Which of these is the correct one, or are both correct?
- I moved slowly, to not wake my parents. - Intended meaning
- I moved slowly, not to wake
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4Possible duplicate of difference between not to verb , to not + verb Also “to not” vs “not to”– FumbleFingersCommented Sep 20, 2019 at 11:53
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1 Answer
Actually both are usable but the mostly used fluent way of doing it will be "not to < verb >"
I moved slowly, not to wake my parents.
Because what you are not trying to do is waking your parents.
answered Sep 20, 2019 at 11:55
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I don't see why what you are not trying to do is waking your parents is any more "explanatory" than what you are trying to do is not wake your parents. Commented Sep 20, 2019 at 11:57
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@FumbleFingers I can easily relate the amount of usage! Also I did not imply it is explanatory I did imply it is mostly used and more fluent. Commented Sep 20, 2019 at 12:01
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1The "fluent" versions of that text are I moved slowly, so as [not to / to not] wake my parents. Usually so as not to, but there's nothing wrong with the sequence so as to not there - it's just much less common. Commented Sep 20, 2019 at 15:58
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1At least part of my downvote is because what you are not trying to do is waking your parents is seriously non-idiomatic. Native speakers would almost always use the infinitive form is [to] wake your parents (where including to is effectively a stylistic choice). Commented Sep 20, 2019 at 16:03
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