Negative Sentences in English Grammar

Negation of modal verbs and “be”, negation with “do”, negation with “be”, “have” and “will”, negation with “have”.

  • Lingolia Plus English

Introduction

Negative sentences are created by placing an auxiliary verb and not before the main verb. The auxiliary verb depends on the tense we are using. We use do + not in simple tenses, be + not in progressive tenses, have + not in perfect tenses and have + be + not in perfect progressive tenses. To negate the verb be and all modal verbs , we simply add not .

Learn about negative sentences in English grammar with Lingolia’s simple lesson. Then practise your skills in the interactive exercises.

i do my homework negative sentence

The boy is from England, but the girl is not from England.

They are not talking because she doesn’t speak English.

They have not got a dictionary.

We don’t use auxiliary verbs with modal verbs or with be when it is a main verb .

To negate a modal verb we put not between the modal verb and the main verb. In spoken and informal speech we usually use the contracted form.

When we use be as a main verb in the simple present or simple past , we simply put not after the form of be . In spoken and informal English we usually use a contraction.

We use do + not before the main verb to negate all other verbs in the simple present or the s imple past.

Note that main verb is used in the infinitive – only the auxiliary verb do is conjugated. We use does for the third person singular in the s imple present but do for all other persons and did for all forms in the s imple past .

The contracted forms of do + not are listed in the table below. They are preferred in spoken language:

Progressive, perfect and future tenses as well as sentences in the passive voice already have an auxiliary verb. To negate them, we simply put not between the auxiliary verb and the main verb.

We can also use contractions for the negated forms of have and will :

When the verb have indicates belonging or possession, there are two possible ways to construct the negation.

We can use the verb have with the auxiliary verb do, following the regular neagtion pattern for the simple present.

There is also the form have got . For the negation in this case, we don’t use do , instead we put not between have and got .

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do in English – auxiliary and main verb

Is do an auxiliary or a main verb.

The verb do can be an auxiliary verb or a main verb in English.

1. do as a main verb

1.1. do as a main verb in simple present (do, does, don't, doesn't), 1.2. do as a main verb in simple past (did, didn't), 1.3. do as a main verb – past participle (done), 1.4. do as a main verb (present progressive, gerund, present participle) – (doing), 2. do as an auxiliary, 2.1. do as an auxiliary in negations in the simple present.

I do n't do my homework in the evenings.*

2.2. do as an auxiliary in negations in the Simple Past

I did n't do my homework yesterday evening.**

2.3. do as an auxiliary in quesions in the Simple Present

Do you like rugby? – Does he like rugby?

2.4. do as an auxiliary in quesions in the Simple Past

Did you see Peggy yesterday? When did you get up this morning?

2.5. do with the negative imparative

Do n't sing under the shower.

* Here we use do in the negative sentence as an auxiliary and do as a main verb .

** Here we use did in the negative sentence as an auxiliary and do as a main verb .

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  • Modal Auxiliaries

i do my homework negative sentence

English with a Smile

Improve your english, grammar tips, vocabulary and get better writing., how to use do, does, and did in negative sentences – with link to online exercises.

Easy Easy Easy Easy Easy Easy Easy Easy Easy Easy Easy Easy Easy

Leftover from the last lesson. I promised we were also going to talk about how to make negative sentences with “do,” “does” and “did.”

Negative Sentences with Do and Does

You already know you should use “do” and “does” in the present tense (present simple).

You also know that you use “do” with  I ,  you ,  we , and  they .

And that you use “does” with the other pronouns:  he ,  she , and  it .

For negative sentences you also add “not.”

Here are some examples:

I don’t want too drink too much.

You don’t read enough.

Eli doesn’t wash the dishes well.

Malika doesn’t play the piano.

The canary bird doesn’t sing anymore.

We don’t have a car.

Our neighbours don’t take care of their garden.

canary.jpg

Canary in a Coal Mine

Exercise 1:.

You can do this exercise online here :

Change the following affirmative sentences to negative sentences:

Mia and Gabriel ride their bikes in the park.

Mia and Gabriel don’t ride their bikes in the park.

1 I work hard all week.

2 On Friday afternoon I work less.

3 At 4.30 the team stops working.

4 The manager asks his assistant to help with the drinks.

5 We raise our glasses, eat some nuts, and chat.

6 Then we go home for the weekend.

Negative sentences with Did

I-didnt-do-it

Same thing here: just put “did” and “not” in your sentence to make a negative sentence.

You use “did” when you want to make a negative sentence in the past tense (past simple).

You can use “did” for all the pronouns (I, you, he, she, it, we, they).

Check out these examples:

I didn’t see the sign.

You didn’t fly to Rio de Janeiro.

He didn’t go to work yesterday.

She didn’t feel well.

The program didn’t finish at 8 o’clock.

We didn’t have rice with our dinner.

They didn’t wear their hats.

Note: An important rule is that when you use “do,” “does,” and “did” you don’t need to change the verb. That means that in sentences with “do,” “does” and “did” you’re using the infinitive (the most basic form of the verb).

Exercise 2:

You can do the exercise online here . 

Change the following affirmative sentences to negative sentences.

1 Samir celebrated his birthday yesterday.

2 He took a day off from work.

3 In the morning he slept in.

4 He took his mother out for lunch.

5 He lay on the beach all afternoon.

6 In the evening his friends threw a party for Samir.

7 They danced and laughed until very late.

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The Art of Negation: How to Formulate Negative Sentences in English

i do my homework negative sentence

1. Introduction to Negative Sentences in English Grammar

Understanding the structure and usage of negative sentences is a fundamental aspect of mastering English grammar . A negative sentence, by definition, is a sentence that expresses a denial, disagreement, or negation. These sentences usually contain negative words such as ‘no’, ‘not’, ‘none’, ‘no one’, ‘nobody’, ‘nothing’, ‘neither’, ‘nowhere’, or ‘never’.

For instance, consider the sentence: “I do not like spinach.” Here, the word ‘not’ negates the verb ‘like’, thereby expressing a negative sentiment towards spinach. This is a basic example of a negative sentence in English.

The importance of understanding negative sentences cannot be overstated. They are used extensively in both written and spoken English, across a variety of contexts. Whether you’re reading a novel, engaging in a debate, or simply having a casual conversation , negative sentences are a crucial component of effective communication.

In the following sections, we will delve deeper into the formation of negative sentences, explore examples, and provide interactive exercises to help you practice and improve your understanding of this essential grammar topic. Stay tuned for a comprehensive guide on negative sentences in English grammar.

2. Formation of Negative Sentences

Understanding the formation of negative sentences is a crucial aspect of mastering English grammar. The structure of a negative sentence in English typically involves the use of an auxiliary verb and a negative word.

Role of Auxiliary Verbs in Negative Sentences

Auxiliary verbs, also known as helping verbs, are used in conjunction with the main verb to express the verb’s tense, mood, or voice. In negative sentences, auxiliary verbs play a pivotal role. They precede the negative words such as ‘not’, ‘no’, ‘never’, etc., to form a negative sentence. For instance, in the sentence “I do not like spinach”, ‘do’ is the auxiliary verb that helps form the negative sentence.

Common auxiliary verbs used in negative sentences include ‘be’, ‘do’, and ‘have’. However, the choice of auxiliary verb depends on the tense of the sentence. For example, in the present simple tense, we use ‘do’ or ‘does’ as the auxiliary verb. In contrast, in the present continuous tense, ‘am’, ‘is’, or ‘are’ are used.

Use of Negative Words

Negative words are essential components of negative sentences. They negate or reverse the meaning of the sentence. The most commonly used negative words in English are ‘not’, ‘no’, ‘none’, ‘no one’, ‘nobody’, ‘nothing’, ‘neither’, ‘nowhere’, and ‘never’.

For example, consider the sentence, “She is not going to the party”. Here, ‘not’ is the negative word that negates the action of going to the party.

Use of Negative Forms

In addition to using negative words, English also has negative forms like ‘don’t’ (do not), ‘doesn’t’ (does not), ‘aren’t’ (are not), and ‘isn’t’ (is not). These negative forms are contractions, where the auxiliary verb and the negative word ‘not’ are combined.

For instance, instead of saying “I do not like spinach”, you can use the negative form and say “I don’t like spinach”. Both sentences convey the same meaning, but the latter is more commonly used in informal speech.

In the next section, we will look at various examples of negative sentences, which will further clarify these concepts.

3. Examples of Negative Sentences

Understanding the concept of negative sentences in English grammar is best achieved through examples. Here, we will provide 10 examples of negative sentences, explain a negative sentence with an example, and show how to convert positive sentences into negative ones. We will also discuss the use of modal verbs in negative sentences.

3.1 Ten Examples of Negative Sentences

  • I do not like broccoli.
  • She isn’t going to the concert tonight.
  • They don’t live in New York.
  • We didn’t finish the project on time.
  • He can’t swim in the deep end of the pool.
  • You shouldn’t drive without a seatbelt.
  • It doesn’t rain much in the desert.
  • The movie wasn’t very interesting.
  • I haven’t visited the new museum yet.
  • They won’t arrive until later this evening.

Each of these sentences is negative because they express a situation or action that is not happening, doesn’t exist, or is prohibited.

3.2 Explanation of a Negative Sentence with Example

Let’s take the sentence “She isn’t going to the concert tonight.” This is a negative sentence because it indicates an action that is not taking place. The word “isn’t” is a contraction of “is not,” which negates the action expressed by the verb “going.” Thus, the sentence expresses that she is not participating in the action of going to the concert.

3.3 Conversion of Positive Sentences to Negative Sentences

Converting positive sentences to negative ones involves adding a negation word such as “not” or “never,” or a negative contraction like “don’t,” “doesn’t,” “isn’t,” etc. For example, the positive sentence “I like broccoli” can be converted into a negative sentence by adding “do not” before the verb “like,” resulting in “I do not like broccoli.”

3.4 Use of Modal Verbs in Negative Sentences

Modal verbs like “can,” “could,” “should,” “would,” etc., when used in negative sentences, express prohibition, impossibility, or doubt. For instance, in the sentence “He can’t swim in the deep end of the pool,” the modal verb “can’t” (a contraction of “cannot”) indicates the impossibility of the action.

By understanding these examples and concepts, you can form and use negative sentences effectively in English grammar. In the next section, we will delve into the process of forming negative sentences in English.

4. How to Form Negative Sentences in English

Understanding how to form negative sentences in English is a crucial aspect of mastering English grammar. The process involves the use of auxiliary verbs, modal verbs, and negation words. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do negative sentences in English, ensuring you achieve the best score in your English grammar exercises and practice.

Step 1: Identify the Verb

The first step in forming a negative sentence in English is to identify the main verb in the sentence. This could be an action verb (e.g., run, eat, write), a linking verb (e.g., is, are, was), or a modal verb (e.g., can, could, will).

Step 2: Use an Auxiliary Verb or Modal Verb

If the sentence is in the present simple or past simple tense and does not contain a modal verb, use the auxiliary verbs ‘do’ or ‘did’ for the negation. For example, in the sentence “I play football”, “play” is the main verb. The negative sentence would be “I do not play football”.

If the sentence contains a modal verb, simply add ‘not’ after the modal verb. For example, in the sentence “She can swim”, “can” is the modal verb. The negative sentence would be “She cannot swim” or “She can’t swim”.

Step 3: Add ‘Not’

The word ‘not’ is used to negate the sentence. It is placed after the auxiliary verb or modal verb. For example, in the sentence “He is reading a book”, “is” is the auxiliary verb. The negative sentence would be “He is not reading a book”.

Step 4: Check Your Sentence

Finally, make sure your sentence makes sense and follows the correct English grammar rules. Remember, practice makes perfect. Use interactive exercises and tools like Lingolia Plus to practice and improve your ability to form negative sentences in English.

By following these steps, you can effectively form negative sentences in English. This skill is essential for expressing negation, denials, disagreements, and falsities, making your English communication more versatile and accurate.

5. Types of Negative Sentences

In the realm of English grammar, negative sentences play a crucial role in conveying negations, denials, and disagreements. They are formed using auxiliary verbs, modal verbs, and negative words such as ‘not’, ‘no’, ‘never’, and ‘none’. To gain a comprehensive understanding of negative sentences, it’s essential to explore their usage in different tenses.

Negative Sentences in Simple Tenses

Negative sentences in simple tenses are straightforward and easy to understand. They involve the use of auxiliary verbs ‘do’ and ‘does’ in the present simple tense, and ‘did’ in the past simple tense. For instance:

  • Present Simple: “I do not like spinach.” or “She does not play the piano.”
  • Past Simple: “They did not go to the concert.”

In these examples, the auxiliary verb is followed by ‘not’ to indicate negation.

Negative Sentences in Present Tense

In the present tense, negative sentences can be formed in both the present simple and present continuous tenses. The present simple negative structure uses ‘do not’ or ‘does not’ before the base form of the main verb, while the present continuous uses ‘am not’, ‘is not’, or ‘are not’ before the present participle (-ing form) of the main verb. For example:

  • Present Simple: “He does not read books.”
  • Present Continuous: “We are not eating dinner right now.”

Negative Sentences in Past Tense

Negative sentences in the past tense are formed using ‘did not’ in the past simple tense and ‘was not’ or ‘were not’ in the past continuous tense. For instance:

  • Past Simple: “She did not finish her homework.”
  • Past Continuous: “They were not sleeping when the alarm went off.”

Negative Sentences in Future Tense

In the future tense, negative sentences are typically formed using ‘will not’ or the contraction ‘won’t’. For example:

  • Future Simple: “I will not be late for the meeting.”

By understanding how to form negative sentences in these various tenses, you can enhance your English grammar skills and express negation more effectively. In the next section, we’ll delve into interactive exercises that can help you practice and improve your understanding of negative sentences.

6. Common Mistakes in Negative Sentences

Understanding the correct formation of negative sentences in English grammar is crucial, but it’s equally important to be aware of the common mistakes that can occur. This section will highlight some of these frequent errors and provide tips on how to avoid them, ensuring your use of negative sentences is grammatically sound.

6.1 Incorrect Use of Auxiliary Verbs

One of the most common mistakes in forming negative sentences is the incorrect use of auxiliary verbs. Remember, the auxiliary verb ‘do’ is often used in negative sentences, but its form changes according to the tense. For example, in the present tense, we use ‘do not’ or ‘don’t’ and in the past tense, we use ‘did not’ or ‘didn’t’. Misusing these forms can lead to incorrect negative sentences.

Incorrect: She don’t like apples. Correct: She doesn’t like apples.

6.2 Double Negatives

In English grammar, two negatives create a positive, which can change the entire meaning of your sentence. This is a common mistake that can easily be avoided.

Incorrect: I don’t need no help. Correct: I don’t need any help.

6.3 Negation with Modal Verbs

Modal verbs such as can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, and would require ‘not’ to form a negative sentence. A common mistake is to use ‘don’t’ or ‘doesn’t’ with these modal verbs.

Incorrect: She doesn’t can swim. Correct: She can’t swim.

6.4 Incorrect Placement of ‘Not’

The placement of ‘not’ in a sentence is crucial to its meaning. ‘Not’ should be placed after the auxiliary verb or the modal verb. Incorrect placement of ‘not’ is a common mistake.

Incorrect: She likes not apples. Correct: She does not like apples.

By avoiding these common mistakes, you can ensure that your negative sentences are grammatically correct and convey the intended meaning. Remember, practice is key when it comes to mastering negative sentences in English grammar. Utilize interactive exercises and resources like Lingolia Plus to improve your understanding and usage of negative sentences.

7. Negative Sentences in Different Languages

Understanding the concept of negative sentences is not only crucial for mastering English grammar but also for learning other languages. The formation of negative sentences can vary significantly across languages, and understanding these differences can enhance your language learning journey.

In this section, we will focus on forming negative sentences in Spanish, a language that is widely spoken and learned around the world. This will provide a comparative perspective to our main keyword, “negative sentence,” and enrich our understanding of this grammatical concept.

Spanish Negative Sentences

In Spanish, the formation of negative sentences is slightly different from English. The most common way to negate a sentence in Spanish is by placing the word ‘no’ before the verb. For example, the English sentence “I speak” translates to “Hablo” in Spanish. To negate this, we would say “No hablo,” which means “I do not speak.”

However, Spanish also uses other negative words such as ‘nada’ (nothing), ‘nadie’ (nobody), ‘ninguno’ (none), and ‘jamás’ (never). These words can be used to form negative sentences in different contexts. For example, “Nadie habla” means “Nobody speaks.”

Comparison with English Negative Sentences

Comparing the formation of negative sentences in Spanish and English can provide valuable insights. While both languages use a negative word before the verb (no in Spanish, do not/don’t in English), Spanish has a more flexible structure. In English, the auxiliary verb ‘do’ is often needed to form a negative sentence, while in Spanish, the word ‘no’ can be directly placed before the main verb.

This comparison not only enriches our understanding of the keyword “negative sentence” but also highlights the fascinating differences and similarities between languages. As we continue to explore English grammar and its various aspects, such comparisons can provide a broader perspective and deepen our understanding.

In the next section, we will delve into interactive exercises and practice, which will help solidify our understanding of negative sentences in English and potentially in other languages like Spanish.

9. Negative Sentences in Different Languages

Understanding the concept of negative sentences is not only crucial for mastering English grammar but also for learning other languages. The formation of negative sentences varies across languages, and understanding these differences can enhance your language learning journey.

In this section, we will focus on forming negative sentences in Spanish, a language that is widely spoken and learned around the world. This will provide a comparative perspective and deepen your understanding of the concept of negation in grammar.

Negative Sentences in Spanish

In Spanish, the formation of negative sentences is slightly different from English. The word “no” is placed before the verb to negate a sentence. For example, the English sentence “I do not speak Spanish” translates to “No hablo español” in Spanish. Notice how the word “no” precedes the verb “hablo” (speak).

Another interesting aspect of Spanish negation is the use of double negatives, which is grammatically correct and common. For instance, “No veo a nadie” translates to “I don’t see anyone”. Here, both “no” and “nadie” (nobody) contribute to the negation.

Comparing these Spanish examples with English negative sentences, we can see some key differences. In English, we use auxiliary verbs like “do not”, “does not”, or “did not” to form negative sentences in simple tenses. However, in Spanish, negation can be achieved simply by adding “no” before the verb.

Understanding these differences is crucial for mastering negative sentences in both English and Spanish. It also highlights the fascinating diversity of language structures and grammar rules across different languages.

In the next section, we will provide interactive exercises to practice forming negative sentences in English, which will further solidify your understanding of this important grammatical concept.

Remember, practice is key when it comes to mastering any aspect of grammar, including negative sentences. So, keep practicing and don’t hesitate to revisit any sections of this article if you need a refresher.

10. Conclusion

In this comprehensive guide, we’ve delved into the intricacies of negative sentences in English grammar. We’ve explored their formation, the critical role of auxiliary verbs, and the usage of negative words and forms. We’ve also provided a plethora of examples, including a detailed explanation of a negative sentence with an example, and a list of 10 negative sentence examples to further your understanding.

We’ve also discussed how to form negative sentences in English, offering a step-by-step guide and valuable tips to help you master the process. The importance of understanding the different types of negative sentences, including those in simple tenses and various other tenses, has been highlighted.

To ensure you get ample practice, we’ve included interactive exercises and encouraged the use of resources like Lingolia Plus . We’ve also addressed common mistakes in forming negative sentences and provided guidance on how to avoid them.

In a unique twist, we’ve compared the formation of negative sentences in English with Spanish, offering a broader perspective on the topic. The role of the main verb in negative sentences was also discussed, with a focus on using a verb conjugator to practice tenses in negative sentences.

As we conclude, it’s important to remember that mastering negative sentences in English grammar is a crucial step in becoming proficient in the language. It’s not just about understanding the rules, but also about practicing and applying them in real-life contexts. So, continue practicing, use the interactive exercises, and don’t hesitate to revisit this guide whenever you need a refresher. Remember, every ‘not’ you correctly place brings you one step closer to mastering English grammar!

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Chapter 3: Simple Present

Daily Habits & Routines

alarm clock and coffee cup

Learning Goals

At the end of this chapter you should be able to:

  • Add -s for the third person singular verb
  • Write yes/no questions and short answers
  • Write information questions using wh- question words
  • Add the plural marker -s ,-es, and -ies to verbs and nouns

Recognize and use

  • the simple present in the affirmative and negative
  • adverbs of frequency

Yellow cup of coffee and funny pages from newspaper

Activity 3.1: Conversation

Directions: Ask your partner or group the following questions about your morning routines. A “routine” is a habit you usually do or a series of actions you do regularly.

  • What do you do before school?
  • Do you ever wake up late? Do you usually wake up early?
  • Do you drink coffee or tea in the morning?
  • Do you do your homework in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening, or at night?
  • How long does it take for you to get ready in the morning?
  • How long does it take you to get to campus? Do you live close or far from campus?
  • How do you get to campus? Drive? Bike? Bus? Walk? Carpool? Dropped-off?

Icon for Read-chapter story

Directions: Read this story out loud with a partner. One person reads a paragraph, then the other person reads the next paragraph. When you are finished, read the story again. This time, read the paragraphs, you did not read.

Yuri & Palani

       Hi! My name is Yuri. I am from Ukraine. I am a student at Clackamas Community College. I have a roommate. His name is Palani. He is from Laos. We live together, but we are very different.

       I wake up early at 6:00 am. Palani pushes the snooze button on his alarm clock many times, so he wakes up very late. He gets up at 7:30 am. I take a shower in the morning, but Palani takes a shower at night. I take a shower at 6:15 am. He takes a shower at 9:00 pm. I eat breakfast at home, but Palani doesn’t eat breakfast. I make coffee, and I eat cereal for breakfast. I bike to school, but Palani drives to school. I am never late. I leave at 7:30 am.  Palani leaves at 7:50 am. I arrive at school early, but Palani arrives late. I arrive at school at 7:45 am. Palani arrives at 8:05 am. Palani sometimes arrives late because he can’t find parking. We are friends, so I always save him a seat next to me. We sit with Jacques and Ana. They arrive early too. Class begins at 8:00 am.

       How often do you arrive late to class? Are you similar to me, or are you more similar to Palani?

Activity 3.2: Comprehension

Directions: Please write the answers to the questions in complete sentences.

1. What is the name of the man who is talking?

___________________________________________________________________

2. What is the name of his roommate?

3. What is Yuri comparing?

4. Who wakes up early? Who wakes up late?

5. What time does class begin?

6. Who arrives late? Who arrives on time?

7. How about you? Are you an early riser or a late riser?

8. What time does Yuri wake up? What time does Palani wake up?

Activity 3.3: Noticing

Part 1 Directions: Look at the story about Yuri and Palani. Choose (by underlining or otherwise markin g)  the verbs you find. Don’t choose the BE verb. We are not studying that verb in this chapter.

Part 2 Directions: Complete the table with the verb forms that agree with each subject.

Activity 3.4: Try It Out!

Directions: Write the correct simple present tense form of the verb (in parentheses) on the line.

1. I (wake up)_________________________ at 6:00 am.

2. He (wake up)_________________________ at 7:30 am.

3. You (eat)_________________________ breakfast on the bus.

4. They (take)_________________________ a shower before bed.

5. He (take)_________________________ a shower in the morning.

6. We (go) _________________________ to a restaurant for lunch.

7. She (have)_________________________ cereal for breakfast.

8. His class at Oregon City (begin)_________________________ at 9:00 am.

9. My classes at Harmony (begin)_________________________ at 6:00 pm.

10. She (wash) _________________________ the dishes in the morning.

man and woman sharing breakfast while sitting on the floor

Uses of the Simple Present

The simple present is used for talking about routines, habits, and repeated activities in the present time. We use the simple present to talk about facts, which are always true. Time expressions (e.g., every day, in the summer ) and adverbs of frequency (e.g., never, sometimes, always ) signal the simple present tense.

line graph showing a habit/routine happening consistently over time

What is a routine? Something you do every morning, every week, every year.

  • I brush my teeth two times a day.
  • You go to the gym three times a week.
  • He makes breakfast for my children every morning.
  • She starts work at 7:00 am.
  • They do laundry every Saturday.

What is a habit? Something you do regularly.

  • My husband reads in bed before he goes to sleep.
  • My cat wakes me up on Saturdays because he is hungry.

What is a repeated action? Action that we do more than once.

  • I shop at Winco (not every week, but I like to go there).
  • She wears shorts in the summer.

What is a fact? Something that is always true.

  • The moon revolves around the earth.
  • She has two children.
  • Vegetables are healthy.
  • Water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit.

Forms of the Simple Present

Affirmative statements in the simple present.

You must add an -s to the verb with the subjects he , she , and it .

subject + verb

Activity 3.5: fill-in-the-blank.

Directions: Write the correct form of the verbs in parentheses.

1. Yuri (wake up)______________ at 6:00 am.

2. Palani (drive)______________ to school.

Man shaving

4. Yuri (make)______________ coffee.

5. I (cook)______________ breakfast.

6. She (eat)______________ cereal.

7. Palani (take)______________ a shower in the evening.

8. They (carpool)______________ together.

9. She (ask)______________ for a pencil.

10. Yuri and Palani (attend) ______________ Clackamas Community College.

11. We (attend) ______________ Clackamas Community College.

12. I (take)______________ a shower in the morning.

13. He (make)______________ and (drink)______________ coffee every morning.

14. She never (arrive)______________ late.

15. Class (begin)______________ at 11:30 am.

16. He usually (find)______________ parking easily.

17. Palani (live)______________ with Yuri.

18. They (brush) ______________ their hair in the morning.

19. We (brush)______________ our teeth twice a day.

20. My cats (sleep)______________ all day.

Activity 3.6: Listening

Directions: Read the paragraph. Then, listen to your instructor read the paragraph. Listen for the verbs and write them on the line. Listen closely for the correct form of the verb.

Ana and Pedro’s Morning Routine

        Ana and Pedro (1)__________ at 6:00 am. Ana (2)__________ coffee. Her brother, Pedro, (3)__________breakfast. She (4)__________a shower at 6:30 am. Her brother (5)__________ a shower at 7:00 am. They (6)__________ and (7)__________ their teeth. Ana (8)__________ the cat. Ana (9)__________ her hair and (10)__________ makeup. Pedro (11)__________ his hair. Ana’s book bag (12)__________ready. Pedro (13)__________ his books in his backpack. Ana (14)__________lunches. Class (15)__________ at 9:00 am. Ana and Pedro (16)__________ the house at 8:30 am. They (17)__________ at school at 8:45 am. Ana (18)__________ out books from the college library before class. She always (19)__________ good books to read. Ana and Pedro (20)__________ to class at 8:55 am. Their first class (21)__________ at 10:50 am.

Activity 3.7: Interview

Part 1 Directions: Interview your partner.

1. Where do you live?

2. What time do you wake up?

3. When do you eat breakfast?

4. What do you eat for breakfast?

5. How do you get to school (walk, bus, car, etc.)?

6. What time do you go to school?

7. What time do you get home?

8. When do you go to bed?

Part 2 Directions: Write 8 sentences about your own daily routine using the same questions.

1. ________________________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________________________

3. ________________________________________________________________

4. ________________________________________________________________

5. ________________________________________________________________

6. ________________________________________________________________

7. ________________________________________________________________

8. ________________________________________________________________

Part 3 Directions: Share and compare your daily activities. Read your sentences to your partner. Your partner reads to you. See if you have the same (or different) daily activities.

Part 4 Directions: Your instructor will give you a Venn Diagram to complete. Write sentences about yourself where it says You. Write sentences about your partner where it says Partner. If you and your partner have any activities that are the same, write them where it says both.

graphic organizer-venn diagram

Adverbs of Frequency with the Simple Present

Adverbs of frequency (AoF) let us talk about how often we do something.

How often do you come to class?      I always come to class!

How often do you shop at Fred’s?     I often shop at Fred’s.

Study the chart below to learn the meanings of the following adverbs.

Adverbs of Frequency (AoF) with the BE Verb 

With the BE verb, the AoFs are added between BE and the rest of the sentence. You will see in the next section that this is different with other verbs.

subject + BE + AoF + rest of sentence

Activity 3.8: fill-in-the-blank.

Directions: Put the correct form of the BE verb followed by the AoF on the line.

1. I (be/always) _____________________________________ late.

2. He (be/never) _____________________________________ on time.

3. She (be/often) _____________________________________ busy on Saturday.

4. It (be/never) _____________________________________ cold in August.

5. You (be/usually) _____________________________________ cold in the morning.

6. We (be/never) _____________________________________ hungry in the morning.

7. They (be/seldom) _____________________________________ tired at 9:00  pm.

8. You (be/rarely) _____________________________________ late for school.

9. He (be/sometimes) _____________________________________ tired after work.

10. It (be/usually) _____________________________________ sunny in Los Angeles.

Activity 3.9: Fill-in-the-Blank

1. Class (usually)___________________________ interesting.

2. They (often)___________________________ busy.

3. I (always)___________________________ friendly.

4. You (never)___________________________ hungry after lunch.

5. She (always)___________________________ hungry at 3:00 pm.

6. He (rarely)___________________________ on time for class.

7. They (sometimes)___________________________ confused in class.

8. You (often)___________________________ sleepy.

Adverbs of Frequency with Other Verbs

Man thinking

But, what if we want to say how often we do some activity? In that case, we don’t use the BE verb. We use another verb, like eat, sleep, cook, drive, or talk.

Instead of adding the AoF after the verb, like we did with the BE verb, we add it before the verb. We do this because we are saying how often the activity of the verb happens.

subject + AoF + verb + rest of sentence

We use the AoF to talk about how often or how frequently something happens.

How often do you eat breakfast? I always eat breakfast.

In the sentence above, we are saying how often we eat breakfast (always).

How often does he cook dinner? He usually cooks dinner.

In the sentence above, we are saying how often he cooks dinner. (usually).

How often do they walk to school? They never walk to school.

In the sentence above, we are saying how often they walk to school (never).

Activity 3.10: Fill-in-the-Blank

Directions: Write the Adverb of frequency (AoF) and the verb in the correct form on the line.

When we use any verb except the BE verb, the AoF goes before the verb.

1. I (never/eat) ___________________ breakfast.

2. You (often/do) ___________________ laundry on Saturdays.

3. He (usually/swim) ___________________ on weekends.

4. She (never/sing) ___________________ karaoke.

5. It (rarely/rain) ___________________ in July.

6. They (seldom/watch) ___________________ movies.

7. We (always/do) ___________________ our homework.

8. She (sometimes/make)___________________ the bed.

Activity 3.11: Fill-in-the-Blank

Directions: Put the AoF and the verb in the correct order.

Ana and Pedro (wake up) _______________________________ at 6:00 am.

Our class (start) _________________________________________ at 6:00 pm.

The college (cancel) ________________________ classes because of snow.

The teacher (give) ____________________________________ us homework.

Vegetarians (eat) ________________________________________ vegetables.

The students (sleep) ____________________________________ during class.

7. sometimes

Ana (make) _________________________________________ lunch for Pedro.

Students (speak) ____________________________________ English in class.

Activity 3.12: Classmate Interview

Part 2 Directions: Choose 5 of the questions (and answers) from Part 1. On your own lined paper, use the answers to write sentences about your classmate’s activities. Remember to use adverbs of frequency. Turn this in to your teacher. Write your name, the date, and Activity 3.12 on the top of your paper.

Activity 3.13: Game

Directions: The purpose of this game is to practice using adverbs of frequency. Your teacher will give you some AoF game cards (often, sometimes, never).

  • Stand up and find a partner.
  • Ask your partner a question. Begin the sentence “How often…”
  • The partner answers the question using an AoF.
  • If your partner answers your question using the AoF that you have in your hand, give your partner the card.
  • If your partner answers using an AoF that you don’t have, then change to another student and try again.
  • You can only ask two questions before you need to change partners.
  • You can only talk to the same person after you have talked with all your other classmates.
  • Talk to as many partners as you can. When you have no more cards, sit down.

The goal of the game is to give away all of your cards.

Student 1: How often do you eat french fries for breakfast?

Student 2: I never eat french fries for breakfast.

(Student 1 gives the card saying “never” to Student 2)

Student 1: How often do you do your homework?

Student 2: I usually do my homework.

(Student 1 doesn’t have a ”usually” card. Student 1 changes partners and tries again.)

Ideas for Questions: How often do you…

wash your hair?

eat at a restaurant?

call your brother?

walk to school?

Pronunciation and Spelling: Adding -s and -es

We add -s and -es for two reasons:

1. The word is a noun, and we are making it plural.

2. The word is a verb, and it agrees with the subject (he, she, or it–3rd person singular)

Pronunciation

In English the same letters can have different sounds. For example, the letter “c” can sound like /k/ in cat , but it can also sound like /s/ in ice .

For words that end in -s or -es, there are three different sounds: /s/, /z/, and /ɪz/. We can predict how the -s or -es ending will sound by the last sound of the word before we add the -s or -es ending.

/θ/=th as in bath   /ð/=th as in that   /ʤ/=j as in judge    /tʃ/=ch as in church     /ʃ/=sh as in wash

Activity 3.14: Pronunciation

Activity 3.15: listening.

Directions: Listen to the teacher say a list of words and then sentences. You will hear each word or sentence two times. Decide if the ending sound is  /s/, /z/, or /ɪz/ and choose (by circling or otherwise marking) your choice.

1.    /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

2.   /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

3.   /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

4.   /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

5.   /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

6.   /s/       /z/      /ɪz/

7.   /s/       /z/      /ɪz/

8.   /s/       /z/      /ɪz/

9.   /s/       /z/      /ɪz/

10. /s/       /z/      /ɪz/

11.  /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

12.  /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

13.  /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

14.  /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

15.  /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

Activity 3.16: Listening & Speaking

Part 1 Directions: Identify which of the three ending sounds (/s/, /z/, or /ɪz/) is at the end of each of the target words. Write the sound symbol on the line.

/s/                /z/              /ɪz/

1.  changes _____

2.  crabs _____

3.  dishes _____

4.  touches _____

5.  helps _____

6.  books _____

7.  pencils _____

8.  sleeps _____

9.  mixes _____

10. kisses _____

11.  The students eat breakfast. _____

12.  My sister walks her dog. _____

13.  The dogs eat peanut butter. _____

14.  The student catches the bus. _____

15.  I have three cats.     _____

16.  Most teachers have pets. _____

17.  She writes a book.     _____

18.  Natasha buys food.     _____

19.  Yuri wakes up on time. _____

20.  She sees her daughter. _____

Part 2 Directions: With a partner, say the word or sentence. Your partner will point to the sound they hear.

If a word ends in /s/,  /z/,  /ch/,  /sh/  or  /x/ sound    →    add -es

Only add -es for the he/she/it form of the verb (third person singular).

watch   →   watches

wash    →   washes

kiss      →    kisses

I pass out papers.    →    She passes out papers.

I wash the dishes.   →    He washes the dishes.

Activity 3.17: Fill-in-the-Blank

Directions: Write the correct form of the verb in parentheses on the lines.

1. (watch) I __________ TV in the morning, but she ________ TV at night.

2. (wash) They ________ dishes together after dinner. He ________ dishes on  weekends.

3. (fix) My father and I _________ cars together. My husband ________ the bicycle.

4. (teach) They  ________ their daughter Ukrainian. Eva ________ her son Amharic.

5. (brush) I ________ my teeth twice a day. He _______ three times a day.

6. (kiss) She _______ her husband in the morning. I ________ my children before bed.

7. (stretch) I always ________ before exercise. Viktor ________ after exercise.

8. (guess) I never ________ the answer, but Tatiana often ________ the answer.

9. (mix) She ________ Spanish and English. They _______ English and Ukranian.

10. (splash) The kids ______ in the bathtub. My daughter always ________, too.

11. (cash) I ______ my check at the bank. He _________ his check too.

12. (latch) I ________ my screen door. She ________ her screen door.

13. (notice) I always ________ mistakes. She never ________ mistakes when she writes.

14. (touch) He ________ the door. We ________ the window.

15. (brush) They  ________ their hair once a day. He _________ his hair three times a day.

16. (pass) She ________ all her classes. They ________ their ESL classes.

17. (ask) I ________ for vegetarian food. Natasha ________ for Ukrainian food.

18. (ask) He ________ a question. We ________ to play a game.

19. (watch) She ________ Jackie Chan movies. They ________ Jet Li movies.

20. (dance) I ______ twice a week. He ________ once a week.

Activity 3.18: Listening

Directions: Read the story. Then listen to your teacher read the story. Listen for the missing words and write them on the line. Remember that the subject and the verb of a sentence have to agree. If they don’t agree, you should listen again. Some verbs end in -s and some verbs end in -es.

Viktor and Tatiana

        Viktor and Tatiana (1)_________ married. They (2)_________ English at Clackamas Community College. They (3)_________ from Ukraine. Tatiana sometimes (4)_________ angry with Viktor because he doesn’t help around the house. Tatiana (5)_________ dinner and Viktor (6)_________ TV. Tatiana (7)_________ the house, and Viktor (8)_________ English.

Then Tatiana remembers that Viktor (9)_________ the car while she (10)_________ books. In the grocery store, he always (11)_________ the shopping cart. He (12)_________ for her when she is sick. He also (13)_________ the socks when they (14)_________ movies at home. On school nights, Viktor (15)_________ the dishes after Tatiana cooks. He (16)_________ her every day when they leave the house, and he (17)_________ her every night before they (18)_________ asleep. Then Tatiana isn’t angry anymore.

If a word ends in a consonant plus -y, change -y to i and add -es. If the word ends in a vowel plus -y, just add -s.

Consonant + -y

Change -y to i and add -es

cry       →   cries

study   →   studies

pay      →   pays

buy      →   buys

Activity 3.19: Fill-in-the-Blank

Directions: Write the correct form of the verb on the line in the sentences below.

1. (study) I ___________ in the morning, but he ___________ at night.

2. (worry) He ___________ about money. I ___________ about him.

3. (cry) The cat ___________ when I leave. The babies  ___________ all the time.

4. (play) She ___________ piano. We ___________ violin.

5. (pay) I ___________ for groceries with a credit card. Tatiana ___________ with cash.

6. (stay) He ___________ after class for help. They ___________ after class to talk.

7. (stay) She ___________ at a hotel. I ___________with my mom.

8. (worry) My husband ___________ about school. I ___________ about our health.

9. (enjoy) We ___________ playing board games. He ___________ online games.

10. (say) They ___________ they are busy Friday, but she ___________ Friday is ok.

11. (fly) A bird ___________ south in winter. Birds ___________ north for the summer.

12. (buy) They ___________ paper online. She ___________ supplies at the store..

13. (fly) He ___________ to Paris today. I ___________ to Denver tomorrow.

14. (study) We ___________ before vocabulary tests. She ___________ for grammar.

15. (pay) He ___________ for 2 classes. I ___________ for 3 classes.

16. (try)     I ___________ to study 3 times a week. She ___________ to study every day.

Activity 3.20: Listening

Using infinitives with like, want, & need.

Some verbs can be combined with an infinitive (to + verb) to express a different meaning or opinion about the activity.

Activity 3.21: Fill-in-the-Blank

Part 1 Directions: Complete the sentences by writing like, want, or need on the line.

1. I ___________ to pay my rent.

2. She ___________ to study for the test.

3. They  ___________ to buy a diamond necklace.

4. You ___________ to have an expensive new car.

5. I ___________ to read a book before bed to help me sleep.

6. You ___________ to do your homework.

7. We ___________ to eat dessert first.

8. I ___________ to sleep until 10:00 am, but I __________ to get up because work starts at 7:00 am.

Negative Statements in the Simple Present

Negatives with the be verb, activity 3.22: writing.

Directions: Make these sentences negative by adding not after the verb.

1. She is a hairdresser.

2. He is busy today.

3. They are from Colombia.

4. He is a contractor.

5. It is sunny.

6. They are students.

7. He is a teacher.

8. The dog is in the garden.

Negatives with All Other Verbs

Using auxiliary verbs.

There are three auxiliary verbs in English: BE, DO, and HAVE. We will learn about BE and DO in this class. We will learn about using HAVE as an auxiliary in the next level. You have already seen the first of our three auxiliary verbs, BE, in Chapter 2. We combine the BE verb with the -ing form of the verb to create the present progressive (an action happening now).

When we make negative sentences with other verbs, we use the auxiliary verb, DO. It has two forms: do and does . The negative not comes after do or does and is followed by the base form of the main verb.

The base form is the infinitive without the to . Instead of “to sing” (infinitive), the base form is sing . Do not add -s to the base verb. Let’s look at an example sentence.

subj      do/does    neg.     base verb     rest of sentence

He         does           not        sing               in the shower.

  • He is the subject
  • Does is the auxiliary verb. Do/Does agrees with the subject (3rd person singular: add -es).
  • Sing is the main verb in the base form. Do not add -s to the main verb.

subject + auxiliary DO + not + base form + rest of sentence

Negative contractions.

To make negative contractions, we contract the auxiliary verb and the negative.

Activity 3.23:  Choose the Correct Form

Directions: Choose the correct form, and then write the contraction on the line. Remember that the auxiliary DO (do/does) has to agree with the subject.

1. The teacher do not / does not eat meat.                                                 ___________________

2. I am a homemaker. I do not / does not work outside my home.    ___________________

3. She is a driver. She do not / does not work in an office.                     ___________________

4. He is a vegetarian. He do not / does not eat meat.                             ___________________

5. They do not / does not drink coffee in the evening.                            ___________________

6. Palani do not / does not like to wake up early.                                     ___________________

7. Yuri do not / does not want to come to school late.                            ___________________

8. Yuri do not / does not press snooze on his alarm clock.                    ___________________

9. They do not / does not have the same habits.                                     ___________________

10. It do not / does not  look like a good book.                                         ___________________

11. The students do not / does not do their homework.                        ___________________

12. He do not / does not get good grades on tests.                                ___________________

Activity 3.24: Fill-in-the-Blank

Directions: Write the correct form of do or does on the line.

1. (do/sing)        She ___________ not ___________ in public.

2. (do/write)     They ___________ not ___________ on the wall.

3. (do/drive)     He ___________ not ___________ for a job.

4. (do/ask)        You ___________ not ___________ for a diamond ring.

5. (do/play)       We ___________ not ___________ guitar.

6. (do/like)        The dog ___________ not ___________ my cat.

7. (do/type)       She ___________ not ___________ fast.

8. (do/read)       He ___________ not ___________ online.

Activity 3.25: Writing

Directions: Make these sentences negative. Use full forms for numbers 1-5 and contractions for numbers 6-10.

1. I go to work at 3:00 pm.

2. She wants to eat Chinese food.

3. They have two children.

4. He has a dog and two cats.

5. You need to stand in line.

6. She finishes her homework.

7. I eat breakfast.

8. You drink coffee.

9. He drinks diet soda.

10. My car has red seats.

Activity 3.26: Interview

Part 1 Directions: Use the sentences below to interview your partner. Take notes on your own lined paper.

Student A: Tell me a food you don’t like.

Student B: I don’t like eggs.

kid holding his nose and sticking out his tongue

2. Tell me a movie you don’t like.

3. Tell me a place you don’t like.

4. Tell me a sport you don’t like.

5. Tell me a color you don’t like.

6. Tell me a singer or band you don’t like.

7. Tell me a type of music you don’t like.

8. Tell me a book you don’t like.

Part 2 Directions: Now, write 5 sentences about your partner. Use your notes to help you.  Write your partner’s answers in FULL sentences.

Yes/No Questions & Short Answers

Yes/No questions mean that the answer to the question is either yes or no . These questions don’t use wh- question words. Remember, when we use an auxiliary verb, the main verb is in the base form. The auxiliary verb goes before the subject and the main verb goes after the subject.

auxiliary DO + subject + base verb + rest of sentence

Short answers.

Short answers are quick answers to yes/no questions. Remember that if the question uses the BE verb, use the BE verb in your answer. If the auxiliary DO is used in the question, then use DO in the answer.

Do you have cats?    Yes, I do.

Are you a teacher?    Yes, I am.

Do you drink coffee in the morning?      Yes, I do.

Does he drink coffee in the morning?    No, he doesn’t.

Activity 3.27: Fill-in-the-Blank

Directions: Complete the questions with the missing auxiliary verb and subject.

A: Does she wake up early?

B: No, she doesn’t.

1. A:___________________ do her homework every day?

B: Yes, she does.

2. A:___________________ wash the dishes after dinner?

B: Yes, he does.

3. A:___________________ eat dinner together?

B: Yes, they do.

4. A:___________________ work late every day?

5. A:___________________ drive to school?

6. A:___________________ study vocabulary?

B: Yes, I do.

7. A:___________________ eat lunch at home?

B: No, we don’t.

8. A:___________________ ask questions?

9. A:___________________ practice English at the grocery store?

10. A:___________________ do laundry on Saturdays?

Activity 3.28: Game

Information questions in the simple present.

We have seen several lists of wh- question words in previous chapters. Here is a bigger list. You can practice making questions with the new words and review the ones you have seen in Chapters 1 and 2.

* What time asks about specific time. When asks about general time.

What time does class start?     Class starts at 9:00 am.

When is your birthday?         My birthday is in August.

We form information questions (sometimes called wh- questions) the same as yes/no questions. Add the question word (who, what, where, when, what time, etcetera) to the beginning of the question.

wh- + auxiliary DO + subject + main verb

Activity 3.29: choose the correct form.

Directions: Choose the correct question word.

1. Who/What is your teacher?                            My teacher is Susan.

2. Where/What is your address?                        My address is 19 Molalla Ave, Oregon City.

3. Where/When do you wake up?                      I wake up at 7:30 am.

4. Why/Who do you have an umbrella?           Because it’s raining.

5. How/Where do you take ESL?                         I take ESL classes at CCC.

6. When/What do you work?                               I work at 5:00 pm.

7. Why/How do you get to school?                     I take the bus.

8. What/How do you cook hotdogs?                 I boil them, but some people grill them.

9. How much/How often milk do you want?   I want 1 cup.

10. How many/Why cookies do you want?       I want 2 dozen.

Activity 3.30: Fill-in-the-Blank

Directions: Fill in the blank with the correct question word.

1. A:___________ do you go to work?

B: I go to work at 5:00 am.

2. A:___________ is he wearing a sweater?

B: He’s cold.

3. A:___________ do you study vocabulary?

B: I use vocabulary cards.

4. A:___________ are they from?

B: They’re from Italy.

5. A:___________ are you doing?

B: I’m doing my homework.

6. A:___________ often do you sleep in?

B: I sleep in on Saturdays.

7. A:___________ time does class start?

B: Class starts at 6:00 pm.

8. A:___________ do you study?

B: I study at the library.

9. A:___________ is your favorite actor?

B: My favorite actor is Brad Pitt.

10. A:___________ many classes do you take?

B: I take three classes each term.

Activity 3.31: Interview

Directions: Your instructor will give you a worksheet that you can use to interview a classmate.

  • Match the wh- question word with the question. You can only use a word one time.
  • When you finish matching you will have 10 questions and 10 answers. Choose 5 questions to ask your classmate.
  • Write the answers to the 5 questions below.

1. ___________________________________________________________________

2. ___________________________________________________________________

3. ___________________________________________________________________

4. ___________________________________________________________________

5. ___________________________________________________________________

Activity 3.32: Error Correction

Directions: There are 10 mistakes in the paragraph below. Find the mistakes with the simple present, adverbs of frequency, negative sentences, or -s / -es endings and correct them.

My name is Jacques. I lives next to Yuri and Palani. I am a student at CCC also. I arrive always early to class. My brother drive me to school. I do not drives. I eat lunch with my friends. We eat often at Ana and Pedro’s house. I doesn’t cook. After class, always I study in the library. I finishes my homework in the afternoon. I study with my friend. My friend Palani finish his homework at night. I live with my family. My mother cook dinner for the family. She wash the dishes after dinner. I dry them.

Man smiling with arms crossed

Activity 3.33: Writing

Directions: Rewrite these sentences to include the adverb of frequency (AoF) in parentheses.

1. (usually) We eat dinner outside in summer.

2. (always) I wear slippers in the house.

3. (never) My family wakes up early.

4. (sometimes) My friends and I watch movies on Fridays.

5. (rarely) We eat uncooked food.

6. (often) They are late to class.

7. (never) I finish my homework on the computer.

8. (seldom) She takes her dog to the dog park.

9. (usually) You are on time.

10. (rarely) She eats fast food.

11. (never) It snows in August.

12. (always) It rains in October.

13. (often) We have homework.

14. (never) They forget books at home.

Activity 3.34: Writing

Directions: Write the question on the line below. Use the answer for extra information. Some questions are wh-questions, and some are yes/no questions.

1. A: ______________________________________________________________

B: I wake up at 8:00 am.

2. A: ______________________________________________________________

B: Yes, I do (I have a dog.)

3. A:_______________________________________________________________

B: My birthday is in August.

4. A: ______________________________________________________________

B: No, I don’t. (I don’t do my homework in the morning.)

5. A: ______________________________________________________________

B: I take a shower in the morning.

6. A: ______________________________________________________________

B: I arrive early for class.

7. A: ______________________________________________________________

B: He drives to school.

8. A: ______________________________________________________________

B: He washes the dishes every day.

9. A: ______________________________________________________________

B: Yes, I do. (I exercise 3 times a week.)

10. A: ______________________________________________________________

B: I eat fast food once a month.

Directions: Write a paragraph comparing your daily schedule with a partner’s daily schedule. Use the simple present tense, adverbs of frequency, and time expressions.

Pre-writing: 

  • Write 6 questions to ask your partner. Use 6 different wh-question words. There is a place to write each question in the chart that follows.
  • Answer the 6 questions for yourself.
  • Choose a partner, ask your questions, and then write down your partner’s answers.
  • Use your own 8.5″ x 11″ lined paper. Do not use other paper sizes, please.
  • Heading: Put your full name, the due date, and Ch. 3 Writing Assignment at the top of your paper. Your instructor will tell you where the heading goes (left or right side).
  • Indent the first sentence, skip lines (double space), and leave a 1-inch margin on the sides and bottom.

Writing and Grammar:

  • First sentence: begin writing by using this topic sentence: [Partner’s name] and I are classmates, but we are very different.
  • In your sentences, write your answer and your partner’s answer.
  • Use 3 adverbs of frequency.
  • Write 2 negative sentences.
  • Use full forms; do not use contractions.
  • Use capital letters and punctuation correctly.
  • Use the rubric below to check your work.

Model Paragraph:

My partner and I are classmates, but we are very different. I get up very early at 5:00am. My partner doesn’t get up early. She often gets up at 9:00am. I usually drink coffee in the morning, but my partner doesn’t like coffee. She likes tea instead. I have two children, so I am busy with them. My partner is married, but she doesn’t have any children. I leave for school at 8:30am. My partners never goes straight to school. She goes to her parents house first. She always helps them because they are very old. My parents are still young at age 50 and 55.

Assignment Rubric:

Self-Assessment

These were our goals at the beginning of Chapter 3:

At the end of this chapter you will be able to:

  • Add -s , -es, and -ies to verbs and nouns

Directions: Choose yes if you think you achieved the goals or no in the table below if you think you did not achieve the goals. Then, write an example of the goal in the last column.

Explorations 1: Grammar for the Experienced Beginner Copyright © by Susan; Jen; and Kit is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Simple Present Tense (do-does) – With Usage, Pictures and Example Sentences

simple present tense

Simple present tense (present simple tense) is a verb tense that describes the events and situations that do not change over time. We use simple present tense for the actions that happen regualarly, and that is why we use some frequency adverbs to express these repititive actions. “ Do ” and “ does ” are the auxiliary verbs of present simple tense. However, “ do ” and “ does ” are not used in positive sentences. They are used only in negative and question sentences. The auxiliary verb “ does ” is used for third person singular ( He, She, It ). In other subjects ( I, You, We, They ), the auxiliary verb “ do ” is used. The following animated sentences are examples of present simple tense:

simple present tense - grammar timeline

Examples with Pictures Dialogue exercise Sentence scramble game Translation exercise

⬤ Formation of simple present tense

For affirmative sentences we use the infinite form of the verb, but for negative sentences we use “ not ” after the auxiliary “do” and “does”. For questions we put “do/does” before the subject.

⬤ Which auxiliary (helping verb) to use for simple present tense?

The auxiliary verbs in simple present tense are “ do / does “. However we use “ am, is, are ” to talk about a general state or condition. Examples:

  • I work in the office.
  • I don’t work in the office.
  • Do you work in the office?
  • I am in the office.
  • Are you in the office?

SIMILAR PAGES: ❯❯ Learn verb to be here ❯❯ Learn present continuous tense here ❯❯ Learn future simple tense (will) here ❯❯ Learn be going to future tense here ❯❯ Learn simple past tense here ❯❯ Learn past continuous tense here ❯❯ Learn present perfect tense here

⬤ Positive (Affirmative) sentences

For the formation of positive sentences in simple present tense we do not use “do” or “does” in front of the verb. This may sound strange. Because we know that the auxiliary verbs that precede the verbs help us understand the tense of the sentence. However, the verb is alone here. In addition, for the subjects “He, She, It”, the suffix “ -s ” is added at the end of the verb.

  • I like pizza.
  • We go abroad every summer.
  • She speak s three languages.
  • Lions eat meat.
  • Oliver walk s to school.
  • They play computer games.
  • Maria prefer s action movies.

✎ NOTE: The verb “ have ” changes into “ has ” when it gets “-s” at the end.

  • She has breakfast.
  • She doesn’t have breakfast.
  • Does she have breakfast?

✎ NOTE : In positive sentences, when the subject is “He, She, It”, we change “ -s ” into “ -es ” or “ -ies “. The reason is as follows:

  • For the verbs ending with “ -s, -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, -o ” we add “ -es ” at the end of the verb. brush es , kiss es , catch es , fix es , go es , do es etc.
  • If the verb has “ -y ” at the end and it precedes with a consonant letter, we drop the “-y” and add “ -ies ” try> tr ies , fly> fl ies , carry> carr ies etc.

⬤ Negative sentences

For the formation of negative sentences in simple present tense we use “ not ” together with “ do / does “. The short forms are “ don’t / doesn’t ”

  • I don’t like cigarette.
  • Sarah doesn’t need help.
  • He doesn’t forget names.
  • They don’t go out alone.

⬤ Interrogative sentences (questions)

For the formation of question sentences (interrogative) in simple present tense we put “ do / does ” before the subject. This also applies to the “ Wh- questions” which we call “information questions” as well.

  • Do you like lemonade?
  • Does she keep secret?
  • Where do you live?
  • Why does Molly wear pink dresses?

⬤ Sentence forms in simple present tense

⬤ example sentences.

  • (+) They like basketball.
  • (-) They don’t like basketball.
  • (?) Do they like basketball?
  • (?) What do they like?
  • (+) He likes basketball.
  • (-) He doesn’t like basketball.
  • (?) Does he like basketball?
  • (?) What does he like?

⬤ Explanations and usages of simple present tense

Lets go on with the explanations, usages and time adverbs of simple present tense

⬤ 1- Facts or generalizations.

It is used for events and situations that never change. Examples:

  • People need food in this village.
  • The wind blows a lot here.
  • Trains carry many passengers.
  • Smart phones cause some health problems.
  • Water boils at 100C degrees.
  • The earth revolves around the Sun.
  • Lions don’t eat grass.
  • Plants give us oxygen.
  • Pandas live in China.

⬤ 2- Habits, routines or repeated actions.

We use simple present tense to talk about habits and routines. Examples:

  • I get up at 8 o’clock every day.
  • Do you drink coffee every day?
  • She always brushes her teeth.
  • Leo plays his guitar in his room.

⬤ 3- Likes and dislikes

We can also use simple present tense to talk about likes and dislikes. Some commonly used verbs are as follows: “like”,”love”, “hate”, “dislike”, “enjoy” etc. Examples:

  • I love ice-cream.
  • Do you like playing chess?
  • She hates lies.
  • Sandra doesn’t like tea with sugar.
  • We like to swim.
  • I dislike cold weather.

⬤ 4- Scheduled events in near future

  • The train arrives at 9 AM.
  • The bus arrives at 3 o’clock in the afternoon.
  • When do we board the plane?
  • When does the wedding ceremony start?
  • The films starts at 8.30
  • The bus arrives at 6PM.
  • The English lesson starts at 10.30.

⬤ 5- With non-progressive verbs

Some verbs in English doesn’t have continuous forms. These verbs are called non-progressive or non-continuous verbs. We use simple present tense with these verbs. Some non-progressive verbs are: believe, know, remember, understand, need, hate, like, love, prefer, want, feel, mean etc. Examples:

  • I know the answer. – CORRECT I am knowing the answer. – INCORRECT
  • I want some sugar. – CORRECT I am wanting some sugar. – INCORRECT
  • Brian feels cold. – CORRECT Brian isn’t feeling cold. – INCORRECT
  • I don’t remember her name. – CORRECT I am not remembering her name. – INCORRECT
  • Do you understand? – CORRECT Are you understanding? – INCORRECT

⬤ 6- Narrating events

Example: The man opens the door and goes out slowly. He looks around carefully. Then he sees a little cat under the tree. He grabs it and says “Oh. Are you hungry?”

⬤ Adverbs of Frequency

What are Adverbs of frequency? Simple present tense indicates repetitive actions, so it is good to say the frequency of these actions. In this case, we use some words called “Frequency adverbs”. These words are used just before the verb. This list of frequency adverbs is as follows:

⬤ List of frequency adverbs

  • occasionally
  • hardly ever

➔ Examples of frequency adverbs

Read the example sentences with the frequency adverbs and try to make similar sentences. Examples:

  • I often eat eggs for the breakfast.
  • I never smoke.
  • Lisa always walks to school.
  • Do you usually get up early?
  • You hardly ever say “Thanks”.
  • They don’t normally go out for dinner.
  • My father often forgets my birthday.
  • I generally have breakfast before I go out.

⬤ Memory cards to learn the adverbs of frequency

The cards below have adverbs of frequency. Click on them and try to say the meaning of them in your native language.

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⬤ Time adverbs to use in simple present tense.

every ….

  • I play football ever weekend.
  • We go holiday ever summer.
  • She gets up late every day.

once, twice, three times, ten times etc.

  • I go to cinema once a month.
  • She goes out with her friends twice a week.
  • I call my son at least 3 times a day.

on Mondays, at the weekends, in the mornings

  • I call my grandparents on Saturdays.
  • In the evenings I take a taxi to go back home.

⬤ Verb to be (am, is, are)

We use am, is, are when we talk about a state rather than an action.

  • ⬤ I work in London. (Action verb)
  • ⬤ I am in London. (State verb)

➔ Action verbs examples (do, does)

  • Frank works at the hospital.
  • Frank doesn’t work at the hospital.
  • Does Frank work at the hospital?
  • Where does Frank work?

➔ Verb to be examples (am,is,are)

  • Frank is at the hospital.
  • Frank isn’t at the hospital.
  • Is Frank at the hospital?
  • Where is Frank?

⬤ Images and example sentences

Look at the images below and read the simple present tense sentences. Then try to understand the usage.

⬤ A dialogue example

Here is a dialogue to learn simple present tense. Read and try to make similar dialogues.

Do you go holiday every summer?

I like summer holidays very much.

Where do you go for holiday?

In fact, I don’t go to seaside.

I like camping in the mountains.

Where do you go for camping?

It is up to us.

We usually decide before we go.

If you want, you can join us.

⬤ Translate the sentences about simple present tense.

You will see some examples of simple present tense below. Translate them into your native language.

⬤ Sentence scramble game

You will see scrambled words of simple present tense sentences. Click on the words in the correct order to make meaningful sentences.

⬤ Example sentences to learn simple present tense

Here are examples of simple present tense in context below. Some are affirmative some sentences are negative and some are interrogative.

➔ 10 example sentences :

  • I always get up early.
  • I don’t like hot weather.
  • Mr. Anderson usually forgets to lock the door.
  • She keeps secrets.
  • Cats don’t like swimming.
  • She rarely writes emails.
  • Steven looks happy.
  • I like reading poems a lot.
  • The children brush their teeth every day.
  • When I buy something, I read the instructions.

⬤ Questions and answers

You will see 10 questions with their answers below. Try to understand the formation of the sentences.

➔ 10 questions and answers

  • How do you go to school? I go to school by bus.
  • Do you like ice-cream? Yes, I like ice-cream.
  • Why do you always wear sunglasses? Because I have a problem with my eyes.
  • Does your father help your mother at home? Yes, he does.
  • What time do you go to bed? I go to bed at about 11 PM.
  • Do you make noise in the classroom? No, I don’t.
  • Where are you from? I am from Canada.
  • How often do you watch TV? I sometimes watch TV.
  • Do you agree with me? No, I don’t agree with you.
  • Are you OK? Yes, I am OK.

⬤ Reading passage – Daily routine

My daily routine My name is Lydia Collins. I live in a flat. My day daily routine starts very early. Every morning I wake up at six o’clock and wear my school uniform. Then I have breakfast with my father and mother. My little brother doesn’t have breakfast with us. Because it is too early for him. After breakfast I go out and wait for the school bus. At about 7 AM I get on the bus. I come back home at 3 PM. I feel tired when I come back. I have a rest and play with Dody, our cat. Then I start doing my homework. I try to finish it before 7 PM. So that I can go out and play with my friends. We have dinner at 8 PM. We often have chicken for dinner but I hate chicken. I eat it because mum gets angry. After dinner I watch TV for an hour. I go to bed early because I’m always very tired at the end of the day.

External resources: You can also visit Wikibooks page to learn simple present tense , or watch a video for example sentences .

related pages

Fill in the blanks quiz for simple present tense, sentence scramble game for simple present tense, accessories vocabulary 👓 exercises pictures audio, body parts in english 👨 with games and listed images, classroom objects vocabulary in english 📕 with games, clothes vocabulary in english 👕 learn with images and flashcards, colour names in english 🎈 with tests and images, computer parts (hardware) vocabulary: pictures audio, verb to be (am, is, are) – with examples and online exercises, modal “can” – with explanations exercises and activities, present continuous tense – with usage examples and pictures, future simple tense (will) – with activities dialogue and exercises.

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i do my homework negative sentence

Present Simple Tense (Affirmative and Negative)

100+ Examples of Negative Sentences in English - wordcoach.co

100+ Examples of Negative Sentences in English

What are negative sentences.

A negative sentence (Examples of Negative Sentences) is the type of sentence that rejects a statement in that sentence itself. Negative sentences are decisive articulations i.e they transfer data accepted to be valid.

150+ Examples Of Positive Sentences In English

Here are some common examples of negative sentences in English

  • I am not a junior high school student.
  • She will not be watching TV.
  • Tom doesn’t like to eat spicy food.
  • Do not spoil the weekends of your kids.
  • There are no apples in the basket.
  • Beckie is not allergic to peanuts.
  • I have not been going to the gym for seven days.
  • My sister will not have been studying Japanese next year.
  • They are not from Ecuador.
  • I will not call him as soon as possible.
  • My father is not going to his office.
  • We will not overcome the problems.
  • They have not been waiting for the train since morning.
  • He is not interested in the project.
  • Amy is not going to school today.
  • He wasn’t eating white rice.
  • They were not playing basketball.
  • He is not interested in your advice.
  • We have not been planning a tour for ten days.
  • Johnson was not responsible for this mistake.
  • There was no car on the road.
  • The child is not wearing a hat.
  • They have not been performing since Monday.
  • She had not been working all day so she was energetic.
  • She hates playing tennis with her classmate.
  • Roy would not like to go to the store earlier before it starts to rain.
  • They should not miss their classes.
  • He had not been reading a book.
  • You cannot go to the movie alone.
  • I could not make you some fresh juice.
  • I didn’t meet him in the party.
  • Cats do not like swimming.
  • We were not sad when he moved away.
  • He has not been studying in college since 2010.
  • We don’t live near each other.
  • No man is totally perfect.
  • I had not been cooking any meal when she came to my home.

100+ Examples of Negative Sentences in English - wordcoach.co

  • It does not perform well all times.
  • He doesn’t work anywhere.
  • You have not been smoking.
  • We didn’t gather at the assembly.
  • They weren’t playing poker.
  • There is no one in the house.
  • Hyenas do not eat plants.
  • I am not flying to England.
  • There was not a single bus at station.
  • She won’t be attending the Met Gala this year.
  • He has not been walking.
  • They don’t even try to meet me after the farewell.
  • They cannot pursue their dreams this way.
  • Lissa hasn’t cooked some cookies.
  • Some people won’t eat spicy foods.
  • This time tomorrow, we will not be working on our project.
  • They will not be joining us for dinner tonight.
  • Nick is not sad, he is very happy.
  • They will not be writing letter to each other.
  • His car has failed to start in the morning.
  • Brian is not an engineer.
  • Lions do not eat grass.
  • I do not have my Email ID yet.
  • He will not have received enough score by the summer.
  • He doesn’t have to commute to work.
  • The child has not been wearing a hat.
  • He is not feeling well during the lecture.
  • The fire station is not located near this city.
  • Esther can’t go tomorrow.
  • They had not gone out when you called.
  • Rodger is not moving anywhere outside the town.
  • The woman had not cried till the morning.
  • He forgets to bring some of the stuff from the bus.
  • They won’t come to participate in the tournament.
  • Bill hasn’t learned to type.
  • She convinced me not to throw the equipment outside.

100+ Examples of Negative Sentences in English - wordcoach.co

  • I had not returned to university.
  • I didn’t go to the store last week.
  • I have not done my home work.
  • This is not a smoking zone.
  • My brothers don’t speak Chinese.
  • He does not make mistakes while writing.
  • He does not like drinking coffee.
  • He is no taller than you.
  • They are not going on a holiday.
  • It has not qualified all quality checks.
  • You shouldn’t cheat on tests.
  • The rain will not have stopped by tomorrow.
  • People are not revolting against the atrocities.
  • You don’t have to hide your face in front of me.
  • I will not have been staying in London next summer.
  • He has not submitted the assignment.
  • I will not come to his birthday party.
  • They watch no movies.
  • He doesn’t play cricket after school.
  • She will not have been studying Japanese next year.
  • Mary doesn’t drink coffee.
  • Dogs don’t bark during night.
  • They had not bought a new car.
  • The coach is not satisfied with the goals scored in the match.
  • The president will not have been talking tomorrow.
  • The climate will not be going to change till the morning.
  • The player is not wearing his helmet.
  • They have not conveyed the message well.
  • I will not meet with him.
  • You don’t go to the grocery store in evening.
  • She had not completed her homework.
  • The train is not running on time.
  • They will not have been married by next year.
  • My dog doesn’t like milk.
  • They will not send emails to their seniors.
  • Her grades are no more than his.
  • They haven’t played any games yet, so they’re so energetic now
  • Jim’s best friends don’t live near him.
  • She does not go to college every day.
  • Children are not playing in the garden.
  • We had not intervened to settle the matter.

100+ Examples of Negative Sentences in English - wordcoach.co

Reference : [ 100+ Examples of Negative Sentences in English – Words Coach ]

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i do my homework negative sentence

Negative Sentences | Grammar Worksheet

It is easy to change an affirmative sentence to a negative sentence. We only have to put not after the auxiliary verb.

  • She is a teacher. (Affirmative)
  • She is not a teacher. (Negative)
  • They have come. (Affirmative)
  • They have not come. (Negative)
  • It is raining. (Affirmative)
  • It is not raining. (Negative)

If the affirmative sentence is in the simple present tense , we make the negative form with do not or does not .

Use do not when the subject is a plural noun or pronoun. The pronoun I and you also take do .

  • She works here. (Affirmative)
  • She does not work here. (Negative)
  • You know the answer. (Affirmative)
  • You do not know the answer. (Negative)
  • Children usually rush about. (Affirmative)
  • Children do not usually rush about. (Negative)

When the affirmative sentence is in the simple past tense , use did not .

  • I saw him yesterday. (Affirmative)
  • I did not see him yesterday. (Negative)

After do, does and did use the first form of the verb.

  • You talked to him.
  • You did not talk to him. (NOT You did not talked to him.)

Change the following affirmative sentences into negative sentences.

Change affirmative to negative

1. My mother makes delicious cakes.

2. Susan writes plays for television.

3. My sister runs a website.

4. They are anxious about his safety.

5. I was studying for the test.

6. It was an unforgettable experience.

7. We enjoyed the evening very much.

8. She recognized him instantly.

9. My dad wanted me to become a doctor.

10. He was interested in the offer.

11. They were waiting for our reply.

12. He admitted that he was wrong.

13. He denied the charge.

14. She refused to go with him.

15. I have finished working on the project.

1. My mother does not make delicious cakes.

2. Susan does not write plays for television.

3. My sister does not run a website.

4. They are not anxious about his safety.

5. I was not studying for the test.

6. It was not an unforgettable experience.

7. We did not enjoy the evening.

8. She did not recognize him instantly.

9. My dad did not want me to become a doctor.

10. He was not interested in the offer.

11. They were not waiting for our reply.

12. He did not admit that he was wrong.

13. He did not deny the charge.

14. She did not refuse to go with him.

15. I have not finished working on the project.

Change Affirmative to Negative Worksheet

1. He wants to be an actor.

2. She ran as fast as she could.

3. It took me an hour to finish the job.

4. They will arrive in the afternoon.

5. She was here yesterday.

6. I have learned my lesson.

7. The students have written their exam.

8. They have been waiting for us for long.

9. Our team won the trophy.

10. She failed her test.

11. They got married in July.

12. I met him at the club.

13. The teacher scolded the students.

14. I eat breakfast at 8.30.

15. She left in the morning.

16. I recognized him instantly.

17. We started in the morning.

18. He makes models from clay.

19. They finished the job in an hour.

20. I watched the football match on TV last night.

1. He does not want to be an actor.

2. She did not run as fast as she could.

3. It did not take me an hour to finish the job.

4. They will not arrive in the afternoon.

5. She was not here yesterday.

6. I have not learned my lesson.

7. The students have not written their exam.

8. They have not been waiting for us for long.

9. Our team did not win the trophy.

10. She did not fail her test.

11. They did not get married in July.

12. I did not meet him at the club.

13. The teacher did not scold the students.

14. I do not eat breakfast at 8.30.

15. She did not leave in the morning.

16. I did not recognize him instantly.

17. We did not start in the morning.

18. He does not make models from clay.

19. They did not finish the job in an hour.

20. I did not watch the football match on TV last night.

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  • English Grammar
  • Negative Sentences

Negative Sentences: Definition, Formation and Examples

Having learnt what affirmative sentences are and how they are formed, the next step you should take is to learn what negative sentences are. This article will help you with all that you need to know about negative sentences – their meaning, definition, formation, how it differs from affirmative sentences, along with examples to make it easily comprehensible. In addition to that, there is also a practice exercise you can try out to check how far you have understood the formation and usage of negative sentences.

Table of Contents

What is a negative sentence – meaning and definition, forming negative sentences by adding ‘not’, forming negative sentences using ‘no’, ‘nothing’, ‘nobody’, ‘none’, ‘nowhere’, using contractions, negating interrogative sentences, double negatives, check your understanding of negative sentences, frequently asked questions on negative sentences in english.

A negative sentence is one that indicates that some action is not happening, something no longer exists or that a subject does not possess a particular quality. In most scenarios, it can be easily identified by the words ‘not’, ‘no’, ‘nobody’, ‘nothing’, ‘nowhere’ ‘no one’ and ‘none’. Let us look at a few dictionary definitions to have a much better idea of what a negative sentence is.

The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines a negative sentence as a “statement that means ‘no’; an act of refusing to do something or of denying something”, and according to the Cambridge Dictionary, “a negative sentence or phrase is one that contains a word such as “not”, “no”, “never”, or “nothing”. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a negative sentence as one “denying a predicate of a subject or a part of a subject , denoting the absence or the contradictory of something, expressing negation”, and according to the Collins Dictionary, “a negative clause contains a word such as not , never , or no-one ”.

How to Form a Negative Sentence? – Different Ways and Points to Remember

Most often, a negative sentence is formed simply by the addition of ‘not’ to the verb in the sentence. It is also the easiest way to identify a negative sentence. Then again, there are other ways to form and identify negative sentences. Take a look at each type of conversion given below.

Conventionally, adding a ‘not’ to the verb indicates that an action is not taking place. Even in doing this, there are a few things you need to know.

  • When verb forms of ‘to be’ and ‘do’ are used as main verbs, the word ‘not’ can be added immediately after the verb.

For example:

  • She is not a teacher.
  • I do not like anything sweet.
  • When modal verbs such as can, could, will, would, shall, should, must, need, may, might, etc. are used in a sentence, the word ‘not’ should be placed after these verbs.
  • I cannot help you with your homework as I would be late.
  • You must not be brooding over this.
  • Jannet should not have spoken to her parents like that.
  • She may not find it difficult to complete this level.
  • When verb forms of ‘have’, other regular or irregular verbs appear as main verbs in sentences, all you have to do is use the verb forms of ‘do’ followed by ‘not’ and then the verb in its base form.
  • I do not have an extra pencil to lend you.
  • She does not know anything about the change in the seating allocation.
  • They did not participate in the science quiz competition.
  • According to the tense of the sentence , the forms of the ‘do’ verb changes. When a sentence in the simple present tense has to be made negative, ‘do’ and ‘does’ are the verb forms used with respect to the noun , or the first, second or third person pronoun playing the role of the subject in the sentence. To convert a sentence in the simple past tense into a negative sentence, you will have to use ‘did’ and ‘not’ (irrespective of what the subject is) followed by the main verb in its base form.
  • They do not go walking every evening. (Simple present tense – Third person plural pronoun as subject)
  • Sheetal does not have food from the cafeteria anymore. (Simple present tense – Third person singular pronoun as subject)
  • Ishaan did not agree to dance with us for the hostel day programme. (Simple past tense)
  • Sentences denoting all other tenses will have one or more helping verbs and a main verb. In these cases, the word ‘not’ is added after the first helping verb followed by the main verb or the second helping verb and the main verb. In addition to this, also see to it that you do not alter the conjugated form of the main verb (present participle /past participle).
  • Olivia is not eating anything though we have been trying to get her to do it for more than half a day. (Present Continuous Tense)
  • He has not cut the call yet. (Present Perfect Tense)
  • They have not been marking their attendance regularly. (Present Perfect Continuous Tense)
  • It was not raining when we left. (Past Continuous Tense)
  • The teacher had not told us what to do for our internal assessment. (Past Perfect Tense)
  • The nurse found out that the patient had not been taking his medicines as per prescription. (Past Perfect Continuous Tense)
  • Amit will not have what you require to finish your project. (Simple Future Tense)
  • Raksesh, Rupesh and Ratheesh will not be participating in the International Science Fair. (Future Continuous Tense)
  • The train will not have arrived when you reach the station. (Future Perfect Tense)
  • The children will not have been doing the work properly. (Future Perfect Continuous Tense)

We have already discussed that adding ‘not’ to the verb will form a negative sentence. In addition to this, you should also know that some verbs such as (is, was, have, etc.) can have contracted forms which can be used instead of ‘verb + not’. Go through the following examples to learn how contractions are used.

Words such as ‘no’, ‘nothing’, ‘nowhere’, ‘none’, ‘nobody’, ‘no one’ can also be used to form negative sentences. Also using ‘not’ along with the verb followed by words such as ‘any’, ‘anything’, ‘anywhere’, ‘anyone’ and ‘anybody’ will also do the trick. Take a look at the following examples to learn how this works.

  • Everyone had gathered in the auditorium. (Affirmative sentence)

No one had gathered in the auditorium. (Negative sentence)

  • We had asked everybody for their opinion on the newly implemented policies. (Affirmative sentence)

We had asked nobody for their opinion on the newly implemented policies. (Negative sentence)

We had not asked anybody for their opinion on the newly implemented policies. (Negative sentence)

  • All of us were present for the unfurling of the National Flag. (Affirmative sentence)

None of us were present for the unfurling of the National Flag. (Negative sentence)

  • Everything was falling into place. (Affirmative sentence)

Nothing was falling into place. (Negative sentence)

  • We could hear the new music album playing everywhere. (Affirmative sentence)

We could hear the new music album playing nowhere. (Negative sentence)

We could not hear the new music album playing anywhere. (Negative sentence)

To form negative interrogative sentences, what you can do is either use ‘not’ after the subject or using the contraction of the verb in the beginning of the interrogative sentence. Here are a few examples that you can refer to.

  • Have you not read ‘The Tale of Two Cities’?

Haven’t you read ‘The Tale of Two Cities’? (Negative interrogative)

  • Does she not teach Hindi anymore?

Doesn’t she teach Hindi anymore? (Negative interrogative)

  • Did you not see the notice that was put up on the board?

Didn’t you see the notice that was put up on the board? (Negative interrogative)

  • Should you not be at the board meeting now?

Shouldn’t you be at the board meeting now? (Negative interrogative)

  • Was she not the one who applied for medical leave?

Wasn’t she the one who applied for medical leave? (Negative interrogative)

Heard of double negatives? Any idea what they are? Well, the usage of two negative words in the same sentence is called a double negative. The usage of double negatives makes the meaning of the sentence positive rather than negative. Examples of double negatives are given below. Take a look at them and try to analyse the meaning they bring out.

  • Pritam was not an irresponsible boy. (Pritam was a responsible boy)
  • This will not be unexpected. (This will be expected)
  • I believe we have not seen anything yet. (I believe we have seen nothing yet)

Here is a practice exercise for you to test your understanding of negative sentences. All you have to do is go through the following sentences and identify which part of the sentences classifies them as negative sentences.

1. Haven’t you found your bag?

2. She doesn’t like reading detective novels.

3. Danny is not at the hotel.

4. We have nothing we need.

5. Jackson won’t be here in a few minutes.

6. Are you not the one who had ordered American chopsuey?

7. We do not work for 9 hours everyday.

8. No one agreed to meet by 5 p.m. in the main auditorium.

9. Shouldn’t we bring an address proof for verification?

10. None of us will have to be present by 9 a.m.

Here are the answers. Check the answers to find out if you transformed the sentences accurately.

What is a negative sentence?

A negative sentence is one that expresses that some action is not happening, something no longer exists or that a subject does not possess a particular quality.

What is the definition of a negative sentence?

The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines a negative sentence as a “statement that means ‘no’; an act of refusing to do something or of denying something”, and according to the Cambridge Dictionary, “a negative sentence or phrase is one that contains a word such as “not”, “no”, “never”, or “nothing”. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a negative sentence as one “denying a predicate of a subject or a part of a subject, denoting the absence or the contradictory of something, expressing negation”, and according to the Collins Dictionary, “a negative clause contains a word such as not, never, or no-one”.

What makes a negative sentence different from an affirmative sentence?

A negative sentence is generally identified by the word ‘not’ used along with verbs, ‘no’ with a noun, verb contractions ending in ’n’t’ and so on, all of which are used to represent a negative thought or the absence of something or someone. On the other hand, an affirmative sentence is any declarative or assertive sentence that is positive and shows the possibility of an action taking place without any hindrance.

Give five negative sentence examples.

Given below are five examples of negative sentences for your reference.

  • I am not in the mood to watch a movie now.
  • There was no tissue paper left.
  • Manny did not tell me about your accident.
  • Haven’t you booked a cab yet?
  • None of us were ready to present our project yesterday.

i do my homework negative sentence

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  • Writing Tips

Grammar: When to Use Do, Does, and Did

Grammar: When to Use Do, Does, and Did

3-minute read

  • 12th August 2022

Verbs are essential to creating complete sentences, as they help us express physical actions ( She jumped in the puddle) , mental actions ( He thought about puppies) , and states of being ( I am hungry) .

There are several types of verbs that can each be written in different tenses, so they can be tricky to work with, especially if English isn’t your first language . We’ve put together a guide to help you use one of the most common verbs, do , in your writing . Read on below to learn more!

Action Verbs

As the name suggests, action verbs are used to express actions completed by the subject of a sentence. The base verb do is conjugated according to the tense:

1. Present Tense

In the present tense, do takes the form do or does, depending on the subject:

Consider the following examples:

We do our homework every night.

   She does her homework every night.

2. Past Tense

In the simple past tense , the base verb do takes the form did with all subjects:

   We did our homework last night.

   She did her homework last night.

Auxiliary Verbs

Auxiliary , or helping verbs, are used with another base verb to create negative sentences, questions, or add emphasis. Here’s how do should be used as an auxiliary verb:

1. Negative Sentences

Following the same subject–verb pairings introduced above, we combine the auxiliaries do , does , and did with the adverb not to create negative sentences:

   We do not do our homework every night.

   She did not do her homework last night.

Note that we can combine the auxiliary and the adverb to create the contractions don’t , doesn’t , and didn’t . You simply remove the space between the two words and replace the letter o in not with an apostrophe (’).

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Contractions are more common in conversations and informal writing and typically shouldn’t be used in formal writing (e.g., academic or business).

2. Questions

To create questions, the auxiliary is combined with the infinitive of another verb in this way: auxiliary verb + subject + infinitive verb .

●  Simple present questions:

Do they sell children’s books?

Does he speak English?

Note that the third person verb speaks isn’t spelled with the s when paired with the auxiliary to form a question.

●  Simple past questions:

Did you buy anything at the bookstore?

Did he learn how to speak English?

Note that did indicates the past tense, so the main verbs don’t also take the past tense (i.e., bought and learned ).

3. Emphasis

In positive sentences, we can also combine the auxiliaries do , does , and did with the main verb to emphasize that something is true:

   We do sell children’s books.

   He did learn to speak English.

Try saying these sentences aloud and adding emphasis to the auxiliary terms with your tone. It adds a dramatic effect!

Proofreading and Editing Services

Hopefully, this guide will help you feel more confident when using different forms of the verb do in your writing. If you’re still learning or want to be sure your work is error-free, our editors are ready to help. You can upload a free trial document today to learn more!

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Cambridge Dictionary

  • Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Do is an irregular verb. Its three forms are do, did, done . The present simple third person singular is does :

Will you do a job for me?
I did some shopping this morning.
Have you done your essay yet?
He usually does his homework in front of the television.

We use do as a main verb and an auxiliary verb. We can also use it as a substitute verb.

Do as a main verb

Do as an auxiliary verb, do as a substitute verb.

Do as a main verb has a number of meanings.

Perform or take part in an action

We use do to talk about actions in general, when we do not specify exactly what the action is:

What have you been doing today, anything interesting?
There is nothing we can do except wait and see what happens.
Can I do anything to help?

Achieve, complete or deal with something

We use do as a main verb to talk about achieving or completing things:

A: I’ve done the washing up . B: Oh, thank you .
We did 80 miles on the first day of our cycling holiday.
She does the crossword in the newspaper every day.

Work and other tasks

We use do with nouns such as homework, job, task, work :

She has a lot of homework to do tonight.
I’m going to do some work in the garden this weekend.

If you want to know what someone’s job or profession is, you can use the main verb do in a question:

A: What does Jackie’s brother do ? B: He’s an electrician .
Not: What does Jackie’s brother?

Study a subject

We use do to talk about studying subjects:

A: What did you do at university? B: I did economics .
All children have to do English in primary school.

Take part in activities

We use do as a main verb to talk about taking part in activities:

I did a lot of hiking and mountain-climbing when I was younger.
She did a trip down the Amazon when she was in Brazil.

Produce or create

We often use do with nouns such as copy, design, drawing, painting , especially in informal speech:

I like that photo of you and me. Can you do me a copy?
Who did the design for the website?
She did a lovely painting of the lake where we stayed last summer.

Do or make ?

Clean or make tidy

We use do as a main verb to talk about cleaning things or making them tidy:

The cleaner was doing my room when I came back.
I’ll just do my hair and then I’ll be ready.

Be enough or acceptable

We use do as a main verb with will or won’t to talk about things being enough or acceptable:

A: What size bag do you need? B: A small one will do . (a small one is enough/acceptable)

Do is one of three auxiliary verbs in English: be, do, have . We use do to make negatives ( do + not ), to make question forms, and to make the verb more emphatic.

Question (?) form

To make the question form of most main verbs, we use do, does (present simple) and did (past simple) followed by the subject and the main verb:

Do you play football?
Doesn’t he phone you now and then?
Did your mother come from the same place as your father?

Negative (−) form

The negative of the present simple and past simple of all main verbs (except for be and some uses of have as main verbs) is made with auxiliary do + not , which is shortened to don’t (do not), doesn’t (does not) and didn’t (did not). We use the short forms in everyday informal language, and the full forms in more formal situations:

I don’t want to wait for a bus. Let’s get a taxi.
Jack doesn’t live in the town centre. He’s out in the suburbs.
Didn’t you get my email? I sent it at about four o’clock.
The Prime Minister does not take personal phone calls from members of the public. (more formal)
Did the parents not realise that something serious had happened to their child? (more formal)

Be as a main verb

Have as a main verb

Emphatic forms

We use do, does (present simple) or did (past simple) to give extra force to the main verb. We use the infinitive of the main verb without to , and stress do/does/did when speaking.

We also use emphatic do with imperatives.

Do come and have dinner with us some time.
Do stop talking , Harry! You’re boring everybody!

Question tags

We use auxiliary do to form question tags for clauses which do not have a modal verb, a verb in the perfect with have or clauses with be . The tag uses the same person and tense as the subject of the main verb. The tag may be affirmative or negative, depending on the type of tag:

You work with Peter, don’t you ? (affirmative main verb, negative tag)
She plays the piano, doesn’t she ?
Little children don’t usually like spicy food, do they ? (negative main verb, affirmative tag)
They didn’t stay very long, did they?
You live near Harkness, do you ? (affirmative verb, affirmative tag)
They arrived late, did they ?

Do as an auxiliary verb: typical errors

We don’t use auxiliary do to make questions or negatives for clauses with modal verbs:

Will you be here in time for lunch?
Not: Do you will be here …
I can’t swim very well.
Not: I don’t can swim …

We use auxiliary do , not auxiliary be , for questions with main verbs in the present simple:

Do you live in an apartment?
Not: Are you live in …

We use does , not do , for the third person in the present tense:

Does your sister have brown eyes too?
Not: Do your sister have …

We often use do instead of repeating all the words in a clause. Do substitutes for the words we don’t repeat:

A: We went to the concert in the park this year . B: Yes, we did too . (Yes, we went to the concert in the park too.)

We don’t use do alone if the substitute verb is in the to- infinitive form. In those cases, we omit the verb but keep to , or we use do so , do it or do that :

It’s not often I write letters to newspapers, but that day I desperately felt the need to . or … the need to do so/it/that . (I desperately felt the need to write letters to newspapers.)
Not: … the need to do .

Do so, do it, do that

We sometimes add so , it or that after the substitute do . Do so, do it and do that are sometimes used differently, but they are often interchangeable:

He said he was going to move to New Zealand and, to everyone’s surprise, he did so/did it/did that .

We use do so mostly to refer to actions where the subject and verb are the same as the ones we have mentioned. Do so is generally more formal than do it and do that :

I wanted them to leave, and politely asked them to do so , but they wouldn’t go, so I called the police. (I wanted them to leave and I politely asked them to leave.)

Do so is more formal than do on its own:

A: Do you mind if I open the present now? B: Yes, please do so . ( Do so substitutes for open the present now )

We often use do so when we make a general reference to a series of actions or events:

The birds make their nests on the north side of the island in little holes in the rocks. The reason why they do so is because the south side of the island is exposed to extreme winds.

We use do it when we refer to an action or an event involving a verb and an object, especially when the subject is different from the one already mentioned:

A: He accidentally deleted some emails on his computer . B: I do it all the time . (I delete files all the time.)

Do that is more emphatic and we use it for deliberate actions:

A: Would you ever give a complete stranger your phone number? B: No. I would never do that . (I would never give a complete stranger my phone number.)

We often use do that in situations where we are contrasting things:

A: Would you like to have a few nights in a motel? B: No, we’d prefer not to do that . We’d rather have a nice hotel . (We’d prefer not to have a few nights in a motel.)
A: I’ve decided to wait a year before starting college. I want to travel a bit and see the world . B: I really think you should do that rather than starting college. You’re still so young. College will still be an option this time next year .

We can use a modal or an auxiliary verb + do to substitute for a main verb and what comes after it:

A: I feel terrible . B: You should go to the doctor . A: I should do , I know, but I have so much work to finish .
A: Has Martin met Paul before? B: He could have done at the sales meeting last year, but I’m not sure .

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Strategies for Parents

Do or Does: Which is Correct?

By: Author Dr. Patrick Capriola

Posted on Published: November 29, 2021

The verb “do” is among the most common English verbs, and like most verbs we use a lot, it’s irregular. “Do” and “does” are both forms of the verb “do” in the simple present, so which is correct, “do” or “does?”

When you talk about yourself, you should say, “I do” as in “I do the dishes,” not “I does the dishes.” Even though the verb “do” is irregular, it still follows the rule that a present tense verb, in the third-person singular, needs an “s” at the end. For example, “I eat” and “he eats.” Like other verbs, “do” gets an “s” in the third-person singular, but we spell it with “es” — “does.”

Let’s take a closer look at how “do” and “does” are different and when to use each one. We’ll also talk about how to make negative sentences and questions with “do” and “does,” and we’ll even check out some common phrasal verbs and expressions that use “do.”

Do Is a Verb: What Does It Mean?

“Do” and “does” are action verbs, and we use them to describe an activity in the present tense ( source ). Remember that we use the simple present tense to talk about habits or activities that happen consistently over time.

Is It “I Do” or “I Does”?

Say “I do” when you are talking about work or an activity you are performing yourself. Here are some examples:

  • I always do my homework before dinner.
  • I do the dishes after we eat.

You only need to use the word “does” when you use the third-person singular to talk about another person or thing ( source ). Look at these sentences:

  • He always does his homework before dinner.
  • She does the dishes after we eat.
  • That car does well in the snow.

Can We Use “Do” with “I”?

As we’ve learned from the previous examples, you can use “do” with “I.” Bearing that in mind, which of these sentences is correct?

  • I do all my chores on Saturday.
  • I does all my chores on Saturday.

If you chose the first sentence, you’re correct! Remember, we need “do” when the subject is “I.”

Can We Use “Does” with “I”?

This also raises the question of whether we can use “does” with “I.” Simply put, no, you cannot use “does” with “I.” Consider the next examples. Which sentence is correct?

  • I does it as many times as it takes.
  • I do it as many times as it takes.

The second sentence is correct. Remember, the third-person singular is the only subject that uses “does.” You can say, “He does it as many times as it takes,” but you cannot say, “I does it as many times as it takes.”

“Does” and “Do” Chart

Here’s an easy chart to help you remember when to use “does” or “do.”

As you can see from the chart, you should always use “do” in the simple present tense when you are talking about anyone except he, she, or it. For those subjects, you need “does.”

Do or Does Singular

For proper subject-verb agreement, the singular subjects “I” and “you” need the word “do.” To describe how singular subjects “he,” “she,” or “it” complete an action, you will need to use the word “does.”

  • I do my best.
  • You do my hair exactly how I like it.
  • She does everything with a smile.

Of course, if you are using someone’s name or the name of an “it,” you’ll also use “does.”

  • Mr. Garcia does car repair from his shop.
  • This printer also does color, as well as black and white.

Do or Does Plural

In contrast, for proper subject-verb agreement, you should use “do” with all plural subjects, like “we,” “they,” or the plural “you.”

  • We do the laundry every week.
  • They do their jobs well.
  • You do your best all the time.
  • They do volunteer work at the library. 

“Does” and “Do” Examples

Now you try! Look at these sentences and decide if you should use “do” or does.”

1.    Mr. and Mrs. Lee always _____ what they say.

2.    You guys ______ that project, and we can _____ this one. (you → plural)

3.    The horse ______ laps around the track.

4.    I _____ the sewing by hand.

5.    You and I ______ whatever we want.

6.    You _____ a good job when you cook. (you → singular)

7.   I _____my work from home now.

Here are the answers. How did you do?

1.   do

2.   do, do

3.   does

4.   do

5.   do

6.   do

7.   do

Using Do and Does With Various Sentence Structures

i do my homework negative sentence

There are many different ways to use the verbs “do” and “does,” whether as main verbs or helping verbs. In this section, we’ll review the main applications for both.

Do and Does in a Positive Sentence for Emphasis

Occasionally, we can use “do” and “does” as helping verbs . However, this isn’t very common in positive sentences unless you want to give extra emphasis to the sentence’s main verb. You will still use “does” with the third-person singular and “do” with all other personal pronouns. 

Here are some examples of how either “do” or “does” can provide emphasis for your main verb:

  • I do want to go ; please call me! (You do not think I want to go)
  • He does like pickles on his sandwich. (You thought he did not like them.)
  • Sally and Harry do want to get married; they just don’t know when.

Making Negative Sentences With Do and Does

We also use “do” and “does” as helping verbs in negative sentences if the main verb is not “be.” Just add the adverb “not” after the helping verb “do” or “does,” then use your main verb. You will still use “does” for “he,” “she,” and “it” and “do” for all other personal pronouns. Consider the following examples:

  • I do not want to go .
  • You do not need to help me.
  • Marla does not eat meat.
  • We do not exercise on Fridays.
  • You (plural) do not use plastic forks.
  • They do not think it will happen.

Any of these sentences are fine. However, it’s much more common to make a contraction with “not,” especially when you are speaking. Simply combine “do” or “does” with “not” into one word, and then replace the “o” in “not” with an apostrophe.

  • I don’t want to go.
  • You don’t need to help me.
  • Marla doesn’t eat meat.
  • We don’t exercise on Fridays.
  • You don’t use plastic forks.
  • They don’t think it will happen.

Making Questions With Do and Does

A very common way to ask questions in English is by using “do” and “does” as helping verbs. Use them when you are asking a question that needs a “yes” or “no” answer. 

The rule for when to use “do” and “does” is still the same. You need to use “does” with “he,” “she,” or “it” and “do” with “I” and all other personal pronouns ( source ). Here are some examples:

  • Do you like chocolate ice cream?
  • Does he need help?
  • Do they make a lot of money?
  • Do we have a meeting today?

The answer to all of these questions can be a simple yes or no. If you need a longer answer to a question, you can add a question word — who, what, where, when, why, how, which — before “do” or “does.”

  • Why does he always arrive late?
  • How do you spell that?
  • What do I use to clean this?
  • Who do they live with?

However, there are times you do not need to use “do” and “does” when you ask a question. We’ve already talked about one — when your main verb is a form of “be.” Here are two more:

  • When your main verb is a compound verb, like “are going.”
  • When you use a modal verb, like “can,” should,” have,” etc.

Making Negative Questions With “Do” and “Does”

To make negative questions, you should use the contractions “don’t” and “doesn’t.” It’s very rare to form a negative question by saying or spelling “do not” or “does not.” Instead, just put these contractions at the beginning of the sentence, before the subject. These questions only need a “yes” or “no” answer.

  • Don’t I look pretty?
  • Doesn’t that dog need a bath?
  • Don’t we have a meeting today?

Do and Does Can Substitute for Other Verbs

If your listener knows what action you are talking about, you can also follow “do” and “does” with the pronoun “it.”

  • We do it every week. (the laundry.)
  • He never does it until the weekend. (his homework.)
  • They do it with love. (their cooking)
  • This machine does it better. (the function of the machine you are talking about)

Speaking of pronouns, be aware that it’s not a good idea to directly follow “do” or “does” with a pronoun that refers to a person, like “him,” “her,” or “us.” Sentences like that are either so casual that they sound uneducated, or they can refer in a derogatory way to activities that you wouldn’t talk about in normal conversation.

However, you can use possessive pronouns, like “my” and “her,” followed by a noun.

  • I do her hair every morning.
  • Does Mr. Smith do your yard three times a week?

Other Ways to Use Do and Does

You can also use “do” and “does” with indefinite pronouns like “everything” and “nothing” to talk about activities.

  • I do everything around the house.
  • She does nothing unless someone asks her.

And finally, you can use “do” and “does” with an adverb to describe how you performed that activity.

  • Matthew does his homework quickly.

Pronouncing Do and Does

“Do” and “does” also have irregular pronunciation, but don’t worry! Once you learn how to say them, they are easy to remember. The following pronunciation guides use Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary ( source ) and IPA symbols to help you ( source ).

Some Useful Idioms and Phrasal Verbs With “Do”

Since we use “do” and “does” a lot, there are also many expressions and idioms that use these two words ( source ). Here are a few:

Do (someone) a favor → to do a kind or helpful act for someone:

  • Molly, would you do me a favor and help me move these boxes?

Do business → to sell or buy from:

  • That deal sounds good; can we do business?

Do you good → a good thing that will help you:

  • Take this medicine; it does you good.

Do a number on → to hurt or harm someone or something:

  • The puppy does a number on my shoes.

Do-over → a second try to accomplish a task that was previously unsuccessful:

  • Can I have a do-over?

Do the trick → to produce the desired result:

  • I fixed the picture frame with a nail; that should do the trick.

Do you read me → this is serious; it is important that you do as I say:

  • Jonathan, do not play in the street. Do you read me?

i do my homework negative sentence

How to Answer “How Are You Doing?”

Finally, what should you say when someone asks you, “How are you doing?” You can’t answer this with the present tense “I do.” Instead, you need to use the present continuous, as they did in their question. This article was written for strategiesforparents.com.

You might answer, “I’m doing well” or “I’m doing good.” Both are correct, but they mean different things. Check out this article on the difference between “doing well” and “doing good.”

Final Thoughts

Remember, you should use “does” for the third-person singular. Use “do” for all other personal pronouns, both singular and plural. This rule applies when you use “do” as an action verb, as well as when you use it as a helping verb.

The more you listen to native speakers and practice your own speaking, the more you will discover that using “do” and “does” correctly will soon become natural for you. 

Blog EN Learniv.com

Future Tenses

Future Tenses

The future tenses are used to describe most situations and events taking place in the future. They express both planned and unplanned events, predictions, spontaneous decisions or other events in the future and are generally divided into four basic tenses:

  • Future simple
  • Future continuous
  • Future perfect
  • Future perfect continuous

Each tense uses different grammatical phenomena and timing. While the future simple tense works only with verbs in their base form, the future perfect continuous tense is a bit more complex. It is therefore necessary to know and be able to use all the future tenses at least partially, even though some are hardly ever encountered in spoken English. There are also special irregular forms of verbs .

Fortunately, the most commonly used future tense is the simple future tense, which is also the easiest to learn and understand. It is therefore necessary to be completely proficient in it.

Comparison of all future tenses

The future tense consists of two forms, one with the verb WILL and the other with the verb GOING TO. In the below examples of tense comparisons, we will use only the verb WILL:

– Future simple: I will play football.

– Future continuous: I will be playing football.

– Future perfect: I will have played football.

– Future perfect continuous: I will have been playing football.

The future simple tense

The future simple tense

The future simple tense expresses most future situations and events that may occur. It has two basic uses:

  • With the verb WILL.
  • With the verb GOING TO.

We need to learn both verbs and use them properly because each verb describes different situations in the future. We then form all the other tenses with this basic knowledge in mind.

As such, we must always know when to use the correct verb in all circumstances to ensure we can form sentences in even the most complex future tenses.

Using WILL and GOING TO

We use the verb WILL when we talk about spontaneous decisions, unplanned actions, offers or intentions. We translate it into “I will”.

On the other hand, the future tense GOING TO is used to express planned and predetermined situations in the future that are unlikely to change in any way. This verb is translated in English as “to prepare/plan”.

Affirmative sentences

Affirmative future simple sentences are really easy to form. All that is needed is the verb WILL in combination with the verb in its base form.

Subject + will + verb + object.

Forming affirmative sentences with the verb GOING TO is a little more complicated.

The auxiliary verb GOING TO consists of two parts (to be + going to). To form a grammatically correct sentence, it is necessary to use the correct form of the verb “to be” (am, is, are), which depends on the person in the subject.

Subject + am/is/are + going to + verb + object.

  • I will do my homework.
  • I am going to do my homework.

Negative sentences

Negative sentences use the negative “not” in all tenses. Using the verb WILL, we start with the subject, followed by “will not” then the verb in its base form. When we use the verb GOING TO, we put the “not” right after the “to be”. We can also use the abbreviation of the verb WILL NOT instead, which is “won’t”.

Subject + will + not + verb + object.

A sentence in the future tense with the verb GOING TO looks like:

Subject + am/is/are + not + going to + verb + object.

  • I will not/won’t do my homework.
  • I am not going to do my homework.

Questions are formed by simply swapping the word order and putting the subject before the verb, followed by the object. With the verb WILL, a question looks like this:

Will + subject + verb + object?

With the verb GOING TO, the structure of a question looks like this:

Am/Is/Are + subject + going to + verb + object?

  • Will you do your homework?
  • Are you going to do your homework?

The future continuos tense

The future continuous tense

The future continuous tense is used to express events that will take place at a precise moment in the future.

It is also used to express future planned events that are likely to have some duration. Thus, we often talk about planning a vacation, a trip, or a visit to family members.

This tense is often used in combination with adverbs such as “tomorrow”, “next week”, “next month”, “next Tuesday”, etc.

To form affirmative sentences, we need to add the suffix -ing to the verb. This suffix shows the progressive aspect. In addition to adding the suffix, we need to add the verb “be” in its base form in combination with the auxiliary verbs WILL/GOING TO.

The whole sentence looks like this:

Subject + will + be + verb (-ing) + object.

With the verb GOING TO the sentence structure looks like this:

Subject + am/is/are + going to + be + verb (-ing) + object.

  • I will be doing my homework.
  • I am going to be doing my homework.

Negative sentences are formed by adding the negative “not” immediately after the auxiliary verb WILL, or, in the case of GOING TO, immediately after the verb “am/is/are”.

Sentence structure with the verb WILL:

Subject + will + not + be + verb (-ing) + object.

Sentence structure with the verb GOING TO:

Subject + am/is/are + not + going to + be + verb (-ing) + object.

  • She will not/won’t be doing her homework.
  • She is not/isn’t going to be doing her homework.

To construct a question, insert the auxiliary verb at the very beginning of the sentence, immediately followed by the subject.

Will + subject + be + verb (-ing) + object?

Am/Is/Are + subject + going to + be + verb (-ing) + object?

  • Will you be doing your homework?
  • Are you going to be doing your homework?

Future Perfect Tense

The future perfect tense

The future perfect tense is used to express an event that will be completed before some other point in the future. You don’t come across this tense very often, but it is useful to know.

It is usually used in conjunction with the preposition “by” or “in”. For example, “by Monday” or “in a week”.

Affirmative sentences are formed by using the auxiliary verb WILL/GOING TO, the irregular verb HAVE and the main verb in its past participle form. If the verb is regular, we use its base form in combination with the suffix -ed.

The full sentence with the verb WILL looks like this:

Subject + will + have + past participle + object.

With the verb GOING TO, the sentence looks like this:

Subject + am/is/are + going to + have + past participle + object.

  • I will have done my homework.
  • I am going to have done my homework.

To create a negative sentence, we only need to add the negative “not” after the auxiliary verb.

Subject + will + not + have + past participle + object.

Subject + am/is/are + not + going to + have + past participle + object.

  • We will not/won’t have done our homework.
  • We are not/aren’t going to have done our homework.

As with all other tenses, we put the auxiliary verb at the beginning of the sentence. The first verb will be the verb WILL while in the case of GOING TO, it will be the verb “to be”.

Will + subject + have + past participle + object?

Am/Is/Are + subject + going to + have + past participle + object?

  • Will they have done their homework?
  • Are they going to have done their homework?

Future Perfect Continuous Tense

The future perfect continuous tense

This tense is hardly used at all in practice. It is a tense in which we do not differentiate between the use of GOING TO or WILL depending on the timeline of the sentence. It is therefore possible to choose either form at any time, depending on which you prefer.

This tense is only used to express an unfinished action that will continue until a certain point in the future. It usually takes place continuously and is always indicated by an interval or period of time.

It is usually associated with words such as “when”, “by”, “for”, “all day long”, and so on.

The construction of affirmative sentences in the future perfect continuous is probably the most difficult of all the future tenses. It is, however, very similar to the present perfect continuous or past perfect continuous tense. Here we use the auxiliary verb WILL/GOING TO, the verb HAVE, the verb BEEN , and the main verb in its continuous form, with the suffix -ing.

The complete sentence form with the verb WILL looks like this:

Subject + will + have + been + verb (-ing) + object.

The sentence structure with the verb GOING TO looks like this:

Subject + am/is/are + going to + have + been + verb (-ing) + object.

  • He will have been doing his homework.
  • He is going to have been doing his homework.

To construct a negative sentence, we use the negative “not” immediately after the auxiliary verb. We can also use the abbreviation “won’t” or “aren’t/isn’t” instead. This gives us the following sentence structure when using the verb WILL:

Subject + will + not + have + been + verb (-ing) + object.

Subject + am/is/are + not + going to + have + been + verb (-ing) + object.

  • I will not/won’t have been doing my homework.
  • I am not going to have been doing my homework.

To construct a question, we simply change the verb form and put the verb WILL/”to be” at the beginning of the sentence.

Will + subject + have + been + verb (-ing) + object?

Am/Are/Is + subject + have + been + verb (-ing) + object?

  • Will you have been doing your homework?
  • Are you going to have been doing your homework?

IMAGES

  1. 50 Examples of Negative Sentences

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  2. 100+ Examples of Negative Sentences in English

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  3. 25 Negative Sentences Examples in English » OnlyMyEnglish

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  4. Negative Sentences: 100 Examples of Negative Sentences

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  5. 100 Negative Sentences Examples

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  6. 10 Negative Sentences in English

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VIDEO

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  5. Negative Sentence, Affirmative To Negative Sentence, Make it Negative Sentence,English Grammar

  6. – 2(– 4 + |– 3

COMMENTS

  1. present tense

    I do my homework at 6 pm. I don't do my homework at 6 pm. compare to: I am generally doing my homework at 6 pm. I am generally not doing my homework at 6 pm.--You could also say: (But)I do do my homework at 6 pm.--> if you want to emphasize the fact that you actually are doing it; for example if somebody accuses you of not doing it.

  2. Negative Sentences in English Grammar

    Introduction. Negative sentences are created by placing an auxiliary verb and not before the main verb. The auxiliary verb depends on the tense we are using. We use do + not in simple tenses, be + not in progressive tenses, have + not in perfect tenses and have + be + not in perfect progressive tenses. To negate the verb be and all modal verbs ...

  3. do in English

    1.4. do as a main verb (Present Progressive, Gerund, present participle) - (doing) affirmative. negative. I am doing my homework. I am not doing my homework. Doing my homework is not always fun. Not doing my homework is not clever. I saw Jane doing her homework. I didn't see Jane doing her homework.

  4. How to use Do, Does, and Did in Negative sentences

    Negative sentences with Did. Same thing here: just put "did" and "not" in your sentence to make a negative sentence. You use "did" when you want to make a negative sentence in the past tense (past simple). You can use "did" for all the pronouns (I, you, he, she, it, we, they). Check out these examples: I didn't see the sign.

  5. The Art of Negation: How to Formulate Negative Sentences in English

    Step 1: Identify the Verb. The first step in forming a negative sentence in English is to identify the main verb in the sentence. This could be an action verb (e.g., run, eat, write), a linking verb (e.g., is, are, was), or a modal verb (e.g., can, could, will). Step 2: Use an Auxiliary Verb or Modal Verb.

  6. Negation and the verb DO

    When forming negative statements with not, the auxiliary verb DO is absolutely required with all main verbs except BE and modal verbs. The verb DO, in negative statements, is an auxiliary verb. In this role, DO is conjugated for person and tense. The main verb remains in the base form. Here are examples in the simple present.

  7. Chapter 3: Simple Present

    Student 2: I usually do my homework. (Student 1 doesn't have a "usually" card. Student 1 changes partners and tries again.) ... When we make negative sentences with other verbs, we use the auxiliary verb, DO. It has two forms: do and does. The negative not comes after do or does and is followed by the base form of the main verb.

  8. Simple Present Tense (do-does)

    ⬤ Negative sentences. For the formation of negative sentences in simple present tense we use "not" together with "do / does". The short forms are "don't / doesn't" I don't like cigarette. Sarah doesn't need help. He doesn't forget names. They don't go out alone. ⬤ Interrogative sentences (questions)

  9. Forming negative statements, questions and imperatives

    Forming negative statements, questions and imperatives - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary

  10. Present Simple Tense (Affirmative and Negative)

    I my homework. (do) 12. The teacher to school every day. (walk) 13. Jack his bicycle. (ride) 14. His mother some fruit. (buy) 15. The baby every night. (cry) B. Negative Sentences (don't/doesn't) 16. My friends read English books. 17. She sit near the teacher. 18. Sakdo wash his hands. 19. Mrs. Pranee clean the house. 20. The oxen eat grass. 21 ...

  11. 100+ Examples of Negative Sentences in English

    Here are some common examples of negative sentences in English. I am not a junior high school student. She will not be watching TV. Tom doesn't like to eat spicy food. Do not spoil the weekends of your kids. There are no apples in the basket. Beckie is not allergic to peanuts. I have not been going to the gym for seven days.

  12. Make Negative Sentences

    9. I do not practice the violin every morning. 10. My brother does not earn two hundred dollars a week. 11. Our team did not play well yesterday. 12. He does not go to school by bus. Grammar notes. Affirmative sentences in the simple present tense are changed into negatives by putting do not or does not before the verb.

  13. Negative sentences worksheet

    (Negative) If the affirmative sentence is in the simple present tense, we make the negative form with do not or does not. Use do not when the subject is a plural noun or pronoun. The pronoun I and you also take do. She works here. (Affirmative) She does not work here. (Negative) You know the answer. (Affirmative) You do not know the answer ...

  14. Negative Sentences: Definition, Formation and Examples

    Negative sentences: Learn what negative sentences are, how to make a negative sentence and the difference between a negative sentence and an affirmative sentence in this article. Check out the examples given to have a clear idea of its formation and usage. ... I cannot help you with your homework as I would be late. You must not be brooding ...

  15. Grammar: When to Use Do, Does, and Did

    Consider the following examples: We did our homework last night. She did her homework last night.. Auxiliary Verbs. Auxiliary, or helping verbs, are used with another base verb to create negative sentences, questions, or add emphasis.Here's how do should be used as an auxiliary verb:. 1. Negative Sentences. Following the same subject-verb pairings introduced above, we combine the ...

  16. Do

    Do - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary

  17. Do or Does: Which is Correct?

    Making Negative Sentences With Do and Does. We also use "do" and "does" as helping verbs in negative sentences if the main verb is not "be.". Just add the adverb "not" after the helping verb "do" or "does," then use your main verb. You will still use "does" for "he," "she," and "it" and "do" for all ...

  18. Why does "I was happy to do my homework" work, but "I was tired to do

    In other words, the sentence means "In order to do my homework I was too tired and that's why I couldn't do it" or "I was very tired and as a result I couldn't do my homework." Other adjectives that can be followed by to-infinitive are afraid, ashamed, glad, pleased, proud, sad, sorry, etc. Compare the following two sentences:

  19. Future Tenses

    I will do my homework. I am going to do my homework. Negative sentences. Negative sentences use the negative "not" in all tenses. Using the verb WILL, we start with the subject, followed by "will not" then the verb in its base form. When we use the verb GOING TO, we put the "not" right after the "to be".

  20. I do my homework (change into negative)

    The correct sentence is:- I didn't do my homework. In the given sentence, we are asked to change the affirmative sentence to a negative sentence. As we know in an affirmative sentence, it is the positive connotation that gives it an identity. And in the negative sentence, there has to be a mention of the word 'no'.

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