Using a variety of negative structures in Paper 4 writing demonstrates grammatical range. AQA examiners reward students who can deploy different negative words accurately — aim for at least two different negative words in any extended writing task.
| # | Spanish | English | Negative word used |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No me gusta para nada el fútbol. | I don't like football at all. | nada — used after para to intensify: "not at all" |
| 2 | Nunca he probado la comida japonesa. | I have never tried Japanese food. | nunca — works with the perfect tense (he probado) |
| 3 | En mi barrio no hay ninguna tienda interesante. | There is no interesting shop in my area. | ninguna — feminine because tienda is feminine |
| 4 | No hablo con nadie en clase. | I don't speak to anyone in class. | nadie — nobody / anyone in a negative sentence |
| 5 | No me gustan ni el jazz ni la ópera. | I don't like jazz or opera. | ni…ni — neither…nor (bonus structure for Higher) |
⭐ Exam tip: Sentence 5 uses ni…ni (neither…nor) — a Higher-level structure that signals excellent grammatical range. It works alongside no: No me gustan ni el jazz ni la ópera. Each ni introduces one of the two things being rejected. This earns marks under AO3 (accuracy and range) in Paper 4.
This introduction covers Negation in GCSE Writing — Adding Range within Negation (no/nunca/jamás/nada/ninguno) for GCSE Spanish. Revise Negation (no/nunca/jamás/nada/ninguno) in Core Grammar for GCSE Spanish with 13 exam-style questions and 12 flashcards. Use this page as part of a wider topic revision path rather than treating it as an isolated fact. It is section 4 of 4 in this topic. Use this introduction to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Practice questions for Negation (no/nunca/jamás/nada/ninguno)
Quick recall flashcards
Basic 'no' negation — more examples
No voy al cine. (I'm not going to the cinema.)
No soy francés. (I'm not French.)
No estoy cansado. (I'm not tired.)
No como carne. (I don't eat meat.)
No tiene razón. (He/She is not right.)
All five examples follow the same rule: no + conjugated verb.
Note: 'no' is always written without an accent — do not confuse with ¿no? (the question tag, which can carry one in some texts).
Basic negation: 'no' comes immediately before the conjugated verb
No hablo alemán. (I don't speak German.)
No tengo hermanos. (I don't have brothers/sisters.)
No me gusta el pescado. (I don't like fish.)
Place 'no' directly before the verb — never between the subject and any object pronoun.
• No hablo ✓ · Hablo no ✗
• No me gusta ✓ · Me gusta no ✗
If there is a reflexive or object pronoun before the verb, 'no' still comes first: No me levanto tarde.