Meaning & use
dos and don'ts
Last updated
Meanings
phraseplural
The things you should do and the things you should avoid in a particular situation, treated as a set of advice or rules.
Grammar: Always plural, so it takes a plural verb: the dos and don'ts are simple.
Patterns
- the dos and don'ts of something
Before the interview, she read a list of dos and don'ts for job seekers.
The guide explains the dos and don'ts of visiting a temple.
Every new camper gets a sheet of dos and don'ts on the first day.
phraseplural
The unwritten rules of polite or expected behavior in a group, culture or setting.
Grammar: Often used with a place or group: the dos and don'ts of office life.
Patterns
- the dos and don'ts of somewhere
My cousin taught me the dos and don'ts of dinner in her country.
New staff quickly pick up the dos and don'ts of the workplace.
Travel blogs are full of dos and don'ts about tipping.
Common combinations
- a list of dos and don'ts
- The school gave parents a list of dos and don'ts for exam week.
- learn the dos and don'ts
- It takes time to learn the dos and don'ts of a new job.
- the dos and don'ts of etiquette
- The book covers the dos and don'ts of business etiquette.
- basic dos and don'ts
- Here are some basic dos and don'ts for first-time hikers.
- explain the dos and don'ts
- The trainer explained the dos and don'ts of using the machine.
Synonyms and how they differ
- guidelines
- Guidelines are general advice that can be flexible, while dos and don'ts are split clearly into what to do and what to avoid.
- rules
- Rules are firm and often enforced, whereas dos and don'ts can be friendly tips or social customs.
- etiquette
- Etiquette is only about polite behavior, while dos and don'ts can also cover safety or practical advice.
Word family
- do verb
- the base verb from which dos comes
- don't verb
- the short form of do not
- do's noun
- a variant spelling of dos, seen less often in careful writing
Commonly confused: dos and don'ts or do's and don'ts?
dos and don'ts vs do's and don'ts
Some writers add an apostrophe to dos, but the plural of do is normally written dos, and only don'ts needs the apostrophe.
Practice
Which sentence uses the phrase correctly?
Choose one answer.
The phrase is a plural set, so don'ts needs its apostrophe in the contraction and the final s. The other options misplace or drop the apostrophe.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “dos and don'ts”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.