
Example: How much does it cost? It does cost how much.
“It” is the singular subject so “does” follows.
“Do” is plural.
Example: How do camels walk so far without drinking water? Camels do walk so far without drinking water.
“Camels” is the plural subject so “do” follows.
April 17th, 2007 at 3:11 pm
Captivates or captivate? Orchards is the closest noun to the verb, but it seems like array is the subject and “luscious orchards” is just an additional phrase.
“Our array of luscious orchards captivates you.”
After looking at your examples of subject-verb agreement, it seems that the plural form of the verb is needed, but I just wanted to double check b/c it still does not sound right.
Thanks!
April 17th, 2007 at 4:32 pm
Our array of luscious orchards captivates you.
“Array” is the subject and is singular. “Captivates” is also singular because you’d say “he captivates, they captivate.”
April 19th, 2007 at 7:01 am
Now if we remove array from this example; will the following be correct:
Luscious orchards captivate you.
April 19th, 2007 at 10:22 pm
“Luscious orchards captivate you” works.
However, “Luscious orchards will captivate you” or “Let our luscious orchards captivate you” would be even better.