4.

2 Negatives

Forming negatives
There are different ways to form negatives.
1 He hasn’t eaten lunch.
We add not/n’t after an auxiliary verb.
I couldn’t finish that book.
We don’t eat meat.
We add don’t/doesn’t/didn’t if there is
no auxiliary verb.
2 He hasn’t got any money.
He doesn’t have any money. The verb have has two forms in the
present.

3 I like not living alone.

He chose not to wait.
Infinitives and -ing forms can be
negative.

© Oxford University Press

 4.2 Negatives

Forming negatives
4 I like tea, but not coffee. Not can go with other parts of a
sentence.

5 I don’t think you’re late.

I don’t imagine they’ll come.
6 Are they at home?
I hope so. / I hope not.
I believe so. / I believe not.
I think so. / I don’t think so.
To introduce a negative idea with a
verb such as think, believe, suppose,
and imagine, we make the first verb
negative.
In short answers, positive and
negative forms are possible.
I think not is also possible.

© Oxford University Press

 4.2 Negatives

Forming negatives

Make the sentences negative.

1 He saw a UFO. He didn’t see a UFO.

2 They should have waited. They shouldn’t have waited.

3 I believe my house is haunted. I don’t believe my house is haunted.

4 She has a nice car. She doesn’t have a nice car. /

She hasn’t got a nice car.

© Oxford University Press

 4.2 Negatives

Negative questions
1 Negative questions can express various ideas.

Haven’t they arrived yet? Surprise

Don’t you think we should hurry? Suggestion
Isn’t it cold today? Exclamation
Can’t you tell I’m tired? Shh! Criticism

Make the negative questions.

1 (suggestion) you / study / ? Don’t you think you should study?

2 (exclamation) she / pretty / ? Isn’t she pretty?

© Oxford University Press

 4.2 Negatives

Negative questions
2 Negative questions are often used when the speaker expects a positive
situation, but is surprised at a negative situation.

Hasn’t she left? Everyone else has! She hasn’t left.

3 Negative questions can be used to ask for confirmation of what the

speaker thinks is true.

Haven’t we been here before? I’m sure we have.

4 We can see the differences between the two uses if we change them
into sentences with question tags.

She hasn’t left, has she? Negative sentence, positive tag

We’ve been here before, haven’t we? Positive sentence, negative tag

© Oxford University Press