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Do-support (sometimes referred to as do-insertion or periphrastic do), in English grammar, is the use of the auxiliary verb do (or one of its inflected forms e.g. does), to form negated clauses and constructions which require subject–auxiliary inversion, such as questions. The verb do can be used optionally as an auxiliary even in simple ...
To form a question from a sentence which does not have such an auxiliary or copula present, the auxiliary verb do (does, did) needs to be inserted, along with inversion of the word order, to form a question (see do-support). For example: She can dance. → Can she dance? (inversion of subject she and auxiliary can)
In sentences where no such verb is otherwise present, the auxiliary do (does, did) is introduced to enable the inversion (for details see do-support, and English grammar § Questions. Formerly, up to the late 16th century, English used inversion freely with all verbs, as German still does.) For example: They went away. (normal declarative sentence)
how did / how would howdy (informal) how do you do / how do you fare how’ll: how will / how shall how’re: how are how’s: how has / how is / how does I’d: I had / I would I’d’ve: I would have / I did have I’d’nt: I would not / I did not I’d’nt’ve (informal) I would not have / I did not have If’n (informal) If and when I’ll
Questions are formed by subject–auxiliary inversion (unless the interrogative word is part of the subject). If there is otherwise no auxiliary, the verb do (does, did) is used as an auxiliary, enabling the inversion. This also applies to negation: the negating word not must follow an auxiliary, so do is used if there is no other auxiliary.
The reduced forms of the verb do are pronounced /du/, /də/, /d/, or /dəz/, /dz/ for does and usually appear only in questions. The contracted forms of do are used only in the negative: I do not = I don't, you do not = you don't, he does not = he doesn't, we do not = we don't, they do not = they don't.
Put your cell phones away – unless you are using to record the conversation -- and use these 20 questions as jumping off points to get to know your dad better. Even if you think you know the ...
In English, the question mark typically occurs at the end of a sentence, where it replaces the full stop (period). However, the question mark may also occur at the end of a clause or phrase, where it replaces the comma (see also Question comma):