In Negations^x

Hi,not completely = to some extent, but not completely.When you find words that are related to "completeness", like completely, quite, everything, all, very, really, etc., you should be careful and pay attention to where the negation is, because the meaning usually changes.A little example. These...

Could it rain this afternoon? Could there be a strike next week? Could war break out any day? It couldn't rain this afternoon. There couldn't be a strike next week. The war couldn't break out any day. I find all of them anomalous in some subtle way. A could question (or a...

Listen for a glottal stop at the end of "can't". It'll basically sound like the <n> got cut off, rather than completed as a sound. In most American dialects, "can't" is pronounced with the stop when in it's followed by more information: "You can't do that." It's pronounced with an...

Hi, Sticking to this proposal is, I don't think, important. A more natural, and perhaps more logical, place to place the negation is thus. Sticking to this proposal is not, I think, important. Or better yet, Sticking to this proposal is, I think, not important. Best wishes, Clive

Hi, according the British rules it isn't correct to use can't, there is only cannot. This is not accurate. Most Britons use the contracted form "can't" in rapid and informal speech. The British pronunciation differs somewhat between different British accents, the RP norm is /kɑː nt/. there is...

Christanford wrote:When watching American dramas, I have trouble distinguishing between "can't" and "can". How are they different in terms of pronunciation?I sometimes can guess from the context, but when people say something like " I can't not go", I will be very confused and have to look at...

Einmalige Narizsse wrote:Hi! Hi there...I've got question... --> I've got a question...I've heard (in the USA):A: I'm hungryB: I'm either <-- No. You really heard this? Hmm...Is it correct? No. Or I have to say "So am I". <-- This is ok. Also: "Me too" or "I'm angry too".What about...

need alone (without to) is possible in negations and in questions, but not in affirmatives. 2 and 2b have the same meaning. CJ

The speaker indicates that 'he' (someone other than the speaker) has no credibility. Right. Negation is transferred into the main clause with some verbs like think, believe, and want. CJ

If I will do any work = I will do any kind of work available, then its absolute negation is I will not do any work = I will do no work.