"what comes" vs "what does come"

Question

Hello all,Is the 2nd form correct and it basically means the same? I've almost always seen the 1st one being used.1. "What comes to your mind when I say 'dentist'?"2. "What does come to your mind when I say 'dentist'?"Thanks

Vchekh · Accepted Answer

The second one doesn't sound grammatical. <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/37.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/37.gif' alt='Emotion: thinking'/>

Tanit · Answer

Hi,

Questions starting with "who" and "what" are special, because the grammar depends on whether they're being used as subjects or objects.

Let's consider these two sentences:

Who saw you? (Who is the subject here; no "does" or "did" or any other modal verb)
Who did you see? (Who is the object: you need "does" or "did" ... oh, and yes, some grammarians will tell you that you should put "whom" instead of "who" ... )

Now, in your sentence "what" is the subject, so no "does" or "did". Only no. 1 is fine. For the same reason, you don't put any auxiliary/modal verb in sentences like "What happened?", "What has four legs and makes weird sounds during the night?"

However, when "what" is being used as an object, we do need an auxiliary/modal verb, as in "What did you say?","What have you done?" ,"What will you do?", "What would you like?" etc.

Hope it was clear, because I'm not sure I explained it very well ...

Tommyek · Answer

Hi Tanit!

To make sure, possible answers might look like

subject question

What happened?

Strange things happened.

object question

Who did you see?

I saw a big hairy spider.

---------

What saw you?

A big hairy spider saw me.

Thanks!

Tommyek · Answer

But, how to make negative subject question?

'What happend?' -> 'What didn't happen?' ?

Anonymous · Answer

Hi,

The 'What didn't happen'? seems to be OK. You need to apply a sort of interrogative intonation here.

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Is the 2nd form correct and it basically means the same? I've almost always seen the 1st one being used.

1. "What comes to your mind when I say 'dentist'?"

2. "What does come to your mind when I say 'dentist'?"

This use of the auxiliary with a positive form is common when we really want to emphasize what is said. So, you need a context in which emphasis is appropriate. eg

Tom: What comes to your mind when I say 'dentist'.

Bob: Well, pain doesn't come to my mind. Nor do teeth. Nor does a drill. Nor does a cavity. Nor does an x-ray.

Tom: (getting exasperated) Well, what does come to your mind when I say 'dentist.'

The 'does' would be pronounced with some emphaiss.

In a special context like this, your #2 is fine.

Clive

Insano · Answer

Great, thanks all!

"what comes" vs "what does come"

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