Booher's Rules of Business Grammar - Dianna Booher 2009

“He don’t understand”
Verbosity about verbs: The big blunders

THE IRREGULAR VERB TO DO

The most common error with the irregular verb to do occurs when making the first-person singular a contraction with not.

Incorrect:

Pudge don’t know what to do with his money.

Spike don’t remember his hometown very well.

Gertrude don’t travel internationally.

Correct:

Pudge doesn’t know what to do with his money.

Spike doesn’t remember his hometown very well.

Gertrude doesn’t travel internationally.

Here’s how the verb looks in the present tense:

Present Tense (to do):

No one mistakenly says, “He do.” If a friend asks who has change for a $100 bill, you might answer: “I do,” or “You do,” or “We do,” or “They do,” or “He does.” No one ever responds, “He do.” To answer the same question in the negative, simply add a not to the root word does. “He doesn’t.” “She doesn’t.” “Spike doesn’t.”

Memory tip

Think wedding vows: “I do.” “You do.” “He does.” Then make each word negative: “I don’t.” “You don’t.” “He doesn’t” or “she doesn’t.”