Search results for 'tag:Negatives tag:Affirmative sentences' matching tags 'Negatives' and 'Affirmative sentences'

Re: You need only see her. (Is this correct?)

Tanit — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 10:05:30 GMT

Viceidol

Hi, I know that auxiliary verb "need" cannot be used in affirmative statements, but how about this one? Is this correct?
You need only see her.

Hi,

Let me quote Swann (Practical English Usage, 3^rd ed., Â§ 366.2):

Need can also have the same present-tense forms as modal auxiliary verbs ... In this case, need is normally followed by an infinitive without to.
        She needn't reserve a seat - there'll be plenty of room.
These forms are used mainly in negative sentences (needn't), but they are also possible in questions, after if and in other 'non-affirmative' structures.
        You needn't fill in a form.
        Need I fill in a form?
        I wonder if I need fill in a form.
        This is the only form you need fill in. (BUT NOT ~~You need fill in a form~~.)

If we follow Swann, we can use need as a modal verb in an affirmative sentence when a 'non-affirmative' word (such as only, hardly, seldom etc.) gives the sentence a negative kind of meaning. Look at Swann's last example: the sentence becomes incorrect when only is removed.

That said, please notice this usage is mainly British.

How to change it into negative sentence?

Viceidol — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 14:28:56 GMT

Affirmative: They will/would have arrived home by now.
Negative: They won't/wouldn't have arrived home by now.

Affirmative: He will/would have reached New York.
Negative: He won't/wouldn't have reached New York.

I was trying to change the affirmative sentences into negative ones. Could you please check them out for me and see if they are right? Thank you very much!

What's the meaning of "ought to be doing"?

Viceidol — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 12:25:07 GMT

Hi, everyone. I'm studying modals recently. I have a doubt about "ought to be doing". My grammar book says "ought to be doing" means "someone is not doing what he/she is supposed to do" in an affirmative sentence or "someone is doing what he/she isn't supposed to do" in an negative sentence. For example:

He ought not to be spending all his time on the TV. He should study for his exam.

We ought to be wearing seat belts, but we are not.

My question is: Does "ought to be doing" only has this meaning? Could it serve other function as well?

I hope you could tell me if there is any, thank you for your help!

Re: Either, neither, too, so do I, neither do I etc.

Kooyeen — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 21:28:54 GMT

Einmalige Narizsse wrote:
Hi! Hi there...
I've got question... --> I've got a question...

I've heard (in the USA):
A: I'm hungry
B: 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 sentence below:
A: I don't know why he did it.
B: I don't know either/ Neither do I <-- Both are ok.

Or, hmm,
A:I hate chemistry
B: Neither do I / I hate either/ Me too <-- Only "me too" is ok.

And the last one:
Jews have their own New Year. And I wanna ask Jew: --> ...ask a Jew
Do you celebrate "our" New Year too/either? You need "Too". Or you could use "also": "Do you also celebrate..."

maybe in this case I shouldn't use "too" or "either", either (?) (can I say, maybe in this case neither should I use "too" nor "either"). ---> Maybe is this case I shouldn't use either (of them). Maybe I should use neither "too" nor "either". Etc.

When should I use "too", "either/neither", "so/neither do I" ??? I'm gonna tell you that in a few seconds...

I know, it's pretty easy, but I got lost.
Please help.
Regards,
EN

Too is used in affirmative sentences (=non negative), and either in negative sentences. Neither is basically not + either put together, so it already "contains" a negation. Examples:

I hate Mary. I hate her too. Me too. So do I. <-- "I hate" is affirmative.
I don't like Mary. I don't like her either. Me neither. Neither do I. <--- "I don't like" is negative
I hope she won't complain. I hope so too. Me too. So do I. <--- "I hope" is affirmative. You are referring to "I hope".
I hope she won't complain. I hope her father won't complain either. <---- This is the same as the one just above, but here you are referring to "won't complain", which is negative.
I don't think she will complain. I don't think so either. Me neither. Neither do I. <--- "don't think" is negative.

Ah, I was forgetting: did you know that there's a search function here in this forum that lets you search for old threads? There's a search box in the right top corner. Try that, you will find a lot of threads about basically anything.

And remember that I'm not a native speaker, so I'm always afraid to talk bulls... hmm, nonsense, LOL. A native speaker might tell you more later.

Re: Tag question

Philip — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 02:14:39 GMT

Belly wrote:
What do we use a tag question for?

You like peanuts, don't you?

You aren't dating Jane, are you?

After an affirmative sentence, the tag is in the negative; after a negative, it is in the affirmative.

The tag question is for asking confirmation of what the speaker thinks to be true.

[Equivalent to "verdad?" in Spanish and "n'est-ce pas" in French.

Re: semi-modals

Anonymous — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 04:08:39 GMT

"The semiauxiliary does not normally appear in affirmative sentences-- only negative (They needn't be) and interrogative (Need they be?)."

good to know, thanks.

Re: semi-modals

Mister Micawber — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 02:51:26 GMT

I needn't have gone to work (was unnecessary, still I did)
I did not need to go to work (was unnecessary, not inferable if I did) -- These are different because you have set them in different tenses. The appropriate comparison is between I needn't go to work and I did not need to go to work-- which have the same meaning.

You needn't be 18 to be allowed to enter this club.
You do not need to be 18 to be allowed...
Difference? IMO, no.-- I agree

(X) Major changes need be implemented.
Major changes need to be implemented. -- The semiauxiliary does not normally appear in affirmative sentences-- only negative (They needn't be) and interrogative (Need they be?).

I cannot offhand think of cases where the meanings are different; perhaps another member can.

Re: botton or buckle my belt? and the s in verbs

Yankee — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 16:23:29 GMT

Anonymous wrote:
Hi, everybody I have few questions.

-If I have a belt for pants do I say : "I botton my belt" or I buckle my belt?
Belts usually have buckles rather than buttons, so you would normally buckle your belt.

-Look at these sentences: Do you know how much ~~a ticket concert~~ the concert ticket cost?
In the sentence above, the verb cost is simple past tense. The sentence asks whether you know how much someone paid for the ticket.

Do You Know How Much It Costs?
This sentence asks what the price is.

Why in the 1st sentence the verb "cost "didn't take the s and in the 2nd sentence it did? What are ALL the cases in which a verb takes the s?, What are all the cases in which a verb doesn't take the s? There is an s at the end of simple present tense verbs in the third person singular in affirmative sentences. If the sentence is negative or interrogative, you use does+the base form of the verb in the simple present tense (third person singular).

Thanks a lot for your time and consideration, take care.

Re: I not want/People don't want

CalifJim — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 19:37:44 GMT

Note the definition: Operators are the modals (can, could, will, would, etc.) and forms of be -- and also forms of do or have used as auxiliaries.

The negative adverb not can only be carried by an operator, i.e., can only be used when accompanied by an operator. To negate a sentence without an operator, the operator do must be added together with not. The technical term for the addition of a form of do is do-support.

Operators underlined below. Note the third example, where negation requires do-support because the affirmative sentence has no operator.

Popcorn can be eaten. > Popcorn cannot be eaten.
Popcorn is eaten. > Popcorn is not eaten.
People eat popcorn. > People do not (don't) eat popcorn.

CJ

Adverbs of frequency

Kooyeen — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 23:54:56 GMT

Hi,
this has been asked more than once I guess, but I decided to put it neatly this way:
Consider: usually, often, rarely, sometimes.
Where is it possible to place them in a sentence? I wrote my choices in blue.

I do it. <--- this is an affirmative sentence.
At the beginning: often (with or without comma), rarely (with comma), sometimes (with or without comma), usually (with or without comma)
Before the main verb: all of them
At the end: usually (with comma), often (with or without comma), rarely (with or without comma), sometimes (with or without comma)

I don't do it. <---- this is a negative sentence.
At the beginning: often (with or without comma), rarely (with comma) sometimes (with or without comma), usually (with comma)
Before the negation: all of them
After the negation: usually, often
At the end: all of them (with or without comma) Note: the comma changes the meaning and the stress in the sentence

Other note: I am aware that the position of adverbs in negative questions influences the meaning.

Thanks in advance.