Questions tagged [negation]
"Negation" is the process that turns an affirmative statement into its opposite denial.
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2answers
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Weak negation vs absolute negation
I am wondering how "More by your numbers than your light" relate to "That poorly satisfy our eyes" or "You common people of the skies". I am trying to understand this excerpt as a non-native and I am ...
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4answers
17 views
About the negative form
I got a question about negative form. Could you please help me deal with that? Here is the question.
If someone says, “I don’t think that he will come tomorrow.”
What does it mean actually? “I ...
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4answers
75 views
can “what have you done” be asked in a neutral way?
I'd like to know if "what have you done?" can be used as a neutral question, since it is often used to express anger, shock or sadness.
For example: I want to close a window that has been opened by ...
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1answer
52 views
why should Allah punish you if you thanked him and believed in him? [closed]
I would like to know if there is any kind of negation in this question.
Thanks a lot
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1answer
18 views
Difference between being and be
For example:
don't be aggressive
don't being aggressive
Could you tell me which one is used in which situation?
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3answers
34 views
usage of “no” in a list
I am writing a journal article and tying to give an interesting title.
In this article I illustrate the situation of certain people who are neither satisfied with their life nor healthy.
I would like ...
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1answer
38 views
How to agree with a negative statement?
In an application form I saw this question. The applicant needs to check one box yes or no.
I have not been employed in any illegal entities.
Choose Yes or No
It confuses me, If the applicant ...
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2answers
58 views
Why can't I say 'I almost don't sleep?
Why can't I say 'I almost don't sleep? Is there any rule about it?
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2answers
61 views
verb+“to not”+infinitive OR verb+“not to”+infinitive
I believe the negative of a sentence, in which an infinitive is used, is made in two different ways.
For example, "I know what to say." can be negated as follows;
I know what not to say.
I don’t ...
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1answer
57 views
“nobody could beat me” vs “anybody could beat me” [closed]
This is a part of translation work that I am doing.
Let everyone declare that I am defeated, until I concede defeat, nowhere, ever, anyone/anybody could beat me.
Is the bold part correct in ...
1
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1answer
22 views
Using “whether .. or” in negated sentence
I have a sentence like this:
.. and have no students whether from the same city or others at all
Is it correct? Or would using neither as below seems better:
.. and have no students neither ...
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1answer
68 views
Without anything vs without everything?
What's more correct in English: without anything or without everything? (in meaning 'total negation')
Sample:
It's asp.net core 2.1 app without everything (without web API, without
MVC, without ...
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2answers
32 views
A boy didn't read every book
In my opinion, "A boy didn't read every book"is ambiguous, it can express"a boy didn't read any book" or "Not every book were read by the boy".Am I right?
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2answers
57 views
What is the meaning of the answer “I suppose so.” to the question “You won't be here tomorrow?”?
The following is an example from Swan's Practical English Usage (515.2)
You won't be here tomorrow?
I don't suppose so.
I understand the answer "I don't suppose so" is the same as
I don't ...
2
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1answer
39 views
“nothing ‘family values’” or “no ‘family values’”?
I have encountered the construction nothing something in Crash Course US history.
Also, he once acted with a monkey and there is nothing “family values” about that.
Should no have been used there ...
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2answers
28 views
Can 'but' be a substitute for 'and'?
Can we use 'but' to mean 'and'?
The animal was classified in that category, because people had a hard time classifying it, but (and, although people had a hard time classifying it, because) that ...
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3answers
60 views
“Not to” or “to not” [duplicate]
What is the difference between:
"I promise not to misbehave."
"I promise to not misbehave."
as in something a kid would say to convince its parents that it will behave well?
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1answer
46 views
Question tags negative or positive
How can we ask a question tag for the following questions? Negative or positive?
The boys problems are physical not mental,...?
They were warned not to climb the mountain in such bad weather, ......
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3answers
257 views
Can motivate be used as a negative word?
Can the word "motivate"be used in a negative situation?
For example,
"the Stamp Act motivated people to voice their opposition"
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1answer
55 views
Is there any verb that doesn't have negative form? [closed]
I'm wondering if a verb exists without a negative form. I mean if it does not have it at all or the negative form of it is somehow meaningless.
for example: "I killed him" and "I didn't kill him" are ...
2
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1answer
95 views
“The teacher didn't bore me to death”: Did the teacher bore me slightly, or did he not bore me at all?
When we place a negative word before expressions like bore to death, does it negate the word bore, therefore making boredom non-existent? Or does it negate the whole expression, making boredom ...
1
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1answer
38 views
Does “whether” need “or not” at the end here?
Should i add "or not" after this sentence ?
I want to know whether you would publish the results today.
I want to know whether you would publish the results today or not.
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1answer
19 views
What are the rules of forming structures with 'no'?
I cannot find information on the rules of forming structures with 'no' as in There is no milk ('no' + an uncountable noun). Thare are no bananas in the fridge ('no" + a plural countable noun).
I ...
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1answer
300 views
“Wouldn't have been necessary” or “would have been unnecessary?”
I've already made the decision to stick to "wouldn't have been necessary," but I wanted to double check. For a little more context, the full sentence is as follows:
She filled the printer with ...
1
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1answer
37 views
Making a sentence negative
I've seen the following negative sentences in an English book. Placing a negative auxiliary before the first verb seems to be the right way:
I don't think she'll pass the exam.
The baby's tired. I ...
4
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1answer
43 views
“Had not seen anyone” or “had not seen nobody”?
I am a research paper writer with more than 3 years of experience. In a recent story of mine, I have the sentence:
The girl had not seen anyone while she was walking a long and dark street.
Then, ...
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1answer
74 views
What is the difference between 'it's no time', 'it's not time' and 'it's not the time'?
Examples.
It's no time to stop believing. It's no time to be unsure.
It's not time to make a change, just relax, take it easy.
I don't think it's the time to start talking about the future, it's not ...
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1answer
39 views
“What do …have not to worry about?” vs. “…have to not worry about?”
Is it correct to ask:
What do people living in intelligent homes have not to worry about?
or:
What do people living in intelligent homes not have to worry about?
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1answer
32 views
“I can't do that, especially not in the house” vs “I can't do that, especially in the house.”
I can't do that, especially not in the house.
I can't do that, especially in the house.
Are both of these sentences grammatical/acceptable? What is the difference in meaning between them?
1
vote
1answer
40 views
Negation with an appositive containing multiple elements
I don't like the names Axel and Brook.
I don't like the names Axel or Brook.
I don't like the name Axel, and I don't like the name Brook.
I don't like the name Axel or the name Brook.
Which ...
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1answer
48 views
Can 'never' replace 'not'
She was never the same person Frank met before.
or:
She was not the same person Frank met before.
Is the two sentence exchangeable? Can the “never” replace the “not”?
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1answer
243 views
Why is “too” used in this negative sentence?
This is a news headline on CNN.
I was targeted during Nixon's administration. Trump shouldn't make an enemies list, too.
Why do they use "too", instead of " either" here? Isn't it a grammatical ...
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1answer
47 views
Sentence structure with a double negative
I’m having issues with a double negative sentence. Bear in mind I don't want to change the sentence structure around, I just want to know if at the end of the sentence, I put the word isn’t or is
...
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1answer
56 views
Fix ambiguity in “You're Not Obligated to Work Until You're 30”
The sentence in the title has two, almost contradicting interpretations. (1) that you are not obligated to do the task "work until you're 30", or (2) you are not obligated to do the task "work" until ...
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2answers
58 views
What is “to like to be held and not to be handled” if it concerns pets? [closed]
How should I understand the last sentence?
Rabbits generally eat pellets and plenty of green vegetables; they will also eat hay. They like to be held but shouldn’t be handled too much the first few ...
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2answers
52 views
cannot open any safe
a. I don't believe he's able to open any safe.
b. I don't believe he can open any safe.
Don't (a) and (b) have two meanings?
First meaning: I don't believe he's able to open just any safe.
...
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2answers
70 views
“I cannot speak French” vs “I do not speak French”
Which is better English?
I cannot speak French
Or
I do not speak French
Oxford Dictionaries tell me that can means: be able to through acquired knowledge or skill and also supply this ...
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2answers
1k views
not well-educated [closed]
Can one write
a. A group of not well-educated people are very happy with the new measures.
b. A group of people not well-educated are very happy with the new measures.
c. b. A group of people, not ...
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2answers
39 views
“to not do” or “not to do”
Specifically with the following sentence, which is more suitable/correct?
You don't count on humans to not do things they're used to doing.
You don't count on humans not to do things they're ...
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1answer
1k views
Is “There will be no” valid in meaning of “There will not be”?
Yesterday I got a message that
"There will be no introduction lecture"
Now, I'm not sure if it's a mistake or it's another grammatical way to say
"There will not be a lecture".
If they are ...
2
votes
1answer
509 views
How would you say the Negation of “be supposed to”
How would you say the Negation of following sentences?
She is supposed to be happy.
It is supposed to be hard.
Tomorrow is supposed to be a off day.
He is supposed to be there.
He is supposed to know ...
2
votes
2answers
2k views
No student(s) was/were present
I don't know which of the two is grammatically correct or both are correct or the difference if they are both grammatically correct. Please teach me a correct English.
No student was present.
vs
...
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1answer
54 views
Does 'NOT' take some effect in this sentence?
a1. This theory is yet to be proven.
a2. This theory is not yet to be proven.
I feel both a1 and a2 denote the same meaning that this theory hasn't been proven yet and probably will be proven, ...
4
votes
1answer
234 views
Subclausal negation and clausal negation: “not an uncommon mistake” vs. “a not uncommon mistake”
I'm confused about distinguishing the meaning difference in scope of negation.
This is a common mistake.
This is an uncommon mistake.
I know that (1) means the mistake occurs often, ...
0
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1answer
14 views
Both phrases are correct? Doesn't or not
Are both phrases are correct? Doesn't or not.
It's important doesn't to arrive late.
It's important not to arrive late.
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2answers
123 views
What's the vice versa of “they go low, we go high?”
The expression "vice versa" seems to have been used to express something opposite, but there are a bunch of "opposite" things.
My question is when one writes or says
When they go low [TL], we go ...
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1answer
42 views
Using none for three or more nos. in mathematics
Which form is correct?
None of A,B or C divides X
or
None of A,B and C divides X
3
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1answer
83 views
About positive negatives use
Please take a look at the following example:
Let's see if we can't get there before they get back.
I'm pretty sure the sentence is grammatical and its semantic is quite similar to:
Let's see ...
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0answers
73 views
Negation with “should be”
I wonder if the as clause in this sentence should be negated.
She is not curious in the least, as she should be.
or
She is not curious in the least, as she should not be.
Or are they both ...
1
vote
1answer
246 views
Word order in the full form of a negative question
According to the book "Grammarway 4", in order to form a negative question, we have 2 patterns:
Full form: auxiliary + subject + not + verb
Short form: auxiliary + n't + subject + verb
I am ...
