In simple language, an Affirmative sentence means the sentences which are used to describe the general action, event, speech, or expression.
Example:
I want to visit the school as soon as possible.
We got the message a few days ago from ex teacher.
Negative sentence means the sentences which are used to express the negative expressions in case of daily acts, events, speeches, and so on.
Example:
I do not want to visit the school as soon as possible.
We didn’t get the message a few days ago from ex teacher.
An affirmative or positive form is used to express the validity or truth of a basic assertion, while a negative form expresses its falsity. Examples are the sentences “Archie is here” and “Archie is not here”; the first is affirmative, while the second is negative.
How to Transform Affirmative to Negative Sentences
Following are four simple rules to transform positive sentences to negative sentences.
Rules 1. If we find the word “Always” in affirmative sentence, we will write the word “Never” instead of Always and make opposite word of verb, adjective and noun at the time of negative sentence.
For Example:
Affirmative: I will always remember to call you.
Negative: I will never forget to call you.
Affirmative: He is always present in the class.
Negative: He is never absent in the class.
Rules 2. If we find the word “Sometimes” in affirmative sentence, we will write the word not “Always” instead of Sometimes and make opposite word of verb, adjective and noun at the time of negative sentence.
For Example:
Affirmative: He sometimes smokes in party.
Negative: He does not always smoke in party.
Affirmative: The rich are sometimes happy to meet others.
Negative: The rich are not always happy to meet others.
Rule 3. If we find the word “Must” in affirmative sentence, we will write the word “Cannot but / cannot help” instead of Must at the time of negative sentence.
For Example:
Affirmative: He must buy a grocery book from this store.
Negative: He cannot but buy a grocery book from this store.
Rule 4. If we find the word “Have to/ has to” in affirmative sentence, we will write the word “Cannot but/ cannot but help v-ing” instead of Have to/ has to at the time of negative sentence.
For Example:
Affirmative: I have to buy a new house in this location.
Negative: I cannot but a new house in this location.
Affirmative and negative answers especially, if not exclusively, to questions are often expressed using particles or words such as yes and no, where yes is affirmative and no is a negative particle.
Specific affirmative and negative words (particles) are often found in answering questions, and sometimes in evidence in a consensus or disagreement. In English, it is respectively yes and no.
Examples of Affirmative and Negative Sentences
Let have a look at few examples below on affirmative and negative sentences, and understand how to apply the above mentioned four rules to correctly change the form.
AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE
| She has fallen ill | She has not fallen ill |
| She has a lovely voice | She doesn’t have a lovely voice |
| I ate this cake | I haven’t eaten this cake |
| He has gone for a drive | He hasn’t gone for a drive |
| We have been partying | We have not been partying |
| We saw a movie | We didn’t see a movie |
| They came to say hello | They didn’t come to say hello |
| We have gone for a swim | We have not gone for a swim |
| They have gone for a walk | They have not gone for a walk |
| The mother has made a cake | The mother has not made a cake |
| The family has gone out for dinner | The family has not gone out for dinner |
| She has a good height | She doesn’t have a good height |
| He has a lovely pair of shoes | He doesn’t have a lovely pair of shoes |
| She has taken an ice cream | She hasn’t taken an ice cream |
| He has visited the school | He hasn’t visited the school |
In all of the above examples, we have noticed that the meaning is changed from affirmative to negative but the subject remains same.
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