Help me understand, please.
Sentence: Neil was in a state of shock.
Write negative sentence (Past Simple):
1. Neil didn't be in a state of shock. OR 2. Neil wasn't in a state of shock.
Which answer is correct and why?
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Corrections · 3
3
Number 2 is the correct answer because wasn't is the negative of was and not (be) which is the infinitive.
And since you are talking about the person's state in the past, you don't need didn't (which is a helping verb) either.
0
'Neil was in a state of shock' is in the past simple tense already. Adding 'not' in the right place negates it and leaves it in the past simple; 'Neil was not in a state of shock', cf.
John was late for work --> John was not late for work. Kate spent her money --> Kate did not spend her money. Usually one puts 'not' just before or after the verb (so it does not get lost). In analogy to Kate's example, why don't we say 'Neil didn't be in a state of shock' ? We could and, logically, it would not be wrong. However, one hardly ever says it.
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