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added a version with "isn't" as suggested in a comment
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Alan
Alan
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Both are incorrect, but if you inserted the word "the", the first one would be correct, while the second would still be wrong:

(1) Why is the past tense not used? (correct)

(2) Why is not the past tense used? (not correct)

"Not" modifies "used" rather than "the past tense": "Is the past tense used?" "No, the past tense is not used." Adding "Why" to the beginning of a sentence pulls the auxiliary verb into second position, but leaves "not" and the other words where they were.

UPDATE: As pointed out by @user3081485, you could also write:

(3) Why isn't the past tense used?

Both are incorrect, but if you inserted the word "the", the first one would be correct, while the second would still be wrong:

(1) Why is the past tense not used? (correct)

(2) Why is not the past tense used? (not correct)

"Not" modifies "used" rather than "the past tense": "Is the past tense used?" "No, the past tense is not used." Adding "Why" to the beginning of a sentence pulls the auxiliary verb into second position, but leaves "not" and the other words where they were.

Both are incorrect, but if you inserted the word "the", the first one would be correct, while the second would still be wrong:

(1) Why is the past tense not used? (correct)

(2) Why is not the past tense used? (not correct)

"Not" modifies "used" rather than "the past tense": "Is the past tense used?" "No, the past tense is not used." Adding "Why" to the beginning of a sentence pulls the auxiliary verb into second position, but leaves "not" and the other words where they were.

UPDATE: As pointed out by @user3081485, you could also write:

(3) Why isn't the past tense used?

Source Link
Alan
Alan
  • 569
  • 2
  • 13

Both are incorrect, but if you inserted the word "the", the first one would be correct, while the second would still be wrong:

(1) Why is the past tense not used? (correct)

(2) Why is not the past tense used? (not correct)

"Not" modifies "used" rather than "the past tense": "Is the past tense used?" "No, the past tense is not used." Adding "Why" to the beginning of a sentence pulls the auxiliary verb into second position, but leaves "not" and the other words where they were.