Forming Negative Sentences

Introduction to Negative Sentences

ଓଡ଼ିଆ ସାରାଂଶ: ଏହି ବିଭାଗରେ ଆମେ ଜାଣିବା ଯେ ବାକ୍ୟ ଦୁଇ ପ୍ରକାରର ହୋଇପାରେ: ସକାରାତ୍ମକ (affirmative) ଏବଂ ନକାରାତ୍ମକ (negative) | ନକାରାତ୍ମକ ବାକ୍ୟ 'ନାହିଁ' ଭଳି ଅର୍ଥ ପ୍ରକାଶ କରେ।

Declarative sentences (ବିବୃତ୍ତିମୂଳକ ବାକ୍ୟ) can express either a positive statement or a negative one. A positive statement is called an Affirmative sentence, while a negative statement is called a Negative sentence. For example:

1. Rina is fond of sweets. (Affirmative)
2. Swallows are not seen in winter. (Negative)

Forming Negative Sentences with Auxiliary Verbs

ଓଡ଼ିଆ ସାରାଂଶ: ଯେଉଁ ବାକ୍ୟରେ ସହାୟକ କ୍ରିୟା (auxiliary verb) ଥାଏ, ସେଥିରେ 'not' ଯୋଡ଼ି ନକାରାତ୍ମକ ବାକ୍ୟ ତିଆରି କରାଯାଏ।

To transform an affirmative sentence into a negative one, when an auxiliary verb (ସହାୟକ କ୍ରିୟା) is present, 'not' is typically placed immediately after the auxiliary verb. Common auxiliary verbs include is, are, can, will, must, has, may, did, does, should, have, had, etc.

Rule: Auxiliary Verb + not

Examples:

• Affirmative: A baby can swim.
• Negative: A baby can not swim. (or cannot)
• Affirmative: Rabi is sleeping.
• Negative: Rabi is not sleeping.
• Affirmative: Namita will return today.
• Negative: Namita will not return today.

Forming Negative Sentences without Auxiliary Verbs

ଓଡ଼ିଆ ସାରାଂଶ: ଯେଉଁ ବାକ୍ୟରେ କୌଣସି ସହାୟକ କ୍ରିୟା ନଥାଏ, ସେଥିରେ ଉପଯୁକ୍ତ 'do' କ୍ରିୟା (do, does, did) ବ୍ୟବହାର କରି 'not' ଯୋଡ଼ାଯାଏ।

In instances where a sentence lacks an auxiliary verb, the appropriate form of the 'do' verb (do, does, or did) is introduced before 'not' to construct the negative sentence. The main verb then reverts to its base form.

• Use do not for present simple tense with plural subjects (I, you, we, they).
• Use does not for present simple tense with singular subjects (he, she, it).
• Use did not for past simple tense with all subjects.

Examples:

• Affirmative: Kunu invited me.
• Negative: Kunu did not invite me.
• Affirmative: They often make noise.
• Negative: They do not often make noise.
• Affirmative: Swati writes well.
• Negative: Swati does not write well.

Contractions in Negative Sentences

ଓଡ଼ିଆ ସାରାଂଶ: କଥାବାର୍ତ୍ତା ସମୟରେ, ଆମେ ପ୍ରାୟତଃ 'not' ର ସଂକ୍ଷିପ୍ତ ରୂପ (contracted form) ବ୍ୟବହାର କରୁ, ଯାହାକୁ 'n't' କୁହାଯାଏ।

During conversation, contracted forms (ସଂକ୍ଷିପ୍ତ ରୂପ) are frequently used. The 'not' is often contracted to 'n't' and combined with the auxiliary verb. Some common contractions include:

• is not $\rightarrow$ isn't
• are not $\rightarrow$ aren't can not $\rightarrow$ can't
• will not $\rightarrow$ won't
• must not $\rightarrow$ mustn't
• do not $\rightarrow$ don't
• does not $\rightarrow$ doesn't
• did not $\rightarrow$ didn't
• have not $\rightarrow$ haven't

Note: I am not contracts to I'm not, not I am n't or I am'nt.

Example:

• Affirmative: We should help one another.
• Negative (contracted): We shouldn't help one another.

Special Cases and Considerations

ଓଡ଼ିଆ ସାରାଂଶ: କିଛି ବିଶେଷ କ୍ଷେତ୍ର ଅଛି ଯେଉଁଠାରେ ନକାରାତ୍ମକ ବାକ୍ୟ ଗଠନ ଭିନ୍ନ ହୋଇପାରେ କିମ୍ବା ସମ୍ଭବ ନୁହେଁ, ଯେପରିକି ଆଶ୍ଚର୍ଯ୍ୟସୂଚକ ବାକ୍ୟରେ।

• Exclamatory Sentences (ଆଶ୍ଚର୍ଯ୍ୟସୂଚକ ବାକ୍ୟ): These sentences do not typically take negation. For example, "How unfortunate he is!" cannot correctly be negated as "How unfortunate he is not!" [[3]]
• Must Negation: To negate must, one can use mustn't (meaning negative compulsion or prohibition) or needn't (meaning absence of compulsion). [[6]]
  • You mustn't shout in the class. (Prohibition)
  • You needn't come on Sundays. (Absence of compulsion)
• Negative Adverbs: Words like no, never, nor, neither...nor, none, seldom, scarcely, hardly inherently carry a negative meaning. When never, scarcely, seldom, hardly are placed at the beginning of a sentence for emphasis, the remaining part of the sentence takes the form of a question. [[3]], [[8]]
  • I have never seen Gandhi in my life.
  • Never did he obey any order. (Question-like structure)

Worked Examples

Example 1: Convert "The tea is hot." to negative.

• Step 1: Identify the verb. The verb is is, which is an auxiliary verb.
• Step 2: Place 'not' after the auxiliary verb.
• Result: The tea is not hot.

Example 2: Convert "The girl told a lie." to negative.

• Step 1: Identify the verb. The verb is told. There is no auxiliary verb.
• Step 2: Determine the tense of the main verb. told is the past simple tense of tell.
• Step 3: Use the appropriate 'do' verb for past simple, which is did. Place 'not' after did.
• Step 4: Change the main verb told back to its base form, tell.
• Result: The girl did not tell a lie.