Difference Between Do Not & Don’t

Do not and Don’t are two forms of usage in English grammar with some differences between them. Don’t is the shortened form of ‘do not’. Don’t is often used in spoken English, while ‘do not’ is more frequently used in written English. This is the main distinction between the two forms.

It’s important to note that the form ‘don’t’ is used with first person, second person, and third person plural pronouns. Observe the sentences below:

1. I don’t know what to say.
2. You don’t seem to understand the situation.
3. They don’t give a proper reply.

In all of the sentences above, the form ‘don’t’ is used with the first person, second person, and third person pronouns. It is used for both the singular and plural forms of the first person pronoun, singular and plural forms of the second person pronoun, and only the plural form of the third person pronoun. This is an essential observation regarding the third person.

Conversely, observe these two sentences:

1. I do not read magazines every day.
2. You do not come tomorrow.
3. They do not stick to rules.

In all three sentences above, the form ‘do not’ is used with the first person, second person, and third person pronouns. Just like ‘don’t’, it is also used for both the singular and plural forms of the first person pronoun, singular and plural forms of the second person pronoun, and only the plural form of the third person pronoun. These are the significant differences between the two forms, don’t and do not.

Key Takeaways

• Don’t is the shortened form of ‘do not’ and is more common in spoken English, while ‘do not’ is more frequent in written English.
• Both ‘don’t’ and ‘do not’ can be used with first person, second person, and third person plural pronouns.
• For the third person pronoun, ‘don’t’ and ‘do not’ are only used in the plural form.