Negative Statements

A negative statement is used to say that someting is not true. There are a few different ways to create negative statements.

Most sentences can be turned into a negative statement by using the helper verb do along with the word not in front of the main verb. Do not is often shortened to don't. For example: I don't eat healthy food.

A sentence can also be made negative by adding words like never, nobody, no one, and nowhere to it.

Sentences with verbs such as:

• be
• do
• will
• shall
• may
• must

just add not after the verb to make the sentence negative. The following table shows the negative form of do, be and can, as well as any applicable contractions.

	do	be	can
I	do not, don't	am not	cannot, can't
you	do not, don't	are not, aren't	cannot, can't
he	does not, doesn't	is not, isn't	cannot, can't
she	does not, doesn't	is not, isn't	cannot, can't
it	does not, doesn't	is not, isn't	cannot, can't
we	do not, don't	are not, aren't	cannot, can't
they	do not, don't	are not, aren't	cannot, can't

Another way to make a negative statement is to add the word no before a noun in the sentence.

Examples

I don't see the cup.
She doesn't read the book.
I don't believe you.
He isn't happy.
I'm not walking to the store.
He doesn't open the door.
It's not raining.
We can't wait for you.
I can't go today.
My father is not happy.
I'm not hungry.