To be, or not to be?
How to say the opposite. The negative form of I am.
The rule
To make a sentence negative, add not after am. The short form I'm not sounds natural in everyday speech.
Compare positive and negative
| Positive | Negative |
|---|---|
| I'm happy. | I'm not happy. |
| I'm a doctor. | I'm not a doctor. |
| I'm hungry. | I'm not hungry. |
| I'm at home. | I'm not at home. |
| I'm 30. | I'm not 30. |
Listen and repeat
- I'm not tired. /aɪm nɒt ˈtaɪəd/ Я не втомлений.
- I'm not a student. /aɪm nɒt ə ˈstjuː.dənt/ Я не студент.
- I'm not sad. /aɪm nɒt sæd/ Я не сумний.
- I'm not in Paris. /aɪm nɒt ɪn ˈpær.ɪs/ Я не в Парижі.
- I'm not at home. /aɪm nɒt ət həʊm/ Я не вдома.
- I'm not 18. /aɪm nɒt eɪˈtiːn/ Мені не 18.
Write the negative
The sentence below the photo is wrong. Write the correct two sentences.
Речення під фото — неправильне. Напиши два правильних речення.
Wrong: I'm happy.
Answer: I'm not happy. I'm tired.
Which sentence is true?
Look at the photo. Choose one or more negative sentences that are true about this person.
Yes or no?
Look at the photo and the sentence. Is the sentence true? Say your answer out loud and then write it in the box below.
In English, "Yes" or "No" alone is too short. A correct short answer always repeats the verb.
| Question | True answer | False answer |
|---|---|---|
| Are you happy? | Yes, I am. I'm happy. | No, I'm not. I'm not happy. |
| Are you tired? | Yes, I am. I'm tired. | No, I'm not. I'm not tired. |
| Are you at home? | Yes, I am. I'm at home. | No, I'm not. I'm not at home. |
In Ukrainian, "Так" or "Ні" is perfectly natural. In English it sounds abrupt. Adding I am or I'm not is the standard polite form.
After the short answer, add the full sentence: Yes, I am. I'm happy. It sounds much more natural and complete.
Short answer pattern
I'm happy.
I'm not excited.
Say the full answer out loud, then write it below.
