Negation in English: How to Make Negative Sentences
Negation means making a sentence negative, usually with the word not. It sounds simple, but English has a few rules that trip learners up: which auxiliary to use, when to change “some” to “any”, and why you cannot use two negatives together.
This guide is for A2 to B1 learners. By the end you will know how to make any sentence negative, the short forms to use, the some-to-any rule, how to build negative adjectives with prefixes, and the mistakes to avoid. Three exercises are on this page so you can practice straight away.
A quick video summary
The basic rule: add “not” to the auxiliary
To make a sentence negative, you add not to the auxiliary verb. The only question is which auxiliary you need.
- With the verb “be”: just add not. “I am English” becomes “I am not English.”
- With other verbs in the present or past simple: add the auxiliary “do” (do, does, did) plus not. “I like coffee” becomes “I do not like coffee.”
- With tenses that already have an auxiliary (continuous, perfect): just add not to that auxiliary. “I have been to Paris” becomes “I have not been to Paris.”
- With modal verbs (can, will, should): just add not. “I can swim” becomes “I cannot swim.”
Negatives across the tenses
| Tense | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Present simple (be) | She is happy. | She is not / isn’t happy. |
| Present simple (other verbs) | They like tea. | They do not / don’t like tea. |
| Past simple (other verbs) | He called. | He did not / didn’t call. |
| Present continuous | I am working. | I am not working. |
| Past continuous | We were going. | We were not / weren’t going. |
| Present perfect | She has finished. | She has not / hasn’t finished. |
| Future (will) | I will go. | I will not / won’t go. |
| Modal | You should wait. | You should not / shouldn’t wait. |
The rules are clear on paper, the goal is to use them without thinking. Book a free trial lesson and practice making negatives with an experienced native teacher, no credit card needed.
Short forms (contractions)
In speech and informal writing, “not” is usually shortened. Learn the short forms, they are what you will hear most.
| Full form | Short form |
|---|---|
| is not / are not | isn’t / aren’t |
| do not / does not / did not | don’t / doesn’t / didn’t |
| have not / has not | haven’t / hasn’t |
| will not | won’t |
| cannot | can’t |
| should not / would not | shouldn’t / wouldn’t |
Some becomes any in negatives
In negative sentences, English uses any and its family instead of some.
| Positive (some) | Negative (any) |
|---|---|
| some | any |
| something | anything |
| someone / somebody | anyone / anybody |
| somewhere | anywhere |
So “I know somebody here” becomes “I don’t know anybody here,” not “I don’t know somebody here.”
Negative prefixes and suffixes
Many adjectives become negative with a prefix, and some with the suffix -less. There is no single rule for which prefix to use, so learn them with the word.
| Prefix / suffix | Examples |
|---|---|
| un- | unhappy, unfair, unable |
| in- | incorrect, invisible, informal |
| im- (before m, p) | impossible, impatient, impolite |
| il- (before l) | illegal, illogical |
| ir- (before r) | irregular, irresponsible |
| dis- | dishonest, disagree, dislike |
| -less (suffix) | hopeless, careless, useless |
Double negatives: use only one
Standard English does not allow two negatives in the same clause. Some words already carry a negative meaning (never, no, nobody, nothing, none, nowhere), so you do not add “not” as well.
Wrong: “I am not never hungry.” Right: “I am never hungry.”
Wrong: “I don’t know nobody.” Right: “I don’t know anybody” (or “I know nobody“).
Common mistakes with negation
- Using a double negative. Wrong: “I don’t want nothing.” Right: “I don’t want anything.”
- Keeping “some” in a negative. Wrong: “I don’t have some money.” Right: “I don’t have any money.”
- Forgetting the auxiliary. Wrong: “I not like it.” Right: “I don’t like it.”
- Adding an extra auxiliary with modals or be. Wrong: “I don’t can swim.” Right: “I can’t swim.” Wrong: “He doesn’t is ready.” Right: “He isn’t ready.”
Practice exercises on negation
Exercise 1. Make the following sentences negative.
Exercise 2. Match each positive word with the correct prefix or suffix to make a negative word.
Exercise 3. Find the seven mistakes in the story (think about double negatives and the use of “any”).
Now rewrite the story correctly.
Quick self-check
Make each sentence correct, then reveal the answers.
1. Make negative: “She likes coffee.”
2. Correct this: “I don’t want nothing.”
3. Make “happy” negative with a prefix.
Show answers
1. She doesn’t like coffee. 2. I don’t want anything. 3. unhappy.
How did that feel? Getting negatives right on paper is one thing. Producing them without hesitating while you speak is the goal. In a free trial lesson, an experienced native teacher will help you make them automatic.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make a sentence negative in English?
When do you use don’t, doesn’t and didn’t?
What is a double negative?
When do you use “any” instead of “some”?
How do you make adjectives negative in English?
Key takeaways
- To make a negative, add “not” to the auxiliary verb.
- Use do, does or did for the present and past simple of ordinary verbs.
- For “be”, modals and tenses with an auxiliary, just add not.
- Change some to any in negative sentences, and never use two negatives together.
- Make many adjectives negative with a prefix (un-, in-, dis-) or the suffix -less.
Keep learning
- Modal substitutes
- The passive voice
- More free English grammar guides
- Test your English level
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Written and reviewed by the experienced native English teachers at Live English, online since 2007.