does not works

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "does not works" is not correct in English.
The correct form is "does not work." You can use the correct phrase when stating that something is not functioning or not effective. Example: "The printer does not work, so we need to find a solution."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Wiki

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

[This solution does not works as of July 2012] ).

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Insularity does not work.

The Economist

Democracy does not work.

The New York Times

This usually does not work.

The New Yorker

Talent alone does not work.

The New York Times - Sports

Abstinence-only does not work.

The Economist

Self regulation does not work.

The Guardian

That does not work.

International Journal of Disaster Risk Science

Retraining does not work.

Forbes

Sometimes technology does not work.

Forbes

This, unfortunately, does not work.

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the correct grammatical form "does not work" or the contracted form "doesn't work". Avoid using "does not works" in formal and informal writing.

Common error

Ensure the verb agrees with the subject. After "does not", use the base form of the verb (e.g., "work"), not the third-person singular form (e.g., "works").

Linguistic Context

The phrase "does not works" attempts to function as a negative declarative statement, aiming to express that something is not functional or effective. However, it fails grammatically.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Wiki

33%

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "does not works" is grammatically incorrect; the correct form is "does not work" or the contraction "doesn't work". As Ludwig AI points out, the auxiliary verb "does" requires the base form of the verb. While examples of the incorrect phrase exist across various sources, including wikis, news media, and scientific publications, it's crucial to use the correct grammatical form in both formal and informal writing. Alternatives such as "is not working", "fails to work", and "is ineffective" can be used depending on the intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

doesn't work

Contraction of "does not" to "doesn't" for a more informal tone, maintaining the same meaning.

does not function

Replaces the word "work" with "function" which is a more formal alternative.

is not working

Uses the present continuous tense to indicate something is currently not functioning.

fails to work

Emphasizes the failure or inability to operate as intended.

is ineffective

Focuses on the lack of desired outcome or result.

is not effective

Indicates a lack of efficacy or success.

is not operational

Describes a state of being out of service or non-functioning, typically for machinery or systems.

is out of order

Indicates a temporary state of being non-functional or broken.

does not operate

A more formal way of saying something is not in use or action.

is broken

A simple and direct way to say something is damaged and not working.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "does not works"?

The correct way to say it is "does not work" or "doesn't work". The auxiliary verb "does" requires the base form of the verb.

Is "does not works" ever grammatically correct?

No, "does not works" is never grammatically correct in standard English. The correct form is "does not work."

What are some alternatives to "does not work"?

Some alternatives include "is not working", "fails to work", or "is ineffective", depending on the context.

How can I remember to use the correct form, "does not work"?

Remember that "does" is a helping verb that requires the base form of the main verb. Just as you would say "he does run", you should say "it does not work".