What is the difference between Doesn't and Don't? - ProProfs Discuss
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What is the difference between Doesn't and Don't?

What is the difference between Doesn't and Don't?

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Asked by Marlon , Last updated: Dec 16, 2024

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9 Answers

Maxence

Maxence

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Maxence
Maxence , Writer, Vienna

Answered Dec 30, 2020

Both words don’t and doesn’t are contractions. Don’t is a contraction of do not, doesn’t is a contraction of does not, and both acts as auxiliary verbs. In English, don’t is applied when speaking in the first-and second-person plural and singular and third-person plural. It can be utilized for making negative statements. Doesn’t is used when speaking in the third person singular only. Don’t and doesn’t are both negative statements. For example, you could say, “I don’t have time to talk to you.” Or, she doesn’t much care for that movie. Doesn’t cannot be used to give a command, while don’t is used to give out commands. For example, you could say, “Don’t pick up the phone.” But you cannot say, “Doesn’t pick up the phone.” It is common sense to use the word don’t rather than doesn’t.
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C. Hughes

C. Hughes

Learning new things along with my music

C. Hughes
C. Hughes, Musician, MA, Bradford

Answered Dec 22, 2020

It can be confusing to know which contraction you are about to use. When you say don’t, this is a contraction of the words do not. When you say doesn’t, this is a contraction of the words does not. You will normally use don’t when the subject or what you are referring to is in the first- or second-person plural form.

You would use doesn’t when what you are referring to is in its singular form. You are also going to use this when you are speaking in the third person. There are also times when you would use “don’t” when you would like to give commands but this is not something that you can do when you are going to use “doesn’t.”

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Anthony Paul Bonadio

Anthony Paul Bonadio

Its kind of my job to give answers

Anthony Paul Bonadio
Anthony Paul Bonadio, Teacher, MCA, PhD, Toledo

Answered Dec 18, 2020

The words "doesn't" and "don't" are actually negative in expressions. Explicitly, these words mean "does not" and "do not," respectively. These words, grammatically, have the same meaning. But don't it is used in a wider range than doesn't. Fundamentally, the two words are verbs: the negative form of does and do.

Nevertheless, don't is also used as a noun sometimes, basically in the term "dos and don'ts," which means "what is" and "what ought not" to be done. In addition, I would say "don't" is also used as an interjection or exclamation sometimes too.

When it is used in this form, it means "to stop." Back to their meanings and used as verbs, you can only use "doesn't" alongside any third person singular pronouns or nouns. Don't can then be used with any other form, such as first-person and second-person plural and singular, and third-person plural.

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L. Agate

L. Agate

L. Agate
L. Agate

Answered Dec 11, 2020

Doesn't and don't are both contractions, which mean the same thing. The major discrepancy between the two is that the word " don't is the contraction of do not, and the word doesn't is the contraction for do and not.

It is a negative form of the first and second person on the third person plural of the verb 'to do.' It is used with pronouns I, we, and they. The negative form is don't, while the positive is do. Some instances of these words in sentences include: She doesn't know English, which is correct.

However, she doesn't know English is incorrect. Also, I don't wash my hair in the morning is correct, while I doesn't wash my hair in the morning is erroneous. The two words are different grammatically.

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Ben

Ben

But Can you play this?

Ben
Ben , Professional Gamer, Styria

Answered Nov 27, 2020

The words “don’t” and “doesn’t” can have relatively the same meaning, but their usages are entirely different, and they can, in no way, be used interchangeably. The word “doesn’t is a contraction of “does” and “not”, while the word “don’t” is a contraction of “do” and “not”. You might be wondering, how exactly they are correctly used. “Doesn’t is used together with a third person singular noun or pronoun, while “don’t” can be used with first and second person singular and plural noun or pronoun, as well as a third-person plural noun or pronoun. For example, you can use “doesn’t” in a sentence with words such as he, she, and it, or when there is a noun form that has the tendency to take any of he, she, and it in their pronoun form. But when it comes to other kinds of pronouns such as I, you, we, they, or nouns that can take any of the pronouns listed earlier in their pronoun form, then “don’t” can be used.
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Zack

Zack

Find happiness in writing new things.

Zack
Zack , English Professor, PhD, Basel

Answered Nov 18, 2020

When you use the term “don’t,” this is a contraction of the words “do not.” If you want to shortcut, then “don’t” You will also use this when you are speaking in the first and second person. You are going to use “doesn’t” when you are using a third-person singular subject. Take note that you are going to use “doesn’t” also for the present tense. It will be ideal if you know how to use these two words because getting confused can change the grammar of the sentence that you are creating. When it comes to the intention of using these words, there is no difference. You just need to use “don’t” when you are talking about more than one subject.
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Charlie Rogers

Charlie Rogers

Management is the key to success

Charlie Rogers
Charlie Rogers, Manager, Bachelor of Management Studies (BMS), Lexington, Kentucky

Answered Jul 23, 2020

In the English language, contraction words are used to joint two words together and shorten them. Two of the many contraction words that are used are Doesn't and Don't. Doesn't combines the words does not. Don't means do not.

They both mean the same thing, but they are used in different contexts depending on what is grammatically correct. An example of using the word doesn't in a sentence is "He doesn't like cake because it is too sweet". An example of using don't in a sentence is "I don't like rainy days because I am unable to go outside and play".

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W. Ira

W. Ira

W. Ira
W. Ira

Answered Jul 20, 2020

One obvious similarity between the two is they are both known to be contractions. When you say contraction, this means that this is the shortcut of two words that are placed together. Don’t is the contraction of do not while doesn’t is the contraction of does not. You normally use does not when it is being followed by a singular noun.


For example, you can say, “Sherry does not like to have her ears pierced.” You can exchange does not with doesn’t. So it will be “Sherry doesn’t like to have her ears pierced.” When you say don’t, this is usually followed by plural nouns. So you can say, “The cats do not like their new dry food.” Or if you would change do not into a contraction, it will be, “The cats don’t like their new cat food.”

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Bergeront Tiffney

Bergeront Tiffney

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Bergeront Tiffney
Bergeront Tiffney, Computer Engineer, M. Tech, Southeast Montgomery

Answered Jul 13, 2020

Before I go into their differences, it is important to know that "Doesn't" is just another way of writing "Does not" and "Don't" is just a shortened form of "Do not." The word doesn't is usually regarded as the negative form of Does, and the same explanation goes for the word don't, just that it is the negative form of "Do." When both are used in the same context, they are actually conveying the same meaning, but they cannot be used in place of one another because it will be grammatically wrong to do so.

Before I go into their differences, it is important to know that
This is because "doesn't" is used mostly with singular pronouns such as she, he, and singular nouns. For example, Rachael (She) doesn't like reading at night. On the other hand, "don't " is used with plural pronouns and nouns since it is also in its plural form. For example I don't like associating with people who are not loyal to me.

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