English — Emphatic do
In an affirmative statement or an imperative, English can add the auxiliary do/does/did to stress that the action really happens — as in I do like it or Do sit down. The verb after it stays in its base form.
How it works
Place do/does/did before the base verb in a positive sentence to emphasize the truth of the statement: I do like it, She does know the answer, We did warn you. In imperatives, do before the verb makes an invitation or request stronger and warmer: Do sit down, Do come in. The main verb never takes an ending — you say He does try, not He does tries.
Examples
| Plain statement | Emphatic with do |
|---|---|
| I like it. | I do like it. |
| She knows the answer. | She does know the answer. |
| We warned you. | We did warn you. |
| He looks tired. | He does look tired. |
| They came, after all. | They did come, after all. |
| Sit down. | Do sit down. |
| Come in. | Do come in. |
Good to know
Emphatic do cannot combine with another auxiliary or with be: you say I am ready, not I do be ready, and I have finished, not I do have finished. It also does not appear in questions or negatives — there the do is grammatical, not emphatic (Do you like it? / I don't like it). When speaking, stress falls on do itself: I DO like it.