Negative statements

A Use

Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus was a famous explorer. At one time people believed that he had 'discovered' America. We know now this isn't true. Columbus was not the first European to travel to the New World. We don't know who was, but the Vikings had sailed there around the year 1000, and probably others before them. In 1492 Columbus sailed to San Salvador in the Bahamas and to other islands, but he never reached the mainland of North America. He actually thought he was in Asia. He certainly didn't discover America.

We often use a negative statement to correct a mistaken idea, such as the idea that Christopher Columbus discovered America.

B Negative verb forms

In a negative statement not or n't comes after the auxiliary verb.

The auxiliary verb is a form of be, have or a modal verb, e.g. must, can, could.

The girls are not dancing. The modem isn't working properly.

I haven't seen the new Disney film. David hasn't got a car.

1 mustn't stay long. You can't turn right here.

I'm not feeling very awake today. We write n't without a space before it, e.g. isn't, haven't.

Not or n't also comes after the main verb be.

The photos are not ready yet It isn't very warm in here. If there is more than one auxiliary verb, we put not or n't after the first one.

This plate hasn't been washed. You shouldn't have bothered.

In the present simple and past simple, we use a form of do.

POSITIVE NEGATIVE

Present simple: work do not work or don't work

looks does not look or doesn't look

Past simple: enjoyed did not enjoy or didn't enjoy

1 don't work on Saturdays, not I-work not on Saturdays.

This part of town doesn't look very nice. I'm afraid we didn't enjoy the day very much. The verb after not or n't does not end in s or ed.

not It doesn't looks-very nice and not We-dtdn't-enjoyed~the~day.

C No and not

We can use no before a noun or an adjective + noun. The verb is positive.

No music is allowed after eleven, or Music is not allowed after eleven.

There are no new houses in the village, or There aren't any new houses in the village. We do not use no with a verb.

not Music-is no allowed and not The-shops-are no-open.

40 Exercises

1 Use (A)

Read the information in A about Christopher Columbus. Then choose a positive or a negative verb.

► Columbus discovered/didn't discover America.

1 The first European to sail to the New World was/wasn't Columbus.

2 Europeans had/hadn't been to the New World before Columbus.

3 We know/don't know definitely who first sailed to America.

4 Columbus landed/didn't land on the North American mainland.

5 People's opinion of Columbus has/hasn't changed over the last 500 years.

6 When Columbus landed on San Salvador, he knew/didn't know where he was.

7 It is/isn't true that Columbus travelled across the United States.

2 Negative verb forms (B)

Complete the conversation, Put in the negative forms of these words:

can, did, do, does, has, have, is, was, were

Rita: Does anyone live in that house next door?

Melanie: Yes, he's called Jake. He's rather strange. He (►) hasn't got a job, but he (1)………………. be short

of money because he's just bought a new car.
Rita: The house (2)………………. look very smart.

Melanie: The people who lived there before Jake (3)………………. look after it very well.

And they (4)………………. very good at gardening. When Jake bought the house, it had been

empty for a while. It (5)………………. very expensive. But he (6)……………. ... interested in doing

anything to it, as you can see.
Rita: Is he a friend?
Melanie: No, we aren't really friends. I (7)………………. know him very well. I say hello when I see him,

that's all. I (8) ……............. seen him for a while, actually.

3 Negative verb forms (B)

Vicky and Rachel are good friends, but they are very different kinds of people. Complete the sentences using a negative.

► Vicky gets upset, but Rachel doesn't get upset.

1 Vicky gets headaches. Rachel is lucky. She ................... …………………………………………

2 Rachel can relax. Vicky is different. She ..................................................... ……………………..

3 Rachel missed a lecture yesterday, but Vicky .................................................. ………………………

4 Vicky is a nervous person, but Rachel ............................................................ ………………………

5 Vicky loses things. Rachel ...................................................................................................................

6 Rachel was a happy child. Vicky..................................................................................................... …...

7 Rachel has decided on a career, but Vicky ................................................ …………………………...

4 No and not (C)

Complete this paragraph from a travel article. Put in no or not.

Metropolis is (►) not an attractive town. There are (1)……………… parks or gardens in the city centre.

I saw (2)……………….. interesting buildings, only factories, offices and blocks of flats.

The hotels are (3)……………….. very good, and there are (4)………………. first-class restaurants.

(5) ………….tourists visit Metropolis, and I certainly do (6)………………. want to go there again.

Date: 2014-12-22; view: 1291