Main points
+ ’Not’ is often shortened to (-n’t) and added to some verbs.
+ You put ‘not after the first verb in the verb group, or you use a short form.
a) In spoken and in informal written English, ‘not’ is often shortened to (-n’t) and added to an auxiliary, a modal, or a form of the main verb ‘be’.
- I haven’t heard from her recently.
- I wasn’t angry.
Here is a list of short forms:
| isn't | haven't | don't | can't | shan't | daren't |
| aren't | hasn't | doesn't | couldn't | shouldn't | needn't |
| wasn't | hadn't | didn't | mightn't | won't | - |
| weren't | - | - | mustn't | wouldn't | - |
| - | - | - | oughtn't | - | - |
If the verb is already shortened, you cannot add (-n’t).
- It’s not easy.
- I’ve not had time.
You cannot add (-n’t) to ‘am’. You use ‘I’m not’.
- I’m not excited.
b) If the verb group has more than one word, you put ‘not’ after the first word, or you use a short form.
- I was not smiling.
- He hadn’t attended many meetings.
- They might not notice.
- I haven’t been playing football recently.
c) If the sentence only contains a main verb other than ‘be’, you use the auxiliary ‘do’. You use ‘do not’, ‘does not’, ‘did not’, or a short form, followed by the base form of the main verb.
- They do not need to talk.
- He does not speak English very well.
- I didn’t know that.
Note that id the main verb is ‘do’, you still use a form of ‘do as an auxiliary.
- They didn’t do anything about it.
d) If the main verb is the present or past simple of ‘be’, you put ‘not’ immediately after it, or you use a short form.
- It is not difficult to understand.
- It’s not the same, is it?
- He wasn’t a bad actor actually.
e) If the main verb is ‘have’, you usually use a form of ‘do’ as an auxiliary.
- They don’t have any money.
You can also use a short form, or you can put ‘not’ after the verb but this is not very common.
- He hadn’t enough money.
f) You can put ‘not’ in front of an ‘-ing’ form or a ‘to’- infinitive.
- We stood there, not knowing what to do.
- Try not to worry.
g) In negative questions, you use a short form.
- Why didn’t she win at the Olympics?
- Hasn’t he put on weight?
- Aren’t you bored?
h) You can use a negative question:
*to express your feelings, for example to show that you are surprised or disappointed
- Hasn’t he done it yet?
*in exclamations
- Isn’t the weather awful!
*when you think you know something and you just want someone to agree with you
- ‘Aren’t you Joanne’s brother?’ – ‘Yes, I am’.
i) Note the meaning of ‘yes’ and ‘no’ in answer to negative questions.
- ‘Isn’t Tracey going to get a bit bored in Ayacucho?’
- ‘Yes’. (She is going to get bored)
- ‘No’. (She is not going to get bored)
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Top Tips Abz Ingles: Part A - Part B
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See also:
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