Meaning & use
dos and don't
Last updated
Meaning
nounusually plural
A set of practical rules or advice telling people what behavior is recommended and what should be avoided in a particular situation.
Grammar: Takes a plural verb: the dos and don'ts are listed below.
Patterns
- the dos and don'ts of something
Before you travel to Japan, read up on the dos and don'ts of dining etiquette.
The poster listed the dos and don'ts of using the lab equipment.
My sister gave me a quick list of dos and don'ts for my first job interview.
Common combinations
- the dos and don'ts of something
- She wrote a guide to the dos and don'ts of online banking.
- a list of dos and don'ts
- The school handed out a list of dos and don'ts for field trips.
- learn the dos and don'ts
- New volunteers must learn the dos and don'ts before meeting patients.
- basic dos and don'ts
- The leaflet covers the basic dos and don'ts of food safety.
Synonyms and how they differ
- guidelines
- Guidelines sounds more official and suggests general recommendations, while dos and don'ts spells out specific actions to take and avoid.
- rules
- Rules are usually binding and may be enforced, whereas dos and don'ts can be mere friendly advice.
- etiquette
- Etiquette refers only to socially polite behavior, while dos and don'ts can cover any practical topic such as safety or cooking.
Word family
- do noun
- something you are advised to do
- don't noun
- something you are advised not to do
- do's noun
- a less common spelling of dos
Commonly confused: dos and don't or do's and don'ts?
dos and don't vs do's and don'ts
Some writers add an apostrophe to dos, but most style guides prefer dos and don'ts.
Practice
Our manager gave us a sheet with the ___ of handling customer complaints.
Choose one answer.
Dos and don'ts is the fixed phrase for advice on what to do and avoid; the other options are not idiomatic.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “dos and don't”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.