Negation - English

Making Sentences Negative with "not"

To make a sentence negative in English, you often use "not." This word comes after a form of "to be," "to have," or an auxiliary verb like "can" or "do."

• With "to be":

  • I am not tired.
  • He is not here.
  • They are not ready.

• With "can":

  • She cannot swim. or She can't swim.
  • We cannot go.

• With "do" (present simple):

  • I do not like apples. or I don't like apples.
  • He does not know the answer. or He doesn't know the answer.

• With "have":

  • I have not seen that movie. or I haven't seen that movie.
  • They have not finished. or They haven't finished.

Using Negative Words and Phrases

English uses special words to express negation without "not":

• never: at no time

  • I never eat breakfast.
  • She never calls.

• nobody: no person

  • Nobody was at the party.
  • Nobody knows the answer.

• nothing: no thing

  • There is nothing in the box.
  • I have nothing to do.

• nowhere: no place

  • He goes nowhere on weekends.
  • There is nowhere to sit.

Using "no" and "none"

• "No" is used before a noun to give a negative meaning.

  • There is no milk in the fridge.
  • No students were late.

• "None" replaces a noun to show a quantity of zero.

  • I have two books. You have none.
  • None of the answers are correct.