not

Use the word “not” to make verbs and adjectives negative. 

  • He does not have a book. 
  • This is not easy. 
  • That’s not a problem. 

no or not

a. Use "not" with helping verbs.

Add “not” to a helping verb to make the main verb negative: 

I have a book / I don’t have a book. 

  • They don’t have any problems.  (don’t = do not) 
  • You haven’t had any coffee. (haven’t = have not) 
  • I will not go in there. (will not go) 
  • It might not work. 
  • This shouldn’t take long. 
  • We don’t like brussels sprouts. 
  • She isn’t going to work today.  (isn’t = is not) 
  • She doesn’t have anything to do all day. (doesn’t = does not) 

b. Use "not" with (be) + adjective.

It’s very common in English to us the main verb “be” and “not” before an adjective. 

This is good. / This is not good. 

(be + not + adjective)  

  • The test was not easy.  
  • The movie we saw last night was not interesting. 
  • They shouldn’t be so mean. 
  • It will not be difficult. 
  • She’s not happy. 
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  • He is not happy. 
Man Cooking Food
  • His job is not easy.  

c. Use "not" before possessive pronouns.

The word “not” usually doesn’t go before a noun, but you can use it before a possessive pronoun mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs. 

  • That’s not mine. 
  • It’s not yours. 
  • Those are not his. 
  • These are not hers. 
  • This car is not ours. 
  • The house is not theirs.  
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  • A: Whose car is that? 
  • B: I don’t know. It’s not mine. (It’s not my car.) 
man-wearing-headphones
  • A: Are those his headphones? 
  • B: No, they’re not his. He borrowed them from a coworker.