Sentences are categorised into three namely Affirmative sentences, Negative sentences and Interrogative sentences. An affirmative sentence is also called Positive sentence or Declarative sentence or a Statement sentence.
While considering a sentence positive or negative its structure is considered and not its sense. For example
He is unhappy is a Positive sentence. It cannot be called a negative sentence because of its sense. Its structure is of a positive sentence.
An affirmative sentence can be changed into Negative sentence or vice versa without changing its meaning or sense. For making such a change words like No, Never, Nobody, None, No one, Scarcely, Hardly or seldom etc. are used.
In no case tense, sense or meaning of the sentence should be changed.
Different methods are used to change a positive sentence into a negative sentence.
BY USING ANTONYM
An adjective or adverb is changed with its antonym and adding not in the sentence. For example
He is a brave man. ....Positive Sentence
He is not a timid man. ....Negative Sentence
CHANGE OF EVERY, EVERYONE, EVERYBODY ETC.
Every, Everyone or everybody is changed into no, none, no one or nobody etc.
Everybody was present in the meeting.
Nobody was absent from the meeting.
Every rose has a thorn.
No rose is without a thorn.
He painted every house .
He left no house without paint.
CHANGE OF ALWAYS, OFTEN
Adverb of frequency 'always' shows continuity. It is not a one time action but a continuous action. So 'always' replaces 'never'.
He always speaks truth.
He never tells a lie.
'Always' cannot be changed with 'not'.
This cannot be
He does not tell a lie.
He often remembers me.
He never misses to remember me.
CHANGE OF DEGREE
A positive sentence can be changed into negative by changing its degree.
This house is better than others.
No other house is as good as this.
He is the strongest man.
No other man is stronger than him.
CHANGE OF TOO ..TO
A sentence with 'too and to' is changed with 'so and that'.
He is too weak to walk.
He is so weak that he cannot walk.
CHANGE OF AS SOON AS
'As soon as' is changed with 'No sooner than'.
As soon as he entered the house it started raining.
No sooner did he ener the house it started raining.
CHANGE OF ALL
All is used as collective pronoun or adjective. It changes into No.
All the residents were sleeping.
There was no resident that was not sleeping.
Here two negatives are used. ' No resident' and 'not' are used here.
CHANGE OF ONLY & ALONE
Only changes into 'None or Nobody No one and but'. OR ' No other than '.
Only Ram can create a problem for us.
None but Ram can create a problem for us.
Only the President of the committee can tell.
No body other than the president of the committee can tell.
Alone John could swim across the river.
None other than John could swim across the river.
CHANGES WITH 'NOT WITHOUT'
A positive sentence can be changed into negative by adding words 'not without'.
His friend bears a grudge against him.
His friend is not without a grudge against him.
His father feels pride for his achievement.
His father is not without pride for his achievement.
CHANGES WITH 'FAIL to'
Sometimes simple sentences are changed by using the words 'fail to'.
I joined the party immediately.
I did not fail to join the party immediately.
She responded to his action.
She did not fail to respond to his action.
Similarly negative sentences can be changed into assertive sentences by reversing the process.
He never comes to office in time.
He always comes to office late.
Here are some sentences for practice.
1. He fears ill treatment at the party.
2. Only a skilled driver could save the accident.
3. He reached in time.
4. Now a carpenter alone can repair this chair.
5. He always attends the meetings of the committee.
ANSWERS
1. He does not expect good treatment at the party.
2. No one but a skilled driver could save the accident.
3. He did not fail to reach in time.
4. Now no one other than a carpenter can repair this chair.
5. He never misses to attend the meetings of the committee.
EXERCISES
ONE
Choose the correct option of negative sentence out of the given options.
1. Only God can save him now.
a. None other than God cannot save him now.
b. Everyone except God can save him now.
c. None except God cannot save him now.
d. None else but God can save him now.
2. We will always follow your advice.
a. We will not fail to deny your advice.
b. We will not be failing if we follow your advice.
c. We will never fail to follow your advice.
d. We fail not to follow your advice.
3. All except the boss are present in the meeting.
a. No one but the boss is present in the meeting.
b. All but the boss are absent in the meeting.
c. None other than boss is absent in the meeting.
d. No one except the boss is present in the meeting.
4. I shall always remember old days spent here.
a. I shall never forget old days spent here.
b. I shall be unable to remember old days spent here.
c. I shall not be able to remember old days spent here.
d. I shall not manage to remember old days spent here.
5. Make haste lest you should miss the train.
a. Make haste otherwise you may not catch the train.
b. Make haste if you donot want to catch the train.
c. Make haste if you donot miss the train.
d. Make haste not to catch the train.
TWO
1. He always falters in his performance.
a. He does not falter in his performance.
b. He never acts falteringly in his performance.
c. He never performs steadily.
d. He did not perform in a faltering way.
2. Everybody was surprised to see him in this condition.
a. Nobody was but surprised to see him in this condition.
b.None was surprised to see him in this condition.
c. None is but surprised to see him in this condition.
d. Nobody is surprised to see him in this condition.
3. His family was excited on his success.
a. His family was not without excitement on his success.
b. His family did not fail to excite on his success.
c. His family is not without excited on his success.
d. His family is not feeling excited on his success.
4. Only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches.
a. It is the wearer who does not know where the shoe pinches.
b. No body else knows where the shoe pinches.
c. No one else but the wearer knows where the shoe pinches.
d. No one and the wearer knows where the shoe pinches.
5. He expects me to help him.
a. He wishes not I should help him.
b. He desires me not but to help him.
c. He expects none but me to help him.
d. He expects me not I must help him.
THREE
1. Only the science students can apply for this post
a. All but the science students can apply for this post.
b. None but the science students cannot apply for this post.
c. None but the science students can apply for this post.
d. Only but the science students can apply for this post.
2. Everyone is dependent.
a. Everyone is not independent.
b. Everyone is not dependent.
c. Nobody is dependent.
d. Nothing is dependent.
3. Our Maths teacher was absent yesterday.
a. Our Maths teacher was not present yesterday.
b. Our Maths teacher has not been present yesterday.
c. Our Maths teacher had not been present yesterday.
d. Our Maths teacher has not presented yesterday.
4. Passing the subject is easy.
a. Passing the subject has not been easy.
b. Passing the subject is not difficult.
c. Passing the subject is not difficult as they think.
d. Passing the subject was not difficult.
5. I will always follow non-violence.
a. I will not be failing to follow non-violence.
b. I will fail not to follow non-violence.
c. I will never fail to follow non-violence.
d. I will not deny to follow non-violence.
