[Grammar] Regarding the usage of verb

[Joe333]

Sentence: "I'm thinking of buying the book "Tribal Leadership". Has/does anybody read it ?"


My question: Which verb, has or does, would be correct in the sentence ?


**My own feeling is verb "has" should come there. But I'm asking still because I often get confuse regarding the usage of verb "does" with "Is", "has" and present tense types. So, along with the answer of my question please also tell something about the usage of verb "does". So that my confusion get cleared forever.


Regards and thanks

 

[kfredson]

Sentence: "I'm thinking of buying the book "Tribal Leadership". Has/does anybody read it ?"


My question: Which verb, has or does, would be correct in the sentence ?


**My own feeling is verb "has" should come there. But I'm asking still because I often get confuse regarding the usage of verb "does" with "Is", "has" and present tense types. So, along with the answer of my question please also tell something about the usage of verb "does". So that my confusion get cleared forever.


Regards and thanks

Yes, I can see how this is confusing. You are, indeed, correct. Has is correct here, assuming that you are addressing a group of people.

"Does anybody read it?" would mean, "Do people in society in general read this book? Or is it a book that nobody ever reads?"

 

[ollieacappella]

Hi, razer. I'm not a teacher.

The correct auxiliary verb to use is "has". You are asking whether they have read it in the past at any point in time up to the present, so you must use the present perfect tense. The present simple tense ("Does anybody read it?") would be referring to past, present and future habits, i.e., "Does anybody read this?" = "Does anybody read the book on a regular basis."

Another tense which would refer to the past is the simple past ("Did anybody read it?") but, in this case, this would imply that you had wanted/expected them to read it, and had told them so previously.

The present simple form of "to read" is "read" /ri:d/, and the past participle is also "read" /rɛd/. Note the difference in pronunciation.

Correct version: "Has anybody read it?"

 

[kfredson]

Thank you for this explication, olieacappella. Very useful. I'm glad you've joined this forum!

 

[simon1234]

Hi there,
Then how about the at a Question and Answer session at a forum. The M.C. will usually ask, 'Does anyone have a question?'
Does this question refer to the present, past, future habit?

tks
simon

 

[ollieacappella]

Then how about the at a Question and Answer session at a forum. The M.C. will usually ask, 'Does anyone have a question?'
Does this question refer to the present, past, future habit?

Hi, simon1234. Here, the verb "to have" means "to own" which means it is in its stative verb form. It can be a dynamic verb in other situations.

When a stative verb is used in the present simple, it does not signify a habit but a "state" in the present time. "I hate you." = "Right now, I feel strong feelings of hatred towards you." Similarly, "Does anybody have a question?" = "Right now, are there any questions you would like to ask?".

When a dynamic verb is used in the present simple, it does signify a habit, like "to read" in the above post.

 

[Joe333]

Thanks everybody for your replies . I got it. If learners in the forum want more explanations on this topic then they can visit the link given at the end of this post to see the reply of this person who also has grasp-of-English-language.

Link:Regarding the usage of verb