Negative Sentences with Not
A1 · BeginnerNegativesI don't like coffee. She isn't ready. 'Not' never attaches to an ordinary verb on its own — it always rides on an auxiliary or 'be'.
What you'll learn
- 'Not' attaches to be (isn't, aren't, wasn't) or to an auxiliary (don't, doesn't, didn't, haven't, can't...), never directly to an ordinary main verb
- An ordinary verb (like, work, go...) needs do/does/did to carry the negation for it
- Modals negate the same way — can't, won't, mustn't, shouldn't — 'not' attaches right after the modal
- The full, uncontracted form (do not, does not, is not) is grammatical everywhere but sounds more formal or emphatic than the contraction
'Not' needs something to attach to
In English, you can't just put 'not' in front of a verb and negate it. 'Not' always attaches to be, or to a helping (auxiliary) verb — never directly to an ordinary main verb like 'like' or 'work'.
Negating be
With be, 'not' simply goes right after it: am not, isn't, aren't, wasn't, weren't. No extra auxiliary is needed — be does the job itself.
Negating an ordinary verb
For every other verb, English borrows do/does/did just to carry the negation — the main verb itself goes back to its plain form.
Negating modals
Modal verbs (can, will, must, should...) negate the same simple way — 'not' attaches right after the modal, often as one contracted word.
Real English
Watch out
'Not' can never attach directly to an ordinary main verb — it needs do/does/did to carry it.
The auxiliary has to agree with the subject — 'she/he/it' takes 'doesn't', not 'don't'.
'Amn't' isn't standard English — 'am' negates as two separate words, 'am not', usually contracted onto the subject as I'm.
Real life — Making plans
"Do you want to grab dinner tonight?"
"I can't, actually — I haven't finished this report yet."
"No worries. I don't have plans tomorrow either, if that works."
"That works. I'm not busy tomorrow."
Practice
Exercise 1 · Choose the correct negative sentence
Choose the correct negative sentence.
Exercise 2 · Choose the correct negative sentence
Choose the correct negative sentence.
Exercise 3 · Choose the correct negative sentence
Choose the correct negative sentence.
Exercise 4 · Choose the correct negative sentence
Choose the correct negative sentence.
Exercise 5 · Choose the correct negative sentence
Choose the correct negative sentence.
Exercise 6 · Choose the correct negative sentence
Choose the correct negative sentence.
Exercise 7 · Choose the correct negative sentence
Choose the correct negative sentence.
Exercise 8 · Choose the correct negative sentence
Choose the correct negative sentence — the full (uncontracted) form.
Exercise 9 · Make the sentence negative
Make this negative: 'She works here.'
Exercise 10 · Make the sentence negative
Make this negative: 'They were happy.'
Exercise 11 · Sort into groups
0 / 6 sorted
Quick challenge
Five quick questions to check what stuck.
Question 1 / 5
Score: 0/0
Choose the correct negative sentence.
You learned
- 'Not' attaches to be or to an auxiliary (do/does/did, have, a modal) — never directly to an ordinary main verb.
- An ordinary verb borrows do/does/did just to carry the negation.
- The auxiliary must agree with the subject (doesn't for she/he/it, don't elsewhere).
- The full form (do not, is not) is grammatical everywhere but sounds more formal or emphatic than the contraction.
Related grammar lessons
No, Never, Nobody and Nothing
Learn the 'no-words' — no, never, nobody, nothing, nowhere — a second, equally natural way to make an English sentence negative.
Negative Questions
Learn how to build a negative question — the contracted auxiliary + n't inverts in front of the subject, for both yes/no and wh-questions.
Double Negatives
Learn why standard English never combines a negative verb with a no-word — and how to fix the classic 'I don't have no money' mistake.
Positive and Negative Imperatives
Learn the imperative — the base form of a verb, with no subject, used for commands, instructions, and warnings — and its negative with 'don't'.