Spoken EnglishNegation in English

by

Ash Vyas

Negation in English Grammar

Negation states that something is not true or incorrect.

There are 2 ways to add negation in the sentence:

1. Add word “Not”

2. Use negative words such as:

None, Neither.. nor, No-one, Never, Nobody, Nothing, Nowhere,

Little, a little, few, a few, Hardly, Hardly ever, rarely, scarcely, seldom.

Note: When you use negative word, don’t use word ‘Not’

‘Not’ with To be Verb [Present Tense]

Examples:

I am working hard. -> I am not (aren’t) working hard.

He/She/It is working hard. -> He/She/It is not (isn’t) working hard

They/You/We are working hard. -> They/You/We are not (aren’t) working hard.

‘Not’ with To be Verb [Past Tense]

Examples:

I was working hard. -> I was not (wasn’t) working hard.

He/She/It was working hard. -> He/She/It was not (wasn’t) working hard.

They/You/We were working hard. -> They/You/We were not (weren’t) working

hard.

‘Not’ with To be Verb [Future Tense]

Examples:

I will work hard. -> I will not (won’t) work hard.

He/She/It will work hard. -> He/She/It will not (won’t) work hard.

They/You/We will work hard. -> They/You/We will not (won’t) work hard.

‘Not’ with Auxiliaries

Examples:

•I/You/We/They do not(don't) want to do the dishes!

•He/She/It does not(doesn't) have the license!

•I/You/We/They did not(didn't) want to do the dishes!

•He/She/It did not(didn't) have the license!

•I/You/We/They haven’t run faster.

•He/She/It hasn’t run faster.

•I/You/We/They/ He/She/It hadn’t ran faster.

Notes:

•Sometimes, you will not see the auxiliary in the sentence. So you need to add it by

identifying the tense.

•For present tense, auxiliary will be do or does and for past tense auxiliary will be

did. Please use infinitive with auxiliary.

Example:

I want to dance -> I don’t want to dance.

She went shopping yesterday -> She didn’t go shopping yesterday.

‘Not’ with Modal Verbs

*credit: anglolink

Negative Words

Positive Word Negative Verb Negative Word

Some Not Any No

Someone Not Anyone No-one

Something Not Anything Nothing

Always Not ever Never

Still Not Anymore No Longer

Both Not… either.. Or Neither…. Nor

Much Not Much (very) little

Many Not many (Very) few

*credit: anglolink

*credit: anglolink

Neither

Neither allows us to make a negative statement about two people or things at the

same time.

Example:

Neither dress fitted her. (There were two dresses and not one of them fitted her.)

Neither of us went to the concert.

Neither…. Nor

Neither … nor connects two or more negative alternatives.

Example:

•Italy didn’t get to the quarter finals last year. Also, France didn’t get to the quarter finals.

•Neither Italy nor France got to the quarter finals last year.

•She doesn’t like coffee. She doesn’t like tea.

•She likes neither coffee nor tea

Note:

Don’t add ‘Not’ while using negative words.

Any Questions?

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