[Grammar] Negative sentence for past activity

[suniljain]

If we use verb for the negative sentences and it relates to past then we always have to use "did" and we can't use "was". Am I correct? Example:

He was not arrived till midnight? (This sentence is wrong because of above rules)

 

[Rover_KE]

You are right about your sample sentence.

I'm not sure it's an inflexible rule.

 

[Tdol]

Use didn't for active verbs:

He didn't arrive till midnight.

You can use wasn't for passive verbs, but you would also use was in positive sentence:
The train was delayed till midnight.
The train wasn't delayed till midnight.

 

[suniljain]

Use didn't for active verbs:

He didn't arrive till midnight.

You can use wasn't for passive verbs, but you would also use was in positive sentence:
The train was delayed till midnight.
The train wasn't delayed till midnight.

Are both the sentences are passive one?

 

[Tdol]

He arrived/didn't arrive= active
The train was/wasn't delayed = passive

 

[MikeNewYork]

Yes, they are. The correct question would be "Are both sentences in the passive voice?"

 

[suniljain]

Use didn't for active verbs:

He didn't arrive till midnight.

You can use wasn't for passive verbs, but you would also use was in positive sentence:
The train was delayed till midnight.
The train wasn't delayed till midnight.

Is it possible to write the above sentence in active? If so, then what would be the active sentence?

 

[MikeNewYork]

The train arrived late at midnight.
The train arrived on time before midnight.

 

[suniljain]

The train was delayed till midnight.
The train wasn't delayed till midnight.

I want to understand how to write the above sentences in active.

 

[MikeNewYork]

See post 8.

 

[suniljain]

Use didn't for active verbs:

He didn't arrive till midnight.

You can use wasn't for passive verbs, but you would also use was in positive sentence:
The train was delayed till midnight.
The train wasn't delayed till midnight.

Is there any specific rule that we can't use "was not" for active verbs but for positive ones we can use?

 

[Matthew Wai]

He was not arrived till midnight? (This sentence is wrong because of above rules)

I think it would be grammatical (with a different meaning) if 'arrived' was replaced with 'admitted', but I am not a teacher.

Is there any specific rule that we can't use "was not" for active verbs but for positive ones we can use?

'Was not arriving' is in the active.

 

[Tdol]

Past simple (active):

Positive- He went there last night.
Negative He didn't go there last night.