To say that something “is not,” simply place not immediately after the be verb. Once you remember the word order, negative sentences are easy to make.
Basic Rules
The form of a negative sentence is “subject + be verb + not + complement.” There are three patterns: am not / is not / are not. Is not can be shortened to isn't, and are not can be shortened to aren't. Am not is not shortened to amn't; instead, use I'm not (or I am not). Learning these contractions will help you use them naturally in conversation.
I am not tired. (I am not tired.)
He is not a teacher. / He isn't a teacher. (He is not a teacher.)
We are not late. / We aren't late. (We are not late.)
※ Place not immediately after the be verb.
Important Points
When making a negative sentence with a be verb, the first step is to choose am / is / are correctly according to the person and number of the subject. Next, pay attention to the position of not: it must come immediately after the be verb. Remember be verb + not as one negative phrase: I am not → I'm not (amn't is incorrect), and He is not → He isn't / He's not (both are possible). The choice of contraction can change depending on which part you want to emphasize.
- Negative word order: subject + be verb + not + complement
- Contractions: isn't / aren't; however, am not becomes only I'm not
- Because this form negates “subject = what follows,” the meaning becomes “subject ≠ what follows.”
Practice
- Write “I am not a soccer player” in English.
- Write “She is not angry” using a contraction.
- Write “They are not Japanese” using a contraction.