How to Teach "Do & Does" & "Have & Has" to TESOL Students

Learning verbs in English can be difficult at times, particularly with irregular verbs such as "to be." However, in the case of "to do" and "to have," there is only one variation on the regular conjugation. By explaining this to the students, you will give them a sound grounding in the language and will help them to speak English without mistakes. Teaching students the verbs "to have" and "to do" should be early-on in an English course since these are both important and commonly used words.

Write a table on the white board at the front of the class, showing the different conjugations of the verb "to have." In column one, write the singular person pronouns and their conjugations, such as "I have." In column two, write the plural pronouns and their conjugations, such as "we have." Doing this will show that only the third person singular takes "has." Repeat this table with the verb "to do."

Explain the conjugations to the students. In both cases, when saying "he, "she" or it", use "has" or "does." In all other cases, use "do" or "have." This rule is a simple one to remember, and will be easy for you to explain.

Practice the difference as a class. Write a series of sentences on the board, with the verb missing. Ask students at random to fill in the gap. For example, "You ___ got one more apple than me." Students will learn by interacting, and will get involved with the exercise.

Correct the students if they make a mistake when speaking. By practicing speaking, they will learn the basics of the language. Correct students, and they will begin to learn and remember the rules.