Welcome to
ESL Printables, the website where English Language teachers exchange resources: worksheets, lesson plans,  activities, etc.
Our collection is growing every day with the help of many teachers. If you want to download you have to send your own contributions.

 


 

 

 

ESL Forum:

Techniques and methods in Language Teaching

Games, activities and teaching ideas

Grammar and Linguistics

Teaching material

Concerning worksheets

Concerning powerpoints

Concerning online exercises

Make suggestions, report errors

Ask for help

Message board

 

ESL forum > Ask for help > CAN YOU HELP ME??    

CAN YOU HELP ME??



arito
Mexico

CAN YOU HELP ME??
 
Which of these sentences are correct?

�� a) We didn �t have a holiday last year.
�� b) We hadn �t a holiday last year.

��THANK YOU IN ADVANCE.

29 Sep 2009      





gitasiva
India

The first one is correct: "We didn �t have a holiday last year."

29 Sep 2009     



Malvine
Latvia

Yes, the first one. The second one sounds quite obsolete.

29 Sep 2009     



Kate (kkcat)
Russian Federation

I agree, the first one sounds waaay better.

29 Sep 2009     



Ahlam
Bahrain

The 1st one is 100% correct, because "Have" is a main verb in the sentence so if we r to convert it into negative we must use "didn �t" 

29 Sep 2009     



vickyvar
Greece

Definitely the first one as it is a negative sentence in the Past Simple tense and we

form the negative form with didn �t +base form } didn �t have. The second one is totally

wrong as have (hadn �t) is not a modal, so it cannot stand on its own, only as part of a tense

, e.g. Past Perfect : We hadn �t locked the door before we left the house.

Hope it helps!

29 Sep 2009     



arito
Mexico

THANK YOU MY DEAR TEACHERS. YOU HAVE DONE HAPPY MY AFTERNOON. HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY.

29 Sep 2009     



anam022251
Colombia

I agree the first one is correct, its in simple past...

29 Sep 2009     



PhilipR
Thailand

The first one is the one used nowadays, and of course correct.

Although old-fashioned, the second one isn�t incorrect. You �d find this kind of language in the works of Charles Dickens, so I guess it �s rather obsolete British English.

Similarly, it �s not incorrect to say �I haven �t a bicycle. �

30 Sep 2009