<\/p>\n
Negation <\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n We can use negative words, phrases and clauses to express a contradiction or denial on a certain topic.\u00a0Negation can be made in many ways. In most situations, we use a negative word such as\u00a0no<\/i>,\u00a0not, never, none<\/i>, etc.\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n Here are some example sentences:<\/p>\n A: Are you staying home tonight?<\/p>\n B: No. I am going out tonight. ( No = I am not staying home tonight.)<\/p>\n Janice doesn’t go to work everyday. ( It is not true that Janice goes to work everyday.)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n No<\/em> and not<\/em> are the most common negative words. There are other ways to express negation with the use of other negative words such as\u00a0never, no one, neither, none, nor, nothing, nowhere, nobody, etc.<\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n No one<\/strong><\/em> came to her party.<\/p>\n Neither<\/strong> <\/em>Mike nor<\/strong><\/em> John went to the mall.<\/p>\n Nobody<\/strong><\/em> wants to share an idea.<\/p>\n None<\/strong><\/em> of them enjoyed the movie.<\/p>\n Most teachers nowadays don’t<\/em><\/strong> use traditional teaching methods.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Prefixes and suffixes can also be used to express negation.<\/p>\n Prefixes<\/strong> ( dis-, non-, un-)<\/p>\n Suffixes<\/strong> ( less, free )<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He has been disloyal<\/em> <\/strong>to her since the day they met.<\/p>\n It is a stress-free<\/strong><\/em> environment.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Some other words that can be used to express negative or somewhat negative statements are:<\/p>\n barely, rarely, hardly, seldom, little, scarcely, few<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n They barely<\/strong><\/em> talked.<\/p>\n I seldom<\/strong><\/em> see him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We use negation more commonly in oral language than in written form. In a face-to-face conversation, the use of negation can make the statement less direct.<\/p>\n I’m not certain<\/em> if I am in the right office. Is this Mr. Smith’s office? ( This is a less direct way than to ask, Is this the right office?\/Am I in the right office?)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Forming negative statements, questions and imperatives<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Negative statements<\/strong><\/p>\n Negative statements are formed by the use of nor or n’t after be,auxiliary and modal verbs.<\/p>\n n’t<\/em> is the abbreviation of not.<\/p>\n n’t<\/em> can be added to be, to modal verbs ( except may ) and to auxiliary verbs ( do and have ) without a space.<\/p>\n Won’t<\/em> is the shortened negative form of will.<\/p>\n Cannot<\/em> is the unshortened form of can + not.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sam isn’t<\/em> going to the party. She is not feeling good about herself.<\/p>\n They hadn’t<\/em> realized the severity of the problem.<\/p>\n He does not<\/em> believe in marriage.<\/p>\n I don’t<\/em> go to the gym everyday.<\/p>\n He can’t<\/em> be that lonely.<\/p>\n It might not<\/em> be that expensive.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Negative questions<\/strong><\/p>\n Not or n\u2019t are used to form negative questions. In the absence of a modal verb or be, auxiliary verb do + n\u2019t is used.<\/p>\n (don\u2019t, do not, doesn\u2019t, does not, didn\u2019t):<\/p>\n <\/p>\n What don\u2019t<\/strong><\/em> they notice?<\/p>\n Why didn\u2019t<\/strong><\/em> you go there?<\/p>\n Won’t<\/strong><\/em> you get a promotion?<\/p>\n Isn\u2019t<\/strong><\/em> that your husband?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Negative imperatives<\/strong><\/p>\n do + not or don\u2019t + the base form of a verb are used to form negative orders or commands.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Do not<\/strong><\/em> start until you are told.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t<\/em><\/strong> sit next to him. Find another seat.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Negation: two negatives<\/strong><\/p>\n Two negatives (double negatives) in the same clause is not accepted in standard English. <\/p>\n There was nothing else I could do.<\/p>\n Not: There wasn\u2019t nothing <\/span>\u2026<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n I have nowhere else to go.<\/p>\n Not: I haven’t nowhere….<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The use of not with the verb requires the use of words such, anybody, anyone, anything, anywhere,as ever, in place of nobody, no one, nothing, nowhere, never:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n She hasn’t told anyone about it.<\/p>\n Not: She hasn’t told no one about it<\/span>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Although some speakers use two negatives in the same clause,it is still considered incorrect by most people.<\/p>\n Not…. I don’t think<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n We can use reporting verbs such as suppose, think and imagine in the end position after the reported clause. In these cases, they both may have a negative verb.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n She’s not married, I don’t think. ( or I don’t think she is married.)<\/p>\n Not: I don\u2019t think he\u2019s not a teacher.<\/span><\/p>\n I won’t be very tired by the end of this week, I shouldn’t suppose so. ( or I shouldn’t suppose I will be very tired by the end of this week.)<\/p>\n Not: <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Not is used in front position in some cases where it is followed by a reduced clause ( a clause with something removed ut which is obvious) that also has a negative form:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A: Have you done your homework?<\/p>\n B; Not now, I haven’t. ( I haven’t done my homework.)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Negation We can use negative words, phrases and clauses to express a contradiction or denial on a certain topic.\u00a0Negation can be made in many ways. In most situations, we use a negative word such as\u00a0no,\u00a0not, never, none, etc.\u00a0 Here are some example sentences: A: Are you staying home tonight? B: No. I am […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[309],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7810","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-grammar"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nSome words (never, no one, nothing, nowhere, etc.) already have a negative meaning therefore the use of another negative with the verb is unnecessary.<\/p>\nI shouldn’t suppose I won’t be very tired.<\/s><\/span><\/p>\n