Verb to be: present simple negative form: How and When to Use in English

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Verb to be: present simple negative form 

Reminder: the verb to be is irregular. To be, present simple tense

The hotel is old.

We are from Manchester.

To make the verb to be negative, add not after its conjugated form.

The meal is not expensive.

Magda and Timmy are not American.

Note: we often use short forms (isn't, aren't To be, present simple, negative, short), especially in spoken language and informal situations. 

The ticket is not expensive. → The ticket isn't expensive.

Timmy and Roger are not Mexican. → Timmy and Roger aren't Mexican.

Exercise 1

Drag and drop the tiles in the correct order to make these sentences negative.

I am in Leeds → I in Leeds.We are young → We young.Magda is a receptionist → Magda a receptionist.

Drag and drop the tiles in the correct order to make these sentences negative.

I am in Leeds → I am not 1 in Leeds.We are young → We are not 2 young.Magda is a receptionist → Magda is not 3 a receptionist.
1 am not:

I am not in Leeds. To create the negative form, place not after the verb to be (here am). Example: I am not hungry.

2 are not:

We are not young. To create the negative form, follow the structure: subject (here we) + verb to be (here are) + not. Example: we are not tall. Note: in informal situations, you could also say we aren't young. To be, present simple, negative, short 

3 is not:

Magda is not a receptionist. Add not after the verb to be (here is) to create its negative form. Example: Luke is not Spanish.

Exercise 2

Fill the blanks by dragging and dropping the negative form of the verb to be that corresponds to each subject. Press the “Help me” button if you need a hand.

You a lawyer.

Magda tall.

I a tourist.

You are not a lawyer.

Magda is not tall.

I am not a tourist.

Help me
Test yourself

Fill the blanks by dragging and dropping the negative form of the verb to be that corresponds to each subject. Press the “Help me” button if you need a hand.

You are not 1 a lawyer.

Magda is not 2 tall.

I am not 3 a tourist.

1 are not:

You are not a lawyer. After the subject you, use are + not to create the negative form. Example: you are not 20 years old.

2 is not:

Magda is not tall. Is not is the negative form of the verb to be for subjects like Magda (=she). Example: Anna is not a plumber. Note: in informal situations, you could also use the short form and say Magda isn't tall. To be, present simple, negative, short 

3 am not:

I am not a tourist. After I, the negative form of the verb to be is am not. Example: I am not a politician.

Exercise 3

Drag and drop the correct options to transform the following sentences from affirmative to negative. Pro tip: you don’t need to use all the words!

He is happy → He happy.They are British → They British.You are in the city → You in the city.

Drag and drop the correct options to transform the following sentences from affirmative to negative. Pro tip: you don’t need to use all the words!

He is happy → He is not 1 happy.They are British → They are not 2 British.You are in the city → You are not 3 in the city.
1 is not:

He is not happy. Use the verb to be (here is) + not to create the negative form with subjects like he/she/it. Examples: he is not Brad Pitt; it is not fair.

2 are not:

They are not British. Place not after the verb to be (here are) to create the negative form. Example: they are not honest.

3 are not:

You are not in the city. The negative form of the verb to be that corresponds to the subject you is are not. Example: you are not from Belgium.


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