Ain't

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Newguest

#522428 Tue, 03 Jun 08 02:02 PM

I know that "ain't" is incorrect English, however, is it OK to use the present continuous tense after this word, i.e., I ain't telling you/I ain't driving there etc. I would rather say: I ain't tell you OR ...drive there.

Newguest

Joined on Sun, Feb 25 2007

Contributing Member (1,228)

Tenses, Present Continuous

Ruslana

#522433 Tue, 03 Jun 08 02:13 PM

"Ain't" is a spoken contraction.

Generally, it is used instead of am not, but can also replace is not, are not, has not, have not, do not, does not, did not.

I ain't telling you... (used instead of "am not"),

I ain't tell you... (used instead of "do not", "did not"),

etc.

Ruslana

Joined on Sat, Dec 17 2005

Russia

Senior Member (3,197)

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace", - Jimi Hendrix

Expressions, Contractions

Grammar Geek

#522434 Tue, 03 Jun 08 02:13 PM

If you choose to use "ain't" then DO use the -ing form afterwards.

Remember it stands for "am not" or "are not."

I am not telling you, I am not driving you there -- you wouldn't say "I am not tell you," would you?

Grammar Geek

Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006

Pennsylvania, USA

Veteran Member (16,078)

Barbara, who answers in American English.

Ruslana

#522435 Tue, 03 Jun 08 02:17 PM

Hey Barb,

It's a long time since we last met. Smile Right Hug

Anyway, I checked this one to figure out instead of what "ain't" may stand. Do you think it may be used for am/are not only?

Ruslana

Newguest

#522438 Tue, 03 Jun 08 02:22 PM

Grammar Geek

-- you wouldn't say "I am not tell you," would you?

Sure I wouldn't. Thank you!

Newguest

Grammar

Grammar Geek

#522439 Tue, 03 Jun 08 02:24 PM

Hi Lana! I see we posted at the same time. You've been so busy lately! I'm happy to see you here again.

I confess that I do use "ain't" from time to time, always playfully.

While "It ain't necessariy so" and "You ain't seen nothin' yet" (both either movie lines or song lyrics) and things like "I ain't going nowhere" all sound perfectly normal to me, the example "I ain’t know that" in the link is SO weird. It did say "some dialects" - so perhaps it's used, but not by the people I know.

So I guess I'd say it can substituate for "am/is/are not" and "has/have not" but not "did not" -- it's hard to to a grammatical analysis on something that's always been considered just so wrong!

Grammar Geek

Dialects

Joakim

#522460 Tue, 03 Jun 08 03:30 PM

Ain't is normally used in orally conversations and in informal texts. As grammar Geek says "Ain't" can sustitue for "am/is/are - not" and certainly "has/have - not".

Joakim