What is it that makes the second version of the sentence incorrect gramatically?

Question

Hello!What is it that makes the second version of the sentence incorrect gramatically?1. I did not overwrite the old stuff2. I did not overwrote the old stuffit's been annoying me trying to articulate why it doesn't work properly!Thanks

Avangi · Accepted Answer

When you use "to do" as a helping/auxilliary verb, the main verb appears only in the base form.

Only "to do" is inflected.

simple past tense:

I took the stuff.

I did not take the stuff.

Same thing in present:

He takes drugs.

He doesn't take drugs.

Anonymous · Answer

Many thanks for your reply,

I half understand though I didn't use 'to do' in this sentence?

AmicusCuriosa · Answer

Retaining the same meanings:

I overwrote the old stuff.

I did overwrite the old stuff.

I went to the movie.

I did go to the movie.

Cool-friend · Answer

the second one ... the verb is repeated twice... to be and the aux verb

Anonymous · Answer

_{I didnt understand this too.}

_{I didnt/did not overwrite the old stuff - is the correct one?}

_Thanks

Avangi · Answer

AnonymousI half understand though I didn't use 'to do' in this sentence?

I used "to do" as a sort of generic way to refer to that particular verb, "do."
(I do, He does, They don't, He doesn't, They did, I didn't, He didn't, etc.)

In many cases, the base form is identical to the inflected forms of the present tense, with the exception of first person singular, so there's no distinction.

Anonymous1. I did not overwrite the old stuff
2. I did not overwrote the old stuff

present tense:

I don't ever overwrite the old stuff.

I never overwrite the old stuff.

He doesn't ever overwrite the old stuff.

He never overwrites the old stuff.

past tense:

***I don't ever overwrite the old stuff. Edit. Sorry. I didn't ever overwrite the old stuff.

I never overwrote the old stuff.

He didn't ever overwrite the old stuff.

He never overwrote the old stuff.

So it depends on the presence of the auxilliary verb "do," which requires the main verb to be in the base form.

And the present tense can be confusing, because the base form can be identical to the inflected forms, except for third person singular.

MashaPavlovna · Answer

You are using the past simple verb form. When you make a negative you use an "auxiliary verb". The auxiliary verb is "do", but since we are in the past, we use the past form of this: "did".

When you make a past simple verb form using an auxiliary, the main verb must be the infinitive.

So, "I did not overwrite" is correct, as "overwrite" is the infinitive.

"I did not overwrote" is incorrect, as "overwrote" is the past form, which you can't use together with the auxiliary "did".

What is it that makes the second version of the sentence incorrect gramatically?

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