Negative sentences

To make a sentence negative we add ⟦not⟧, usually in its short form ⟦n't⟧. With ⟦be⟧ and ⟦can⟧ it goes straight after the verb (⟦isn't⟧, ⟦can't⟧). With other verbs we need a helping verb: ⟦don't⟧, ⟦doesn't⟧ or ⟦didn't⟧.

Key facts

  • ⟦be⟧: ⟦I am not⟧ (⟦I'm not⟧), ⟦he is not⟧ (⟦isn't⟧), ⟦they are not⟧ (⟦aren't⟧): ⟦She isn't hungry.⟧
  • ⟦can⟧: ⟦cannot⟧ or ⟦can't⟧; ⟦will⟧: ⟦will not⟧ or ⟦won't⟧: ⟦We can't come.⟧ ⟦I won't forget.⟧
  • Present: ⟦don't⟧ (⟦I, you, we, they⟧) or ⟦doesn't⟧ (⟦he, she, it⟧) + the verb with no ⟦-s⟧: ⟦He doesn't like fish.⟧
  • Past: ⟦didn't⟧ for everyone + the base form of the verb: ⟦They didn't go.⟧ (not ⟦didn't went⟧).
  • Never just put ⟦not⟧ before an ordinary verb: say ⟦I don't know⟧, not ⟦I not know⟧.

Worked examples

Example 1

Make it negative: ⟦He is tired.⟧

  1. The verb is ⟦is⟧, a form of ⟦be⟧.
  2. Add ⟦not⟧ after it: ⟦is not⟧, or the short form ⟦isn't⟧.
  3. ⟦He isn't tired.⟧

Answer: ⟦He isn't tired.⟧ (⟦He is not tired.⟧)

Example 2

Make it negative: ⟦My sister plays tennis.⟧

  1. ⟦plays⟧ is an ordinary verb, so we need a helping verb.
  2. ⟦My sister⟧ is one person, so we use ⟦doesn't⟧, and ⟦plays⟧ loses its ⟦-s⟧.
  3. ⟦My sister doesn't play tennis.⟧

Answer: ⟦My sister doesn't play tennis.⟧

Example 3

Make it negative: ⟦We saw the film.⟧

  1. ⟦saw⟧ is past, so we use ⟦didn't⟧.
  2. ⟦didn't⟧ already shows the past, so the verb goes back to its base form: ⟦see⟧.
  3. ⟦We didn't see the film.⟧

Answer: ⟦We didn't see the film.⟧

Example 4

Correct the mistake: ⟦She don't like coffee.⟧

  1. ⟦She⟧ is one person.
  2. With ⟦he⟧, ⟦she⟧ and ⟦it⟧ we use ⟦doesn't⟧, not ⟦don't⟧.
  3. ⟦She doesn't like coffee.⟧

Answer: ⟦She doesn't like coffee.⟧