[Grammar] Don't and doesn't; Past tense and past participle

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Tepal

Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2010
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Vietnamese
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
Are these correct?
.
"They speak English."
"They don't speak English."
.
"He speaks English."
"He doesn't speak English."
.
Why is there no 's' at the end of 'speak'? Someone explain?
.
.
.
Are these correct? Because they sound weird to me...
Examples:
"The bird is flown."
"The bird has flown."

These sound correct to me:
"The smoke is risen."
"The stove is heated."
"The smoke has risen."
"The risen smoke."
"The smoke rose."
.
.
.
Thanks...
 

bhaisahab

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Apr 12, 2008
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Retired English Teacher
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England
Current Location
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Are these correct?
.
"They speak English."
"They don't speak English."
.
"He speaks English."
"He doesn't speak English."
.
Why is there no 's' at the end of 'speak'? Someone explain?
.
.
.
Are these correct? Because they sound weird to me...
Examples:
"The bird is flown."
"The bird has flown."

These sound correct to me:
"The smoke is risen."
"The stove is heated."
"The smoke has risen."
"The risen smoke."
"The smoke rose."
.
.
.
Thanks...
They speak English."
"They don't speak English."
.
"He speaks English."
"He doesn't speak English."
.
Why is there no 's' at the end of 'speak'? Someone explain?
There is no "s" because when we use the auxiliaries "don't" and "doesn't" the verb stays in the bare infinitive.
"The bird is flown."
"The bird has flown."
These are both correct.
 

jinualex

Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2010
Member Type
Student or Learner
What is the negative form of 'said' ?

Is it
'not said' or 'didn't say'.

He not said that. or
He didn't say that.

Which is true ?
 

philadelphia

Senior Member
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Apr 22, 2008
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
French
Home Country
France
Current Location
France
What is the negative form of 'said'?

He not said that.
He didn't say that.

Which is correct?

Welcome to UsingEnglish! Not a teacher.

"He didn't say that" is correct while "He not said" is not.
 
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