The past simple negative is used to talk about actions or events that happened in the past and were not true or did not happen.
It is made using the auxiliary verb "did" in the past tense, followed by "not" and the base form of the main verb.
We use the past simple negative when we want to say that something did not happen or was not true in the past.
I did not visit England last summer.
No visité Inglaterra el verano pasado.
When asking open-ended questions negatively:
What did you not like about England?
¿Qué no te gustó de Inglaterra?
When answering closed-ended questions negatively:
Did you try fish and chips in England? No, I did not.
¿Probaste el pescado con papas fritas en Inglaterra? No, no lo hice.
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Positive sentence:
Subject + base form of the main verb + object
She visited the Tower of London.
Ella visitó la Torre de Londres.
Negative sentence:
Subject + did not + base form of the main verb + object
She did not visit the Tower of London.
Ella no visitó la Torre de Londres.
Closed-ended question:
Did + subject + base form of the main verb + object
Did she visit the Tower of London?
¿Visitó ella la Torre de Londres?
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Open-ended question:
Question word + did + subject + not + base form of the main verb + object
What did she not visit in England?
¿Qué no visitó ella en Inglaterra?
We don't use past simple negative for all situations, such as these:
When discussing ongoing or habitual actions in the past, we use the past continuous or the past simple.
She was not visiting England every year. (past continuous)
Ella no visitaba Inglaterra todos los años.
When talking about general truths or states: We use the present simple affirmative instead.
The King does not live in France. (present simple)
El Rey no vive en Francia.
Other examples:
Positive sentence:
They explored Stonehenge.
Ellos exploraron Stonehenge.
Negative sentence:
They did not explore Stonehenge.
Ellos no exploraron Stonehenge.
Open-ended question:
What did they not explore in England?
¿Qué no exploraron ellos en Inglaterra?
Closed-ended question:
Did they explore Stonehenge?
¿Exploraron ellos Stonehenge?
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Questions
Write your answers in the chatbox below.
1. What ___________ in England last week?
a) you not did visit
b) did you not visit
c) didn't you visit
d) you didn't visit
2. ___________ you try traditional fish and chips in England?
a) Did not
b) Did you not
c) Didn't you
d) You didn't
3. My friends ___________ the Buckingham Palace during their trip.
a) didn't visit
b) did not visit
c) visit not
d) visited not
4. What ___________ about England during your stay?
a) you did not like
b) did you not like
c) didn't you like
d) you didn't like
5. We ___________ the Tower of London when we were there.
a) didn't visit
b) did not visit
c) visit not
d) visited not
6. ___________ you watch a football match in England?
a) Did not
b) Did you not
c) Didn't you
d) You didn't
7. She ___________ to Stonehenge last summer.
a) did not go
b) didn't go
c) go not
d) went not
8. ___________ they visit the British Museum during their trip?
a) Did not
b) Did they not
c) Didn't they
d) They didn't
9. What ___________ you not enjoy about England?
a) did not
b) didn't
c) did you not
d) you didn't
10. We ___________ any traditional English food while we were there.
a) didn't try
b) did not try
c) try not
d) tried not
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