Do

Forms

• dictionary form (bare infinitive): do /du:/
• present tense: does /dʌz/ (3s), do (1s/p, 2s/p, 3p)
• past tense: did

• present participle: doing
• past participle: done /dʌn/

Syntax

Auxiliary for simple present and simple past

do is the auxiliary verb marking the simple past and present.

• It is used both in negative and interrogative sentences to fuse with the grammatical markers of time and person.
• In affirmative sentences it is not required. It can however be used emphatically (contrastives, tag questions).
• It is also used to refer to the previous main verb in discourse.

I gave you the password yesterday.

No you didn't.

Light verb

A sentence like, "yes, let's do that" takes its meaning from the preceding context.

• Shall we make dinner?
• We could just leave this until tomorrow.
• We could survey a couple hundred people and see what they think before making a decision.

Semantics

Make or Do?

Generally you do repetitive tasks, but when you make something you create it.