When you want to express the opposite meaning of a particular word or sentence, you can do it by inserting a negation. Negations are words like no, not, and never. If you wanted to express the opposite of I am here, for example, you could say I am not here.
Below, you’ll find lists of common negative words used to negate ideas.
Negative words:
- No
- Not
- None
- No one
- Nobody
- Nothing
- Neither
- Nowhere
- Never
Negative Adverbs:
- Hardly
- Scarcely
- Barely
Negative verbs
- Doesn’t
- Isn’t
- Wasn’t
- Shouldn’t
- Wouldn’t
- Couldn’t
- Won’t
- Can’t
- Don’t
Remember, when using negatives, make sure you only use one at a time in reference to any particular idea. Otherwise, you will create a double negative, which is an error in English.
What are negatives?
A negative is a word or phrase that shows you reject or disagree with something. We use negatives all the time in regular conversation, so a lot of these words should be familiar to you.
Can't, don't, and won't are all common negatives (as well as isn't, doesn't, and not). Words like never and nobody are negatives too—they just express disagreement in a different way.
Negative doesn't necessarily mean that something is bad or that you have a negative attitude. It just means you're negating something—in other words, stating that the opposite is true. You could be referring to anything: good or bad, pleasant or unpleasant. It might help to picture it this way:
Example
I feel sick : Positive
I don't feel sick :Negative
