Present Simple
Lesson 4 of 6 · ~4 minutes

Lesson 4 · Present Simple

Negatives

Negative

A present simple negative isn't made by putting not next to the verb. It's made with don't / doesn't + the base form.

Forms

I / you / we / they take don't (or do not). he / she / it take doesn't (or does not). The -s comes off the main verb: it is already inside doesn't.

The full forms do not and does not mean the same. In speech we almost always say don't and doesn't.

I / you / we / they

don't work

he / she / it

doesn't work
I / you / we / they
he / she / it
don't work
doesn't work

I don't like coffee.

She doesn't live here.

Where people usually slip

After doesn't, the verb has no -s: she doesn't like, not she doesn't likes.

Two -s endings at once (doesn't likes) is a common mistake: the person is already shown in doesn't, so the verb adds nothing.

In short

  • I / you / we / theydon't + base form
  • he / she / itdoesn't + verb without -s
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