Present Simple: negative sentences
450 fill-in-the-gap exercises, 45 tests of ten
Put don't or doesn't in front of the verb. The verb itself goes back to its plain form.
Practice this form
Loading…
Getting your first question ready.
The pattern
The negative needs an auxiliary, because not cannot sit next to a plain verb in this tense. English supplies do or does for the job:
- I don’t understand.
- She doesn’t understand.
The short forms are standard everywhere except in formal writing, where you may see do not and does not spelled out for emphasis.
Where the -s goes
This is the rule to fix in your head: the ending moves to the auxiliary.
She works has the -s on the verb. Once does appears, it takes the ending and the verb is left plain:
She works → She doesn’t work
So doesn’t works is always wrong, in every sentence, without exception.
Negatives that do not use don’t
Two verbs make their own negative and never take do or does:
- be: She isn’t ready, not she doesn’t be ready.
- modal verbs such as can, must, should: He can’t swim, not he doesn’t can swim.
Another way to say no
You can also put the negative on the object rather than the verb:
- I don’t have any money.
- I have no money.
Both are correct. The second is a little stronger.
All forms
| Subject | Short form | Full form |
|---|---|---|
| I, you, we, they | don't work | do not work |
| he, she, it | doesn't work | does not work |
Examples
Taken from the 450 sentences in this drill. The answer is highlighted.
- They don't enjoy watching romantic movies.
- She doesn't enjoy gardening in her free time.
- I don't watch horror movies before going to bed.
- She doesn't want to go to the party tonight.
- We don't have time to watch a movie tonight.
- He doesn't do his homework before going to bed.
- They don't have enough time to finish their homework.
- My uncle doesn't drive to work in the winter.
- We don't know the answer to that question.
- The shop doesn't sell fresh bread on Mondays.
- They don't have enough time to finish the project.
- He doesn't listen to music in his free time.
Mistakes to avoid
Wrong: She doesn't likes tea. correct: She doesn't like tea.
Does already carries the third person. The main verb cannot carry it as well.
Wrong: They doesn't live here. correct: They don't live here.
They is plural, so it takes don't.
Wrong: He not work on Fridays. correct: He doesn't work on Fridays.
Not cannot attach to an ordinary verb on its own. It needs do or does in front of it.