Practice
Adverbs of affirmation and negation
Use adverbs of affirmation when you want to say yes with strength. Use adverbs of negation when you want to say no, or say that something does not happen.
Choose an adverb that confirms or denies an idea, and place it naturally in a sentence.
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
certainly, definitely, never /ˈsɝrtənli/, /ˈdɛfənətli/, /ˈnɛvər/
The short answer
Adverbs of affirmation strengthen a yes-type idea, while adverbs of negation make an idea negative. Choose the word by meaning, then place it beside the verb pattern.
Mina will definitely call after the meeting.
Why it works: Definitely confirms that Mina's call is expected. It comes before the main verb call.
5 more examples
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The train is certainly late today.
Certainly makes the speaker's statement more confident. With be, it comes after the verb.
Not this:The train is
notlate today. What changes: Not changes the sentence into a negative statement. -
I definitely remember her name.
Definitely confirms the speaker's memory. It comes before the main verb remember.
Not this:I do
notremember her name. What changes: With do, not follows the auxiliary verb do. -
We have never eaten at that restaurant.
Never means at no time. The sentence is already negative, so it does not need not as well.
Not this:We
have eatenat that restaurant before. What changes: This affirmative sentence says that the action happened at least once. -
There is nowhere to sit near the entrance.
Nowhere means in no place. It gives the sentence a negative meaning without not.
Not this:There is
a seatnear the entrance. What changes: This sentence says that a place is available. -
The manager did indeed answer the question.
Indeed adds emphasis to a statement that may surprise the listener or respond to doubt.
Not this:The manager
answeredthe question. What changes: This plain statement reports the action without extra emphasis.
Read the full guide
Use certainly or definitely when the speaker wants to make a positive statement stronger. Use not or never when the speaker wants to deny an action, event, or possibility. The sentence pattern tells you where the adverb belongs.
Start with the meaning
An adverb of affirmation tells the listener that the speaker is sure, or wants to confirm an idea. Certainly, definitely, and indeed are common choices.
I will certainly send the file this afternoon.
I will send the file this afternoon. This is still positive, but it does not add the same level of certainty.
Which word confirms the speaker's plan: certainly or never?
Certainly confirms the plan. Never would deny that the action will happen.
Make a sentence negative
Not is the most common word for negation. Its position depends on the verb. After be, place not after be. With a modal such as can or will, place not after the modal.
The office is not open on Sundays.
You cannot park here after 6 p.m.
The office opens on Sundays. You can park here after 6 p.m. Both sentences have a positive meaning.
Where does not go in a sentence with will?
Put not after will: The shop will not close early.
Use do when there is no auxiliary
In the present simple and past simple, many main verbs need do, does, or did before not. The main verb stays in its base form after that auxiliary.
They do not live near the station.
She did not answer the message yesterday.
They live near the station. She answered the message yesterday. These affirmative forms do not need do or did.
Which form is correct after did not: answered or answer?
Use answer. Did already marks the past, so the main verb returns to its base form.
Use never and nowhere carefully
Never and nowhere are negative in meaning. Never means at no time, and nowhere means in no place. In standard English, do not add not to the same clause just to make it more negative.
He never takes the elevator.
We found nowhere to charge the phone.
He does not take the elevator. We did not find a place to charge the phone. These sentences express a similar negative idea with not.
Is He does not never take the elevator standard English?
No. Choose one negative form: He never takes the elevator or He does not take the elevator.
Put affirmation adverbs beside the verb
With an ordinary main verb, certainly and definitely usually come before the verb. With be, they usually come after be. This position keeps the sentence easy to follow.
The new schedule is definitely clearer.
The new schedule definitely helps our team.
Is definitely clearer uses be, so definitely comes after is. Definitely helps uses the main verb helps, so definitely comes before it.
Choose the natural order: They certainly are ready, or They are certainly ready?
They are certainly ready is the usual order because the verb is be.
Before you go
Remember this
Use affirmation adverbs to make a statement more certain. Use negation adverbs to say that something is not true, never happens, or exists in no place. Check the verb before you choose the position.
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
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Try the written questionsQuestions about "Adverbs of affirmation and negation"
What are adverbs of affirmation?
Adverbs of affirmation make a statement sound more certain or more strongly confirmed. Certainly and definitely are common examples. Choose one when you mean more than a simple positive statement, then place it near the verb.
The train is certainly late today.
What are adverbs of negation?
Adverbs of negation give a sentence a negative meaning. Not is the usual negative word, while never means at no time and nowhere means in no place. The verb pattern decides where not goes in the sentence.
The train is not late today.
Where does not go with the verb be?
Put not after a form of be. For example, The room is not ready and They were not late. Do not use do or does with be in this pattern.
I definitely remember her name.
Can I use not and never in the same clause?
Usually no in standard English. Never already makes the clause negative, so adding not creates a double negative. Say I never go there or I do not go there, depending on the meaning you need.
I do not remember her name.
What is the difference between certainly and definitely?
Both words show strong confidence. Certainly can sound slightly more formal in some situations, while definitely is common in everyday speech. In most simple statements, either word can confirm that the speaker is sure.
We have never eaten at that restaurant.