Practice
Simple past negatives: use did not and didn't correctly
Sign in to saveYou wanted to say that you did not see a message yesterday. The useful pattern is simple: subject, did not, then the base verb.
Make negative sentences in the simple past with did not or didn't and the base form of the main verb.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
I didn't see the message /aɪ ˈdɪd.ənt siː ðə ˈmes.ɪdʒ/
The short answer
For a simple past negative, use subject plus did not or didn't plus the base form of the verb. Use did not leave, did not go, and did not see. Do not put the verb in the past form after did not.
We didn't leave the office until six.
Why it works: Didn't already shows the past, so leave stays in its base form.
5 more examples
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I didn't call my sister last night.
Didn't marks the past negative, so call is the base form.
Not this:I
calledmy sister last night. What changes: Without didn't, called is the affirmative simple past form. -
They did not buy tickets for the concert.
Buy remains a base verb after did not.
Not this:They
boughttickets for the concert. What changes: Bought is an irregular past form used in an affirmative sentence. -
Mina didn't see the bus arrive.
Use see, not saw, after didn't.
Not this:Mina
sawthe bus arrive. What changes: Saw is correct when there is no did not in the sentence. -
The café did not open on Sunday.
Open does not take -ed after did not.
Not this:The café
openedon Sunday. What changes: Opened is the affirmative past form. -
We didn't have enough time to finish the report.
Have stays in the base form after didn't.
Not this:We
hadenough time to finish the report. What changes: Had is the affirmative past form of have.
Read the full guide
Find the action word first. If you add did not, return that verb to its base form. This works with regular verbs and irregular verbs alike.
Use did not before the main verb
Start a past negative with the subject. Put did not after it, then add the main verb. This pattern says an action did not happen.
She did not answer the phone.
The negative part, did not, comes before answer.
Complete the sentence: We ___ visit the museum yesterday. Use did not.
We did not visit the museum yesterday. Visit follows did not in its base form.
Keep the verb in its base form
Did already tells us the time is past. Do not add another past form to the main verb. This is the rule behind sentences such as didn't walk and didn't arrive.
He didn't walk home after work.
Walk is the base form. Didn't walked is not a standard past negative.
Choose the correct sentence: Did you finish the book, or Did you finished the book?
Did you finish the book? After did, use finish, not finished.
Use the same rule with irregular verbs
Irregular verbs also return to their base form after did not. Go, see, and take do not become went, saw, or took in this pattern.
I didn't go to the meeting.
Go is the base form after didn't. Went is only for an affirmative past sentence.
They did not take the train.
Take stays unchanged even though took is its simple past form.
Complete the sentence: She didn't ___ the sign. Use see.
She didn't see the sign. See follows didn't, not saw.
Choose did not or didn't
Didn't is the usual short form of did not. Both forms have the same grammar. Choose didn't for many everyday sentences. Use did not when you want to give extra emphasis or prefer the full form.
I didn't understand the instructions.
I did not understand the instructions has the same meaning, with a fuller form.
Is didn't a different tense from did not?
No. Didn't is the contraction of did not, and both make a simple past negative.
Make past negative questions
In a question, put did before the subject. Add not after the subject when you need a negative question. Keep the main verb in the base form.
Did you not receive the email?
Did comes before you, and receive remains in the base form.
Didn't they arrive on time?
Didn't moves to the beginning in this negative question.
Choose the correct question: Didn't he know the address, or Didn't he knew the address?
Didn't he know the address? Know is the base verb after didn't.
Use was not and were not with be
Be has its own simple past negative forms. Use was not with I, he, she, and it. Use were not with you, we, and they. Do not put did before was or were.
The shop wasn't open yesterday.
Wasn't is the negative past form of be for the singular subject the shop.
We were not ready for the quiz.
Were not is the negative past form of be for we.
Complete the sentence: They ___ at home last night. Use were not.
They were not at home last night. Use were not with they, not did not be.
Before you go
Remember this
Use did not or didn't before the base verb to make a simple past negative. Keep the main verb unchanged after did not. Use was not or were not, not did not be, when the main verb is be.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Simple past negatives: use did not and didn't correctly"
How do I make a negative sentence in the simple past?
Use the subject, did not or didn't, and the base form of the verb. I didn't call my sister last night is correct because didn't gives the sentence its past negative meaning.
I didn't call my sister last night.
Why is 'didn't saw' incorrect?
After did not or didn't, use the base form see, not the past form saw. Mina didn't see the bus arrive follows the pattern because didn't already marks the past.
I called my sister last night.
Can I use didn't with irregular verbs?
Yes. Use didn't with the base form of an irregular verb. They did not buy tickets for the concert uses buy, while bought is only used in an affirmative past sentence.
They did not buy tickets for the concert.
Is didn't the same as did not?
Yes. Didn't is the contraction of did not, and both make a simple past negative. The café did not open on Sunday and The café didn't open on Sunday have the same basic grammar.
They bought tickets for the concert.
Do I use didn't with was and were?
No. Use was not or were not with the past form of be. The shop wasn't open yesterday uses wasn't because open describes the shop's state, not an action after did not.
Mina didn't see the bus arrive.