Irregular verb
The verb to do
do → did → done
A1Meaning: to carry out an action or task; to help make questions and negatives · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 10 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they do·he/she/it does - Past Simple:
did(the same for every person) - Past participle:
done - -ing form:
doing
Conjugation of the verb to do
Present Simple
| I | do |
| You | do |
| He / She / It | does |
| We | do |
| You (pl.) | do |
| They | do |
Present Perfect
| I | have done | I've done |
| You | have done | You've done |
| He / She / It | has done | He's / She's / It's done |
| We | have done | We've done |
| You (pl.) | have done | You've done |
| They | have done | They've done |
All the forms of the verb to do
Present Simple
Full pagedo / does
“I do my homework. She does the dishes.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are doing
“I am doing the dishes right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagedid
“I did my homework yesterday.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were doing
“I was doing the dishes when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has done
“I have done my homework.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad done
“She had already done the dishes when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill do
“I will do the dishes tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to do
“I'm going to do the dishes this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould do
“I would do the dishes if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to do
1. Doing an activity (main verb)
- I do my homework every evening.
- She does the dishes.
- What are you doing?
2. Making questions and negatives
Do, does and did help you make questions and negatives in the Present Simple and the Past Simple. Without this auxiliary (helping verb), the sentence is wrong.
- Do you like English?
- She doesn't speak French.
- Did you see the film?
3. Common expressions with do
Do the dishes means to wash the plates and cups after a meal. Do your best means to try as hard as you can.
- do homework
- do the dishes
- do sport
- do your best
- do nothing
Common mistakes to avoid
1. I make my homework ❌
Do = to carry out an activity, a task or a job (do homework, do sport). Make = to create or build something (make a cake, make a decision). So say I do my homework, never I make my homework.
2. He do his best ❌
In the Present Simple, he, she and it take does. Say He does his best, never he do his best.
3. She don't like football ❌
In the Present Simple negative, there are two forms: I/you/we/they don't and he/she/it doesn't. After both, the main verb stays in its base form, with no -s: She doesn't like football.
Going further
Conjugating to do is a key skill in the English contest
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Related pages: do
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate do in the present?+
Do has two forms in the Present Simple: do with I, you, we and they, and does with he, she and it. I do my homework. She does her homework.
What is the past simple of do?+
The Past Simple of do is did, the same for every person: I did, you did, he did, we did, they did. The past participle is done. Do → did → done.
What is the difference between do and make?+
Use do for activities, tasks and jobs: do your homework, do sport, do the dishes. Use make when you create or build something: make a cake, make a decision, make money. I make my homework is a very common mistake: say I do my homework.
Why do you use do in questions?+
In English, most verbs need a helping verb (an auxiliary) to make questions and negatives in the Present Simple and the Past Simple. This auxiliary is do, does or did: Do you like English? Did you go to the cinema? Don't touch my phone! Without do, these sentences are wrong.
What is the difference between did and done?+
Did is the Past Simple, used alone: I did my work. Done is the past participle, used after have / has in the Present Perfect: I have done my work. You also find done alone in the expression Well done!, which means good job!
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/do
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.