7 Present Simple Negative
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Introduction
The present simple is the tense used to express permanent situations or events that regularly repeat or always occur.
When expressed in its negative form, the verb denies something about the subject.
Form
The present simple, in its negative form, has this structure:
Subject + do/does + not + verb + …
- Do/does: the third person singular changes from do to does;
- Verb: the base form of the verb is the same (without any changes);
- Irregular verb to be: I am not – you aren’t – he isn’t…
| Subject | do/does + not | Verb | Short form |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | do not | work | don’t |
| You | do not | work | don’t |
| He | does not | work | doesn’t |
| She | does not | work | doesn’t |
| It | does not | work | doesn’t |
| We | do not | work | don’t |
| You | do not | work | don’t |
| They | do not | work | don’t |
Example
- Completed actions that happen as we speak
- The taxi driver doesn’t disappear.
- Facts
- Teachers don’t perform an important role in society.
- Habits/routines
- I don’t usually wake up at 8 o’clock.
- My boss doesn’t go to the gym twice a week.
- We don’t go to the cinema too much.
- Informal narrative
- The housewife doesn’t transform into a princess.
- Instructions
- Don’t go straight and don’t turn left.
- Don’t restart your mobile phone.
- Don’t dedicate yourself to your studies.
- Permanent situations
- I don’t live in Russia.
- She doesn’t work in a police station.
- The doctor didn’t study maths.
- Planned future
- I don’t start my new job on 17th June.
- The exam period doesn’t end on 24th December.
- Emily’s plane doesn’t land in 2 hours.
- Promises…
- I don’t promise to buy you a new phone.
- Timetables
- The train doesn’t leave at 7 o’ clock.
Use
Present simple, in its negative form, is used to deny something about:
- Completed actions that happen as we speak (commentaries);
- Facts (things that are generally true, stated);
- Habits/routines (something that happens repeatedly in the present);
- Informal narrative (when telling a story).
- Instructions (orders);
- Permanent situations (that have been happening for a while and will be happening in the future);
- Planned future (planned events with a given exact date);
- Promises;
- Timetables (planned events with given exact time);
Summary
We use the present simple, in its negative form, to deny situations that regularly, repeatedly or always occur.
When we use the present simple in its negative form, we start with the subject followed by do not and the verb in its base form. In the third person singular, we use does not.
For example:
— “I don’t work on important projects.” = The sentence is in the present simple negative, so we use do not followed by the base form of the verb to work (do not work).
— “She doesn’t work on important projects.” = The subject is she, so we use does not followed by the base form of the verb to work (does not work).
NOTE: The verb to be is irregular, so it doesn’t follow the general formation rule for the negative form, and we just add not after the verb.
Let’s revise this content within the {Form} section. Take a look at the {Example} section that shows its use within a context.
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