Negative Sentences - Definition, Rules with Examples

What is Negative Sentence?

A negative sentence is a type of sentence that shows something is not true, is absent, or does not happen. In simple terms, it expresses the opposite of an affirmative (positive) sentence.

For example:

• Affirmative: She likes chocolate.

• Negative: She does not like chocolate.

So, if you are wondering what is a negative sentence, remember that it's simply a sentence that denies a fact or statement. Common words used to create negative sentences include:

• not

• no

• never

• nobody

• nothing

• nowhere

• none

Also read: Assertive Sentences: Definition, Types, and Examples

How to Form a Negative Sentence?

There are different rules and methods to learn how to form a negative sentence. The most common way is by adding the word “not” to the verb or auxiliary verb in a sentence.

1. Using ‘Not’ with Helping Verbs

• I am not tired.

• She does not eat meat.

• They did not come to school.

Note: We use do/does in the present simple and did in the past simple when forming negatives with action verbs.

2. Negative Sentences with Modal Verbs

Modal verbs include can, will, must, should, may, might, etc. To make these negative, add “not” after the modal verb.

• You should not skip classes.

• He cannot swim.

• They might not agree.

3. Using Contractions

In casual English, we often use contractions:

• is not → isn’t
  do not → don’t

• does not → doesn’t

• cannot → can’t

Examples:

• It isn’t cold today.

• She doesn’t know the answer.

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4. Negative Sentences Without ‘Not’

You can also form negatives using words like no, nothing, nobody, nowhere, none

Examples:

• No students were present.

• There is nothing in the bag.

• Nobody answered the question.

These words replace the need for “not” in a sentence.

Also read: Compound Sentence: Definition, Rules, Examples

Common Negative Sentence Structures

Here are some of the most commonly used sentence structures for English negative sentence construction:

a) Present Simple Tense

• Subject + do/does + not + base verb

• Example: He does not play football.

b) Past Simple Tense

• Subject + did + not + base verb

• Example: They did not attend the class.

c) Present Continuous Tense

• Subject + is/are/am + not + verb+ing

• Example: She is not studying.

d) Present Perfect Tense

• Subject + have/has + not + past participle

• Example: We have not finished yet.

e) Modal Verbs

• Subject + modal verb + not + base verb

• Example: You must not be late.

Also read: Conditional Sentences: Zero, First, Second, Third

What are Double Negatives?

A double negative is when two negative words are used in the same sentence, which often causes confusion. In standard English, this is usually considered incorrect.

Incorrect: I don’t have nothing.
Correct: I don’t have anything. / I have nothing.

Incorrect: She didn’t go nowhere.
Correct: She didn’t go anywhere. / She went nowhere.

Make sure to use only one negative word in a sentence to maintain clarity. 

Also read: Interrogative Sentence, Definition, Types and Example

Comparison Between Affirmative and Negative Sentences

Understanding the difference between affirmative and negative sentences is very important. Affirmative sentences state facts or actions, while negative sentences deny them. Below is a proper side-by-side comparison of sentences in various tenses and forms:

 Also read:Common Grammar Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

10 Negative Sentences Examples

Here are 10 negative sentences examples that demonstrate correct usage in various tenses and structures:

1. I do not understand the question.

2. He doesn’t eat spicy food.

3. We did not see the movie.

4. She is not feeling well today.

5. They have not finished their homework.

6. You cannot enter the room now.

7. There is no sugar in the jar.

8. Nobody came to the meeting.

9. We won’t attend the event tomorrow.

10. The teacher hasn’t checked the test papers yet.

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