The word not is often used in contractions to tell more about the action.
Here are some contractions using the adverb not:
did not = didn’t
can not = can’t
do not = don’t
will not = won’t
am not = aren’t
was not = wasn’t
could not = couldn’t
should not = shouldn’t
were not = weren’t
Anytime you use a contraction with n’t, you are including the adverb not. Remember, not is not a verb. Not is an adverb.
▶Now you try it. Find the contraction in this sentence. Then write the two words that make up the contraction. Mary couldn’t reach the tall shelf. Did you figure out which two words make that contraction? Good for you!