Affirmative: You speak Spanish.
Negative: You don't speak Spanish.
You will see that we add don't between the subject and the verb. We use Don't when the subject is I, you, we or they.
Affirmative: He speaks Spanish.
Negative: He doesn't speak Spanish.
When the subject is he, she or it, we add doesn't between the subject and the verb to make a negative sentence. Notice that the letter S at the end of the verb in the affirmative sentence (because it is in third person) disappears in the negative sentence. We will see the reason why below.
Contractions
Don't = Do notDoesn't = Does not
I don't like fish = I do not like fish.
There is no difference in meaning though we normally use contractions in spoken English.
Word Order of Negative Sentences
The following is the word order to construct a basic negative sentence in English in the Present Tense using Don't or Doesn't.Subject | don't/doesn't | Verb* | The Rest of the sentence |
---|---|---|---|
I / you / we / they | don't | have / buy eat / like etc. | cereal for breakfast |
he / she / it | doesn't |
Remember that the infinitive is the verb before it is conjugated (changed) and it begins with TO. For example: to have, to eat, to go, to live, to speak etc.
Examples of Negative Sentences with Don't and Doesn't:
- You don't speak Russian.
- John doesn't speak French.
- We don't have time for a quick drink.
- It doesn't rain much in summer.
- They don't want to come with us.
- She doesn't like meat.
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