All verbs can only be used in the past, present, or future tenses. Let us look at how the tenses described above are employed with the verb “do”.
“Do” as a verb means to execute or accomplish another action or simply some task. “Did” or “done” is the past tense version of “do,” while “will do” is the future tense form of “do.” Depending on the type of conjugation required in that specific circumstance, changes to these forms may be made.
Let us now discuss the conjugation of the verb “do” in further detail in order to better understand the word’s meaning as well as its many tense variations.
Do in present tense
The verb “do” has forms in each of the tenses employed in English grammar, as was already mentioned. Let us take a moment to examine it in the present tense.
“Do” is used in present tense when a speaker or writer tries to demonstrate the performance, execution or accomplishment of an action or a task taking place specifically in the present time.
When can “do” be used in present tense?
| Different Forms of Present Tense | When can “do” be used in respective present tense forms? |
| 1. Simple Present Tense | “Do” can be used in simple present tense when the performance, execution or accomplishment of an action or a task has taken place in the present. |
| 2. Present Continuous Tense | “Do” can be used in present continuous tense when the performance, execution or accomplishment of an action or a task is in the process of being taken place in the present. |
| 3. Present Perfect Tense | “Do” can be used in present perfect tense when the performance, execution or accomplishment of an action or a task has completely taken place in the present. |
| 4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense | “Do” can be used in present perfect continuous tense when the performance, execution or accomplishment of an action or a task has begun to take place in the past and continues to take place in the present. |
Formula for sentence formation using “do” in different forms of present tense.
| Types of Present Tense | Formula for “do” to be used in different present tense forms |
| 1. Simple Present Tense | Subject + Do/Does + Object |
| 2. Present Continuous Tense | Subject + am/is/are + Doing + Object |
| 3. Present Perfect Tense | Subject + Have/Has + Done (Past Participle Form) + Object |
| 4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense | Subject + Have/Has + Been + Doing + Object |
Examples of “do” being used in different present tense forms.
| Types of Present Tense | Example Sentences | Explanations |
| 1. Simple Present Tense | Lily does her homework every night so that she is never left behind on her studies and can prepare herself to fair well in her exams and come first in class. | The root word “does” has been inserted before the object and after the subject to designate this form as the simple present tense. |
| 2. Present Continuous Tense | Lily is doing her homework every night so that she is never left behind on her studies and can prepare herself to fair well in her exams and come first in class. | The words “is doing” have been positioned before the object and after the subject to demonstrate the present continuous tense form. |
| 3. Present Perfect Tense | Lily has done her homework every night so that she is never left behind on her studies and can prepare herself to fair well in her exams and come first in class. | The past participle “done” is used after the term “has” after the subject, and before the object to emphasise the present perfect tense form. |
| 4. Present Perfect Continuous Tense | Lily has been doing her homework every night so that she is never left behind on her studies and can prepare herself to fair well in her exams and come first in class. | The present perfect continuous tense is perfectly illustrated by the complete phrase “has been doing,” which occurs after the sentence’s subject and before the clause’s object. |
Do in past tense
With the aid of some variations in different forms, the past tense of the verb “do” is also used. Let us look into it.
“Do” is used in past tense when a speaker or writer tries to demonstrate the performance, execution or accomplishment of an action or a task taking place specifically in the past.
When can “do” be used in past tense?
| Different Forms of Past Tense | When can “do” be used in respective past tense forms? |
| 1. Simple Past Tense | “Do” can be used in simple past tense when the performance, execution or accomplishment of an action or a task has taken place in the past. |
| 2. Past Continuous Tense | “Do” can be used in past continuous tense when the performance, execution or accomplishment of an action or a task was in the process of being taken place in the past. |
| 3. Past Perfect Tense | “Do” can be used in past perfect tense when the performance, execution or accomplishment of an action or a task has completely taken place in the past. |
| 4. Past Perfect Continuous Tense | “Do” can be used in past perfect continuous tense when the performance, execution or accomplishment of an action or a task has begun to take place in the past and continued to take place in the past. |
Formula for sentence formation using “do” in different forms of past tense.
| Types of Past Tense | Formula for “do” to be used in different past tense forms |
| 1. Simple Past Tense | Subject + Did + Object |
| 2. Past Continuous Tense | Subject + was/were + Doing + Object |
| 3. Past Perfect Tense | Subject + Had + Done (Past Participle Form) + Object |
| 4. Past Perfect Continuous Tense | Subject + Had + Been + Doing + Object |
Examples of “do” being used in different past tense forms.
| Types of Past Tense | Example Sentences | Explanations |
| 1. Simple Past Tense | John did a backflip in front of everyone at the event last week and ended up winning gift vouchers courtesy of the organizers. | The word “did” has been inserted before the object and after the subject to designate this form as the simple past tense. |
| 2. Past Continuous Tense | John was doing a backflip in front of everyone at the event last week and ended up winning gift vouchers courtesy of the organizers. | The words “was doing” have been positioned before the object and after the subject to demonstrate the past continuous tense form. |
| 3. Past Perfect Tense | John had done a backflip in front of everyone at the event last week and ended up winning gift vouchers courtesy of the organizers. | The past participle “done” is used after the verb “had” after the subject, and before the object to emphasise the past perfect tense form. |
| 4. Past Perfect Continuous Tense | John had been doing a backflip in front of everyone at the event last week and ended up winning gift vouchers courtesy of the organizers. | The past perfect continuous tense is perfectly illustrated by the complete phrase “had been doing” which occurs after the sentence’s subject and before the clause’s object. |
Do in future tense
Of course, “do” has many different forms such as the future tense. Let us look more closely at this.
“Do” is used in future tense when a speaker or writer tries to demonstrate the performance, execution or accomplishment of an action or a task taking place specifically in the future.
When can “do” be used in future tense?
| Different Forms of Future Tense | When can “do” be used in respective future tense forms? |
| 1. Simple Future Tense | “Do” can be used in simple future tense when the performance, execution or accomplishment of an action or a task will take place in the future. |
| 2. Future Continuous Tense | “Do” can be used in future continuous tense when the performance, execution or accomplishment of an action or a task will be in the process of taking place in the future. |
| 3. Future Perfect Tense | “Do” can be used in future perfect tense when the performance, execution or accomplishment of an action or a task will completely take place in the future. |
| 4. Future Perfect Continuous Tense | “Do” can be used in future perfect continuous tense when the performance, execution or accomplishment of an action or a task will have begun to take place in the future and continue to take place in the future itself. |
Formula for sentence formation using “do” in different forms of future tense.
| Types of Future Tense | Formula for “do” to be used in different future tense forms |
| 1. Simple Future Tense | Subject + shall/will + Do + Object |
| 2. Future Continuous Tense | Subject + shall/will + be + Doing (Present Participle Form) + Object |
| 3. Future Perfect Tense | Subject + shall/will + have + Done (Past Participle Form) + Object |
| 4. Future Perfect Continuous Tense | Subject + will + have + been + Doing (Present Participle) + Object |
Examples of “do” being used in different future tense forms.
| Types of Future Tense | Example Sentences | Explanations |
| 1. Simple Future Tense | Everyone shall do their jobs perfectly by next week or else we will be far behind on our quarterly targets. | The term “shall do” has been inserted before the object and after the subject to designate this form as the simple future tense. In the simple future tense, the main verb is typically in its present participle form. |
| 2. Future Continuous Tense | Everyone shall be doing their jobs perfectly by next week or else we will be far behind on our quarterly targets. | The words “shall be doing” have been positioned before the object and after the subject to demonstrate the future continuous tense form. In the future continuous tense, the main verb is typically in its present participle form. |
| 3. Future Perfect Tense | Everyone shall have done their jobs perfectly by next week or else we will be far behind on our quarterly targets. | The past participle “done” is used after the verb “shall have” after the subject, and before the object to emphasize the future perfect tense form. |
| 4. Future Perfect Continuous Tense | Everyone shall have been doing their jobs perfectly by next week or else we will be far behind on our quarterly targets. | The future perfect continuous tense is perfectly illustrated by the complete phrase “shall have been doing” which occurs after the sentence’s subject and before the clause’s object. In the future perfect continuous tense, the main verb is typically in its present participle form. |
Conclusion
As a result, it can be demonstrated that, if one carefully understands the fundamental concepts underlying it, the word “Do” may indeed be conjugated as a verb in the English language very readily.
