A1 · Iniciante Capítulo 6

Talking About Actions and Habits

4 Regras totais
46 exemplos
5 min
Regras neste capítulo Prática rápida

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Master the art of asking questions and saying no to navigate daily life with confidence.

  • Form negative sentences using don't and doesn't.
  • Construct questions with do and does.
  • Describe current actions using continuous questions and negatives.
Unlock the power of conversation.

O que você vai aprender

Ready to chat more about your daily life? This chapter will help you easily say 'no' to things you don't do, and confidently ask questions like 'Do you work?' Soon, you'll be having simple conversations about what's happening right now!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: Use 'don't' and 'doesn't' to accurately express daily habits.
  2. 2
    By the end you will be able to: Formulate questions using 'do' and 'does' to interview a peer.
  3. 3
    By the end you will be able to: Discuss current activities in the negative and interrogative forms.

Guia do capítulo

Overview

Mastering English talking about actions and habits is a cornerstone of A1 English grammar, and this chapter is your friendly guide! Imagine being able to share what you do every day, or what you *don't* do, without hesitation. That's exactly what we'll achieve here.
You'll learn simple yet powerful ways to say no to actions and habits, like "I don't like coffee,
and to ask straightforward questions such as
What do you do? or Is he working right now?" This ability to describe ongoing actions and regular routines will unlock countless simple conversations, helping you connect with others and talk about your daily life. Get ready to build essential communication skills that make your English sound natural and confident!

How This Grammar Works

At the heart of talking about actions and habits in English are a few key helper words that make questions and negatives easy. When you want to say you don't do something regularly, or someone else doesn't do something, you use do or does plus not (contracted to don't or doesn't), followed by the base form of the verb. For example, "I don't speak French, or She doesn't live here.
For questions about habits, do or does comes first:
Do you work? or Does he like pizza?"
When you use the verb have, which is super common, it follows the same pattern for questions and negatives. You always need do or does as the helper verb. So, it's
Do you have a car?
not
Have you a car?
and "I don't have a pet, not I haven't a pet."
Finally, for actions happening at this very moment – what you are doing right now – we use the Present Continuous. This involves a form of the verb be (am, is, are) and the -ing form of the main verb. To make it negative, you add not after be:
I am not working
or "He isn't reading.
To ask a question, you simply move the be verb to the front:
Are you listening? or Is she eating?" These structures work together to help you describe your world accurately, whether it's an everyday routine or something happening as we speak.

Common Mistakes

Learning new grammar can sometimes lead to small mix-ups, but that's part of the journey! Here are some common errors and how to fix them:
  1. 1✗ Wrong:
    He no like coffee.
    /
    You have a car?
✓ Correct: "He doesn't like coffee.« / »Do you have a car?"
*Explanation:* Always use don't or doesn't for negatives, and do or does for questions about habits and with the verb have.
  1. 1✗ Wrong:
    I am not work now.
    / Are you study?
✓ Correct:
I am not working now.
/
Are you studying?
*Explanation:* For actions happening right now (Present Continuous), you need both the be verb and the -ing form of the main verb.
  1. 1✗ Wrong: "She don't live here."
✓ Correct: "She doesn't live here."
*Explanation:* Remember the 's' for third-person singular (he, she, it) with does and doesn't.

Real Conversations

Let's see these grammar points in action!

A

A

Hi Sarah! Do you work on Saturdays?
B

B

No, I don't work on Saturdays. I relax! Do you have any plans today?
A

A

Hey, what are you doing?
B

B

I am watching a movie. Are you busy?
A

A

No, I am not working right now. I don't have any meetings.
A

A

Does he live near here?
B

B

No, he doesn't live near here. He lives far away.
A

A

Oh. Does he have a car?
B

B

Yes, he does. He drives to work every day.

Quick FAQ

Q

When do I use don't versus doesn't?

You use don't for I, you, we, they (e.g., "I don't like that"). You use doesn't for he, she, it (e.g., "He doesn't like that"). It depends on who is doing the action.

Q

Can I use do for questions about actions happening 'right now'?

No, for actions happening 'right now', you use a form of be and the -ing verb. For example,

Are you reading?
not
Do you read?
(unless you mean 'Do you read generally?').

Q

Why do we say

Do you have
instead of
Have you
for questions about possession?

In modern English, especially American English, do/does is almost always used as the helper verb for questions and negatives with have when it means possession. While

Have you a car?
might be understood,
Do you have a car?
is much more common and natural.

Q

What's the main difference between "I don't work and I am not working"?

"I don't work

talks about a habit or general fact (e.g.,
I don't have a job«). »I am not working
talks about an action that is not happening at this specific moment (e.g.,
I am not working *right now*").

Cultural Context

Native English speakers use these patterns constantly in daily conversation. You'll often hear contractions like don't and doesn't because they make speech flow more smoothly. While some older or more formal varieties of British English might still use Have you...? for possession, using do/does with have for questions and negatives is overwhelmingly common and natural in contemporary English everywhere.
Don't be afraid to use these helper verbs – they sound very natural!

Exemplos-chave (8)

1

I don't eat meat.

Eu não como carne.

Dizer 'Não' em Inglês: Don't & Doesn't
2

You don't need to hurry.

Você não precisa se apressar.

Dizer 'Não' em Inglês: Don't & Doesn't
3

Do you live in a big city?

Você mora em uma cidade grande?

Fazendo Perguntas: Do e Does (Perguntas no Presente Simples)
4

Does she like to cook dinner?

Ela gosta de cozinhar o jantar?

Fazendo Perguntas: Do e Does (Perguntas no Presente Simples)
5

I don't have a car for the trip.

Eu não tenho um carro para a viagem.

Verbo 'have': Perguntas e negativas (do/does)
6

Do you have a pen I can borrow?

Você tem uma caneta que eu possa pegar emprestado?

Verbo 'have': Perguntas e negativas (do/does)
7

I'm not listening to music right now.

Não estou ouvindo música agora.

Presente Contínuo: Negativas e Perguntas (Estou trabalhando?)
8

Are you working on your project this evening?

Você está trabalhando no seu projeto hoje à noite?

Presente Contínuo: Negativas e Perguntas (Estou trabalhando?)

Dicas e truques (4)

💡

Pense no 'S' para Singular

Lembre-se do 'S' em doesn't e ligue isso aos sujeitos no singular: he (ele), she (ela), it (ele/ela para coisas). Se o seu sujeito não tem som de 'S' (tipo I, you, we, they), use don't! "He doesn't eat meat."
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Dizer 'Não' em Inglês: Don't & Doesn't
💡

Regra do Verbo na Forma Base

Depois de do ou does, o verbo principal da pergunta *sempre* fica na sua forma base. O do/does já carrega a informação do tempo verbal, então o verbo principal fica simples. Pense assim: do/does é o capitão do time, e o verbo principal é o jogador estrela que só precisa entrar em campo!
Do you *like* pizza?
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Fazendo Perguntas: Do e Does (Perguntas no Presente Simples)
💡

Pratique Respostas Curtas

Sabe quando alguém te pergunta algo e você responde rapidinho? Tipo 'Yes, I do.' ou 'No, she doesn't.'. Pratique bastante essas respostas curtas, elas fazem você soar mais natural, como um falante nativo! "Short answers like Yes, I do. or No, she doesn't. are super common in English conversations. Practice them often to sound more natural and confident when responding to questions with do/does have."
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbo 'have': Perguntas e negativas (do/does)
💡

De Olho no Verbo 'To Be'

Olha só! Sempre procure pelo 'am', 'is' ou 'are'. Para negar, o 'not' vem logo depois dele. Para perguntar, o 'am/is/are' pula para o começo da frase! Exemplo: Are you working?
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Presente Contínuo: Negativas e Perguntas (Estou trabalhando?)

Vocabulário-chave (6)

work to perform tasks have to possess study to learn drink to consume liquid now at this moment breakfast morning meal

Real-World Preview

coffee

At the Office

Review Summary

  • Subject + don't/doesn't + verb
  • Do/Does + subject + verb?
  • Do/Does + subject + have?
  • Am/Is/Are + subject + verb-ing?

Erros comuns

When using 'does', the main verb loses the 's'. The auxiliary takes all the work.

Wrong: Does he works here?
Correto: Does he work here?

To ask a question, start with 'Do'. Don't just add a question mark to a statement.

Wrong: I don't have a car? (as a question)
Correto: Do you have a car?

Present continuous requires the -ing ending. Without it, the sentence is grammatically incomplete.

Wrong: Are you work?
Correto: Are you working?

Next Steps

You are building a fantastic foundation. Keep practicing, and don't stop asking questions!

Watch a short English interview and note the questions used.

Continue to: Asking Questions and Saying No

Prática rápida (10)

Qual frase usa 'don't' ou 'doesn't' corretamente?

Escolha a frase correta:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: They don't watch TV.
Para o sujeito 'they' (plural), usamos 'don't'. O verbo 'watch' está corretamente na sua forma base.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Dizer 'Não' em Inglês: Don't & Doesn't

Escolha a forma correta para completar a frase negativa.

My phone ___ charging right now.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: isn't
Para sujeitos no singular como 'My phone', usamos 'is not', que se "contrai para 'isn't'".

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Presente Contínuo: Negativas e Perguntas (Estou trabalhando?)

Escolha a forma correta para completar a frase.

My cat ___ like water.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: doesn't
O sujeito 'My cat' é singular (equivale a 'it'), então usamos 'doesn't'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Dizer 'Não' em Inglês: Don't & Doesn't

Encontre e corrija o erro na frase.

Find and fix the mistake:

He doesn't has a bicycle.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He doesn't have a bicycle.
Quando 'does' é usado, o verbo principal 'have' deve estar na sua forma básica. Então, 'has' muda para 'have'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbo 'have': Perguntas e negativas (do/does)

Escolha a forma correta para completar a frase.

My phone ___ a good camera.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: doesn't have
O sujeito 'My phone' é 'it', então usamos 'doesn't'. Depois de 'doesn't', a forma base 'have' é sempre usada.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbo 'have': Perguntas e negativas (do/does)

Encontre e corrija o erro na frase.

Find and fix the mistake:

She don't speaks Spanish.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She doesn't speak Spanish.
Para 'she', usamos 'doesn't'. Além disso, depois de 'doesn't', o verbo principal (speak) deve estar na sua forma base, sem '-s'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Dizer 'Não' em Inglês: Don't & Doesn't

Encontre e corrija o erro na frase.

Find and fix the mistake:

Does he works on weekends?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Does he work on weekends?
Depois de 'does', o verbo principal deve estar na forma base ('work'), não 'works'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Fazendo Perguntas: Do e Does (Perguntas no Presente Simples)

Qual frase pergunta corretamente sobre posse?

Escolha a frase correta:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Does she have a sister?
Para 'she', usamos 'does'. Depois de 'does', o verbo 'have' está sempre na sua forma básica, não 'has'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Verbo 'have': Perguntas e negativas (do/does)

Qual frase pergunta corretamente sobre um hábito?

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Does she study English?
'She' exige 'does', e o verbo principal 'study' deve estar na forma base.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Fazendo Perguntas: Do e Does (Perguntas no Presente Simples)

Escolha o verbo auxiliar correto para a pergunta.

___ your friends live nearby?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Do
'Your friends' é um sujeito plural (they), então usamos 'Do'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Fazendo Perguntas: Do e Does (Perguntas no Presente Simples)

Score: /10

Perguntas comuns (6)

Eles são usados para tornar os verbos negativos no presente simples, indicando que uma ação ou hábito 'não' acontece. Pense neles como o 'não' para ações regulares. Por exemplo, "I don't go to work on Sundays."
Você usa don't com os sujeitos I (eu), you (você/vocês), we (nós), they (eles/elas), e quaisquer substantivos plurais (ex: 'students', 'my parents'). Por exemplo, "We don't understand".
Do e does funcionam como verbos auxiliares para formar perguntas de sim/não no presente simples. Eles sinalizam que uma pergunta está sendo feita sobre hábitos, rotinas ou fatos gerais.
Do you like to swim?
Você usa do para os sujeitos I, you, we e they (e substantivos no plural). Você usa does para os sujeitos he, she e it (e substantivos no singular). É tudo uma questão de concordância verbal!
Do they live here?
/
Does she work there?
'Have', quando usado como verbo principal para posse, funciona como a maioria dos outros verbos em inglês. Ele precisa dos verbos auxiliares 'do' ou 'does' para formar perguntas e frases negativas, diferente do verbo 'be' que faz isso sozinho.
Não tem diferença no significado! 'Do not have' é a forma completa, enquanto 'don't have' é a forma contraída. 'Don't have' é muito mais comum no inglês falado do dia a dia e na escrita informal, deixando as conversas mais naturais.
Capítulo anterior
Describing Your World and Actions
Próximo capítulo
Asking Questions and Saying No
Voltar ao roteiro