Negative sentences

Negative sentences are created by placing an auxiliary verb (The primary auxiliary verbs
are be, have, and do.) and not before the main verb. The auxiliary verb depends on
the tense we are using.

We use

do + not in simple tenses,

be + not in progressive tenses (action is being continued)

have + not in perfect tenses (action has been completed)

have + be + not in perfect progressive tenses. (action that begins in the past and lasts until a
present)

The boy is from England, but the girl is not from England.

They are not talking because she doesn’t speak English.

They have not got a dictionary.

Negative sentences using not

full form contraction

I I am not I’m not

simple present you, we, they you are not you’re not/you aren’t
he, she, it he is not he’s not/he isn’t
I, he, she, it I was not I wasn’t
simple past
you, we, they you were not you weren’t

Negative sentences using do

pronoun full form contraction

I, you, we, they I do not I don’t
simple present
he, she, it he does not he doesn’t
simple past all forms I did not I didn’t

Negative sentences using not, have, and will

full form contraction

I have not spoken.
She has not spoken.
We had not spoken.
They will not speak.
English is not spoken there.
I haven’t spoken./I’ve not spoken.
She hasn’t spoken./She’s not spoken.
We hadn’t spoken./We’d not spoken.
They won’t speak./They’ll not speak.
English isn’t spoken there.