Negation

Negation is a word that makes a simple concept seem complicated. It is simply taking phrases or sentences and giving them a negative connotation. This gives people a way to express when they are unhappy about something, or does not contain a positive or affirmative nature to it.

The easiest way to spot a negation is to notice that the word not follows the sentences verb. For example:

You may not jump on the bed.

I am not going to the ballet.

You should not scream at the dinner table.

By adding not the message is clear and easy to understand and expresses the negation without confusion.

There are times when adding not will not suffice. This can happen when we use indefinites. These words typically contain the word some. Like something, or someone. These words have to be changed to the corresponding negative form. For example:

Something would be replaced with nothing.
Someone would replace be replaced with no one.

i.e.

Something is wrong. Nothing is wrong.
Someone is hurt. No one is hurt.

These types of changes are natural to native English speakers and are easy to understand.