 #2 (permalink) Wed Sep 10, 2008 19:33 pm Simple present tense auxiliar verbs. |
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Hi Cisco
| Quote: |
| Simple present tense uses auxiliar verbs to make question and negative sentences, but I read a couple of sentences that did not use any auxiliar verbs, why is that possible? |
Here are some general guidelines:
In the simple present tense, the verb "be" does not need the help of do/does for interrogative and negative sentences. Basically, all other verbs need to use do/does in order to form interrogative and negative sentences in the simple present tense.
However, if a sentence starts with "who" or "what" or possibly "which", for example, and the word "who" or "what" or "which" is simply a replacement for the subject of the sentence, then you do not use the interrogative form of the verb:
- Who is at the door?/Jim is at the door.
- Who lives there?/Mary lives there.
- What is black and white and read all over?/A newspaper is black and white and read all over.
- What comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb?/March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.
- Which came first -- the chicken or the egg?/The chicken came first.
(Oops, sorry, that last example was the simple past tense, but the same pattern applies.)
| Quote: |
Sentence that I read: Where he lives?
How I think it should be: Where does he live? |
You are right. In that sentence, "where" is not the subject, and "Where does he live?" is a grammatically correct sentence. It needs the interrogative form of the verb "live".
| Quote: |
Sentence that I read:Who lives here?
How I think it should be: Who does live here? |
No, in this case, the word "who" is a replacement for the subject of the sentence, so you do not use the interrogative form of the verb.
"Who lives here?" is correct and standard. (See my examples above.)
Basically, the only time you could say "Who does live here?" would be to make the question much more emphatic.
.
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Yankee
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| #3 (permalink) Thu Sep 11, 2008 12:45 pm Simple present tense auxiliar verbs. |
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Amy, thanks so much for your assistance, your thorough explanation has helped me to understand with ease.
God Bless you.
Cisco.
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 Cisco795
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