Word Power

Ways of forming negative statements

In order to form negative statements you can use prefixes at the beginning of some words. Words with the prefix “Un”:

Some roads are impassable during floods.

She was compelled to spend the night in an untidy room.

Mark was unhappy with the job so he left it.

Children sometimes give explanations untruthfully.

They were waiting to unpack the Christmas gifts.

Mother tried to save her daughter from unhappiness.

The actor appeared unabashed by the media publicity.

The storm continued unabated.

He is unable to walk after the accident.

The students were asked to buy an unabridged edition of Great Expectations.

Torture in any form is unacceptable in a civilised society.

There are restrictions on unaccompanied luggage in planes.

Some public officials are unaccountable to the public.

Her unaccustomed silence surprised everybody.

Most foreign tourists are unacquainted with the local customs.

She walked into a large room with unadorned walls.

Reputed hotels serve unadulterated food.

He is young, but leads an unadventurous life.

She appeared to be unaffected by the sad news.

Hemantha was unafraid to speak the truth.

The paralysed patient can now walk unaided.

The country was known for its unalterable laws.

The king arrived unannounced and everybody was surprised.

Instead of “un” you can use the prefix “in” to indicate the negative of certain adjectives and adverbs.

Have you read The invisible man?

I cannot wait for Ram’s arrival indefinitely.

Most government departments are inefficient.

We must understand the inability of poor people to obtain medical care.

The castle on the rock was inaccessible to the enemy.

There were some inaccuracies in his statement.

Trade unions protest at official inaction.

Bats are inactive during the day time.

He failed the examination due to inadequate preparation.

The judge ruled out the evidence as inadmissible.

Sam returned her expensive pen which he had inadvertently put in his pocket.

It is inadvisable to use a mobile phone while driving.

Her clothes were inappropriate to the occasion.

Some children are clever, but inarticulate. (unable to express their ideas or feelings clearly.)

The chairman delivered an impressive speech at the inaugural meeting.

Astrologers say particular times are inauspicious.

The young boy exhibited his inborn talent for art.

Her boss was a person of incalculable moods.

Very young children are incapable of telling lies.

The prefix “il” is added to adjectives and adverbs to make them negative.

After discussing the problem for a long time, they reached an illogical conclusion.

It is illegal to possess a gun without a permit.

The doctor’s handwriting was illegible.

He was charged with illegitimate use of government property.

Some people in rural areas are illiterate.

NOTE: The prefix ‘il” is usually added to words beginning with ‘L’.

The prefix “im” is added to words beginning with “b”, “m” or “p”.

Some countries have a serious imbalance between their import and export trade.

He is intelligent but immature for his age.

Certain illnesses can make you completely immobile.

Some roads are impassable during floods.

The accused sat impassively when he was sentenced to jail.

He glanced at his watch impatiently.

There is much imperfection in nature.

Everything is impermanent.

(The prefix “ir” is added to words which begin with “R”.)

She has some irrational fears.

His business suffered irrecoverable losses.

Some men are irredeemably wicked.

The witness gave irrefutable evidence.

He resigned from the job because of irregular working hours.

The prefix “dis” is added to some verbs, nouns, adjectives and adverbs.

Some children have learning disabilities

Her inability to speak English puts her at a disadvantage.

Many voters expressed disagreement with the new party manifesto.

The prefix “non” is added to some nouns and adjectives to make them negative.

Mahathma Gandhi led a non-violent protest against the British rulers.

Bats are inactive during the day time.

A non-aggression pact was signed between the two countries.

Sri Lanka is one of the non-aligned countries.

An army doctor is a non-combatant.

I’m afraid my French is non-existent. (I speak no French.)

Both parties accused each other of non-observance of the terms of the peace treaty.

The tenant was taken to court for non-payment of rent.

Tuition fees are higher for non-residents.

The suffix “less” is added to many nouns to form negative adjectives.

The injured man was lying on the road quite helpless.

When the king appeared from nowhere, the people were speechless.

She was pulled up by the teacher for committing a careless mistake.

The cow is a useful and harmless animal.