To make the negative of a simple present sentence, use the appropriate form of the verb DO together with NOT, followed by the dictionary form of the main verb of the sentence.
Examples:
I/you/we/they + do not (don’t) + V
Examples:
- I eat ==> I do not (don’t) eat
- You drive ==> You do not (don’t) drive
- We walk ==> We do not (don’t) drive
- They talk ==> They do not (don’t) talk
he/she/it + does not (doesn’t) + V
Examples:
- He sings ==> He does not (doesn’t) sing
- She runs ==> She does not (doesn’t) run
- It rains ==> It does not (doesn’t) rain
Note that for third person singular, there is NO “s” after the end of the main verb. Instead, the “s” goes on DO: do ==> does.
Examples:
- John doesn’t like pizza.
- They don’t eat out at all. (“eat out” = eat at a restaurant)
- I don’t do my homework when I feel sick.
- You don’t have your key with you, do you?
- He doesn’t have a chance of winning the election.
Exercises: Write negative sentences from the following words. Be sure to put the verb “do” in the right form (do // does).
Example:
have / horses / wings ==> Horses don’t have wings.
1. any / more / piano / play / Steve / the
2. at / bird / night / sing / the
3. broccoli / children / like / the
4. I / on / TV / watch / weekdays
5. fall / grass / in / mow / our / the /we
6. after / dark / drive / Nelson / sisters / the
7. enough / he / study
8. cats / eat / vegetables
9. phone / the / work
10. car / start / the
11. cook / Mother / on / Sundays
12. early / Father / get / on / up / weekends
13. coffee / drink / Jim
14. either / he / like / tea
15. at / magazines / our / sell / store / we
16. fast / turtles / walk
17. eat / much / very / you
18. choir / in / Mary / sing / the
19. any / have / more / they / tickets
20. bad / like / they / weather