Negative Sentence Examples

The negative sentences refer to those that contradict a precise statement or a positive sentence. These need not necessarily indicate something negative; in fact, these most often communicate that a specific statement or situation is not right.

Negation is often communicated using two terms: no and not.

Analyze the below-mentioned example sentences:

1. The bucket has no apples .
2. He is not excited about the venture .
3. There was no vehicle on the path .
4. We cannot go to the movies by ourselves .
5. They must not miss any courses .
6. Kitties do not like snorkeling .
7. No one is on the property .
8. No guy is without flaws .
9. There was no train at the platform .
10. They cannot follow their aspirations in this manner .

'No' is utilized as an adjective in front of nouns or pronouns in the above instances. Moreover, 'not' is utilized after a 'be' verbs (is, am, are, was, were, being, been, and be, do, have, will), modal verbs (can, may, must, should, would, would, shall, could, ought), or an auxiliary verbs.

There are numerous shorter acronyms for a 'not' followed by an auxiliary verb. For example, 'is not' can be expressed as 'isn't,' 'does not' can be expressed as 'doesn't,' 'cannot' can be expressed as 'can't,' would not-wouldn't, should not-shouldn't, will not-will not, was not-wasn't, could not-couldn't.

We shall comprehend it by using appropriate instances.

Let us see a few instances;

He is not involved in your recommendations .

or

He isn't involved in your recommendations .

It does not always function well .

or

It doesn't function well all time .

You cannot abandon the kids alone .

or

You can't abandon the kids alone .

John would not have enjoyed that .

or

John wouldn't have enjoyed that .

You should not ever keep the gate unlocked .

or

You shouldn't keep the gate unlocked .

He will not violate the rules .

or

He won't violate the rules .

He was not equipped for it .

or

He wasn't equipped for it .

William could not have served as a member .

or

William couldn't have served as a member .

Negating a Sentence with 'No'

The word 'no' can be utilized as both as the adjective(S) and the adverb(S), based on the context-

1) Use of the Adjective 'No'

Examine the following sentences :

1. John has big ponies .
2. She consumes veggies .
3. They download films .
4. It yields better outcomes .
5. We live in a huge property .

These sentences are negated by using 'no', let us have a look ;

1. John has no big ponies .
2. She consumes no veggies .
3. They download no films .
4. It yields no better outcomes .
5. We have no huge property .

As in the preceding cases, 'no' is used as an adjective just before a singular or plural noun.

2) Usage 'No' as an Adverb

The adverb 'no' comes before the comparative adjective, as seen in the instances below.

1. He is slimmer than ben. (Affirmative )
2. He is no slimmer than ben. (Negative )
3. My apartment is superior to yours. (Affirmative )
4. My apartment is not superior to yours. (Negative )
5. Her marks are higher than his. (Affirmative )
6. Her marks are no more than his. (Negative )
7. My university is bigger than yours. (Affirmative )
8. My university is no bigger than yours. (Negative )

Form new positive statements and negate them by using the word 'No' as an adverb and adjective.

Forming Negative Sentences in Various Tenses

1) Negative Sentences in the Simple Present Form

Simple Present Tense statements are the first sort of sentences we encounter when learning the English language. As a result, it is critical that we initially learn to turn Simple Present Positive statements into Negative sentences. For this, we shall take Simple Present Tense Sentences one at a time and negate them using auxiliary verbs (do, does) (no, not).

He enjoys drinking cappuccinos .

In Simple Present form, the preceding sentence is an affirmative sentence. Let's now negate the following sentence :

He does not enjoy drinking cappuccinos. Alternatively, he doesn't enjoy drinking cappuccinos .

Thus, the basic formula for Negative Sentences in Simple Present Tense is as follows:

Subject + Auxiliary Verbs + NOT + Primary Verb + Object

Subject + Do/Does + NOT + Verb Base Form + Object

For composing Negative sentences in Simple Present, a few simple guidelines must be followed: if the subject is she, he, it, or a singular noun, the auxiliary verb 'does' will be used; and if the subject is we, they, I, you, or a plural noun, the auxiliary verb 'do' will be used.

When writing a negative statement in Simple Present Form, care must be made to select the base form of the main verb.

We'll go over some more affirmative sentences in simple Present and Negative forms below-

Sentences containing the subjects he, she, it, or a single noun must be negated with the phrase 'does not'.

1. Every day, she goes to college. (Affirmative )
2. She does not attend university on a daily basis. (Negative )
3. He plays golf after college. (Affirmative )
4. He doesn't play golf after college. (Negative )
5. When directed, it accomplishes its goal. (Affirmative )
6. When directed, it does not accomplish its goal. (Negative )
7. My pet loves buttermilk. (Affirmative )
8. My pet doesn't like buttermilk. (Negative )

Sentences having subjects like as we, they, I, you, or a plural noun must be negated incorporating 'do not'-

1. Every Saturday, we go to the movies. (Affirmative )
2. We do not go to the movies every Saturday (Negative )
3. They play badminton every evening. (Affirmative )
4. They do not play badminton every evening. (Negative )
5. I eat cereal every day. (Affirmative )
6. I don't eat cereal every day. (Negative )

Now that we've covered the fundamentals of negative sentences using 'do not' and 'does not,' we'll move on to using 'no' to negate an affirmative sentence.

2) Present Continuous Negative Sentences

Consider the following affirmative statements in the Present Continuous Tense:

1. She is composing a letter .
2. He is cycling .
3. They're going on vacation .
4. People are protesting against the blacks .
5. The children are having fun in the backyard .

The following statements can be negated by adding 'not' before the primary verb without affecting the verb's present form, as demonstrated below:

1. She is not composing a letter .
2. He is not cycling .
3. They are not taking a vacation .
4. People are not protesting against the blacks .
5. The kids are not having fun in the yard .

Based on the preceding examples, a simple formula for negative statements in present continuous form can be developed as follows:

Subject + Auxiliary Verb + Not + Main Verb (ing form) + Object

Regardless of the subject, the sentence is formed in the same way. That is, if the subject is he, she, it, a singular noun, we, they, I, you, or a plural noun, the formulation is the same.

3) Present Perfect Negative Sentences

First, read the following sentences in Present Perfect Form -

1. He has completed this task .
2. She has issued an advisory .
3. It has recognized all verifications .
4. We have done a great comeback .
5. They have communicated well .
6. I have done my daily task .

Now consider the following negatives of the preceding sentences :

1. He has not completed this task .
2. She has not issued an advisory .
3. It has not recognized all verifications .
4. We have not done a great comeback .
5. They have not communicated well .
6. I have not done my daily task .

The following examples comprise the basic formula for Negative Present Perfect Sentences:

Subject + Auxiliary Verb + Main Verb + Object

Subject + Have/Has + Past Participle + Object

Note- If the subject is she, he, it, or a singular noun, then the Auxiliary verb 'has' is utilized, and if the subject is we, they, you, I, or a plural noun, then the Auxiliary verb 'has' is utilized.

4) Negative Sentences In Present Perfect Continuous Form

Consider the statements below in Present Perfect Continuous Form:

1. He has been taking courses on campus since 2015 .
2. I have been heading to work out for two weeks .
3. They have been standing on the platform since the early hours .
4. We have been intending a trip for 3 weeks .
5. They have been functioning since Tuesday .

Consider the following:

1. He has not been taking courses on campus since 2015 .
2. I have not been heading to work out for two weeks .
3. They have not been standing on the platform since the early hours .
4. We have not been intending a trip for 3 weeks .
5. They have not been functioning since Tuesday .

The negative sentence construction formula in the Present Perfect Continuous Form is-

Subject + Have not been/ Has not been + ing form of verb + Time reference

If the subject is 'she, he, it, or a singular noun,' the phrase 'has not been' is used; if the subject is 'we, they, I, you, or a plural noun,' the phrase 'has not been' is used.

5) Negative Sentences in the Simple Past

Examine the following Simple Past Form Sentences-

1. I grabbed a burger .
2. I encountered him in the club .
3. She offered me her novel .
4. They dashed to the classroom .
5. We arrived for the meeting .

The following sentences' structure/formula -

Subject + Verb's Past Simple Form (2nd Form) + Object

Consider the following negative sentences :

1. I did not grab a burger .
2. I didn't encounter him in the club .
3. She didn't offer me her novel .
4. They didn't dash to the classroom .
5. We didn't arrive for the meeting .

As a result, the Negative Sentences Structural Formula Past From can be written simply as-.

Subject + Did + Not + Verb Base Form (1st Form) + Object

The auxiliary verb stays the same regardless of the subject.

6) Negative Sentences in Continuous Past Form

Let us first go over a few examples in the past continuous form

1. He was staring at you .
2. They were welcoming me .
3. She was studying for the tests .
4. The taxi was beeping a lot .
5. I was moving on the ferry .

The structural formula for the preceding sentences is-

Subject + Auxiliary verb + ing form of verb + Object

The following are the negative forms of the preceding sentences:

1. He was not staring at you .
2. They were not welcoming me .
3. She was not studying for the tests .
4. The taxi was not beeping a lot .
5. I was not moving on the ferry .

Negative sentence structure/formula The Past Continuous form is-

Subject + Was/Were Not + ing form of the verb + Object

If the subject is he, she, it, or a singular noun, the auxiliary verb is was; otherwise, if the subject is we, they, I, you, or a plural noun, the auxiliary verb is were.

7) Negative Sentences in the Past Perfect

Consider the following sentences in Past Perfect Form-

1. She had offered me her journal .
2. They had purchased a new automobile .
3. He had handled the paperwork .
4. We had interfered to resolve the situation .
5. I had completed all of the specified tasks .

When converting the preceding sentences to negative form, the verb continues in Past Participle form (3^rd form), and the word 'Not' is put in between the auxiliary verb 'had' and the main verb.

The following is the framework for a Negative Sentence in Past Perfect Form:

Subject + auxiliary Verb + Not + Main Verb + Object

Subject + Had + Not +ing verb form + Object

As a result, the Negative equivalents to the preceding Positive Sentences will be-

1. She had not offered me her journal .
2. They had not purchased a new automobile .
3. He had not handled the paperwork .
4. We had not interfered to resolve the situation .
5. I had not completed all of the specified tasks .

The auxiliary verb and the main verb stay the same regardless of the subject.

8) Negative Sentences in the Perfect Continuous Past Form

Examine the sentences in Past Perfect Continuous Form-

1. She had been expecting you since the afternoon .
2. He had been analyzing for 24 hours .
3. They had been preparing food since the afternoon .
4. We had been watching the progress for three days .
5. I had been focusing on it for 4 days .

The abovementioned sentences can be readily changed into negative sentences by substituting 'had not been' for had been as the auxiliary verb, as demonstrated in the structural formula below-

Subject + had not been + ing form of the verb + object + time frame

The negative variants of the preceding statements are as follows:

1. She had not been expecting you since the afternoon .
2. He had not been analyzing for 24 hours .
3. They had not been preparing food since the afternoon .
4. We had not been watching the progress for three days .
5. I had not been focusing on it for 4 days .

'Had not been' and the verb form stays the same regardless of the topic.

9) Simple Future Negative Sentences

Examine the sentences in the Simple Future Tense Form-

1. He will send the note later today .
2. They will go to the film in the night .
3. She will purchase the mobile this Saturday .
4. We will enjoy playing after the break .
5. I will read a story after the lesson .

The above statements are readily changed into negative sentences by inserting 'not' between the auxiliary verb 'would' and the main verb-

Subject + Auxiliary Verb + Not + Main Verb + Object

Subject + Will + Not + Verbal base form + Object

The following are the negative opposites to the preceding sentences:

1. He will not send the note later today .
2. They will not go to the film at night .
3. She will not purchase the mobile this Saturday .
4. We will not enjoy playing after the break .
5. I will not read a story after the lesson .

The auxiliary verb and main verb stay the same regardless of the subject.

10) Future Continuous Negative Sentences-

Examine the sentences in Future Continuous form in below examples-

1. They will be arriving here for the anniversary meet .
2. She will be gathering us at the club .
3. He will be contacting you after the lecture .
4. We will be relocating to our rented apartment later today .
5. I will be praying for you in the lecture hall .

The structure/formula for transforming the preceding sentences to negative is as follows:

Subject + Auxiliary verb + Present Participle (1^st from + ing) + Object

Subject + will Not Be + ing form of verb + Object

As a result of applying the aforementioned structural formula, we obtain the negative equivalents of the preceding sentences-

1. They will not be arriving here for the anniversary meet .
2. She will not be gathering us at the club .
3. He will not be contacting you after the lecture .
4. We will not be relocating to our rented apartment later today .
5. I will not be praying for you in the lecture hall .

The auxiliary verb 'will not be,' and the verb'ing form 'will not change regardless of the subject.

11) Negative Sentences In Future Perfect Form

Examine the following sentences in Future Perfect Form-

1. He will have forwarded the invoice by Tuesday .
2. They will have appreciated this meeting .
3. She would have finished her domestic chores .
4. We would have gone to the old town .
5. He will have scored runs .

The structure/formula for transforming the above sentences to their negative counterparts is as follows:

Subject + will not have/would not have + Past Participle (3^rd form of the verb) + Object

The negative opposites of the above sentences are as follows:

1. He will not have forwarded the invoice by Tuesday .
2. They will not have appreciated this meeting .
3. She would not have finished her domestic chores .
4. We would not have gone to the old town .
5. He will not have scored runs .

The auxiliary verb 'would/will not be,' and the verb form stays the same regardless of the topic.

12) Negative Sentences In Future Perfect Continuous Tense

Examine the sentences in the Future Perfect Continuous Tenses below.

1. He will have been functioning here for 5 years .
2. They will have been working in the town for recent years .
3. She will have been preparing food for the meal for three years .
4. We will have been hearing to the same ballad since the wee hours .
5. I will have been napping since 9 P.m .

The structure/formula for transforming the above sentences to their negative counterparts is as follows:

Subject + Will not have been + Present Participle form of the verb (Base form + ing) + Object

As a result, the negative equivalents for the above statements are -

1. He will not have been functioning here for 5 years .
2. They will not have been working in the town for recent years .
3. She will not have been preparing food the meal for three years .
4. We will not have been hearing to the same ballad since wee hours .
5. I will not have been napping since 9 P.m .

Take note that 'will not have been' and the verb form stays the same regardless of the subject.