How to make negative sentences in English

Making negative sentences in English

To form negative sentences in English, you generally use the word “not” after an auxiliary verb or modal verb. Here’s how to create negative sentences based on different verb tenses and structures:

1. With auxiliary verbs (do, does,did)

• Present simple:
  • I/You/We/They: I do not (don’t) like coffee.
  • He/She/It: He does not (doesn’t) like coffee.
• Past simple:
  • They did not (didn’t) go to the concert (All pronouns use didn’t).

2. With the verb “be” (Be sure to use the proper conjugation of the “be” verbs you are using (am/are/is/was/were).

• Present:
  • I am not happy.
  • You are not (aren’t) here.
  • He/She/It is not (isn’t) ready.
  • We/They are not (aren’t) coming.
• Past:
  • I/he/she/it was not (wasn’t) there.
  • You/They were not (weren’t) at the meeting.

3. With modal verbs (can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might, must)

• I cannot (can’t) swim.
• She could not (couldn’t) find her keys.
• They will not (won’t) attend the event.

4. With “have” for present perfect

• I have not (haven’t) seen that movie.
• She has not (hasn’t) finished her homework.

5. With continuous tenses

• Present continuous:
  • She is not (isn’t) eating dinner now.
• Past continuous:
  • They were not (weren’t) playing outside.

6. With future tenses

• Going to:
  • I am (I’m) not going to travel this weekend.
• Will:
  • I will not (won’t) be available tomorrow.

7. Negative imperatives

• Use “do not” or “don’t” at the beginning of the sentence:
  • Do not touch that.
  • Don’t worry.

Key Points:

• Contractions: In spoken or informal written English, contractions like “don’t,” “isn’t,” “aren’t,” etc., are commonly used for a more natural flow.
• Placement of “not”: “Not” generally follows the auxiliary verb or modal verb. If there’s no auxiliary verb in the affirmative sentence, you’ll insert “do” or “does” for present simple or “did” for past simple.
• Double negatives: In standard English, double negatives are considered incorrect (“I don’t have nothing” would be “I don’t have anything” or “I have nothing”).

By understanding these structures, you can construct negative sentences across different tenses and contexts in English. Remember, the context and formality can influence whether you use the full form or contractions.

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