Search results for 'tag:Nouns tag:Negatives' matching tags 'Nouns' and 'Negatives'

Re: Suggest + "not do" - verb pattern

CalifJim — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 21:34:30 GMT

For suggest as give advice:

I [suggest / advise] (that) he do something. (affirmative pattern)

I [suggest / advise] (that) he not do something. (negative pattern)

But suggest also means bring to mind, and this is the meaning in your example sentences, so the grammatical structures for 'advisory' suggest don't apply. Issues of availability cannot give advice! So all you need is a that clause or a noun -- without any of those subjunctives!

Issues of availability ... suggested that members of the scientific committee might not need to be interviewed.

Issues of availability ... suggested a course of action in which members of the scientific community would not need to be interviewed.

Issues of availability ... suggested a research methodology by which interviews with members of the scientific community could be avoided.

Re: Suggest + "not do" - verb pattern

YoungCalifornian — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:33:12 GMT

Tanit
But I'm stuck with a sentence where "to do" is replaced by "not to do":

    a1) I suggest not doing X.                         (I reckon this is fine)
    a2) I suggest not to do X.                          (???)
    b1) I suggest [that] Y shouldn't do X.         (I reckon this is fine)
    b2) I suggest [that] Y [not do | don't] X.      (this sounds terribly bad!)

Your questions stem from the use of the mandative subjunctive, which arises in turn from the use of the verb "to suggest." However, you've complicated things by using the complicated predicate "to do X" in your sentences' subordinate clauses. I'm assuming that "Y" always represents a personal pronoun (or proper noun), but "X" could be either a demonstrative pronoun (or regular noun in certain cases) or a verb depending on your meaning.

a1) This construction is fine if "X" is a demonstrative pronoun, but incorrect if represents a verb.

a2) This construction is incorrect. If "X" is a demonstrative pronoun, the verb "to do" must be changed from the infinitive to the subjunctive and a personal pronoun added so that the sentence reads I suggest Y not do X. This makes the subordinate clause a content clause, which means that the word "that" could be added as you've done in example b2). The sentence will not work at all if "X" is a verb.

b1) While this construction is not grammatically incorrect, it can sound too passive when "suggest" and "should" are in close proximity. Anyway, that's assuming that "X" is once again a demonstrative pronoun. This construction will not work if "X" is a verb.

b2) It may not seem like it, but switching between "not do" or "don't" (i.e. "do not" ) dramatically changes this sentence. They cannot be used interchangably in this context. As I mentioned above, the "not do" construction works fine if "X" is a demonstrative pronoun. However, if "X" is a (subjunctive) verb then "do not" or "don't" (or does not/doesn't for singular third person pronouns) must be used.

I apologize if this sounds complicated, but it's a result of using an auxiliary verb in your example predicates. If you replace "to do X" with a simpler verb it would probably be clearer. Basically, your two options are to follow the verb "to suggest" with either a gerund or the subjunctive. Either way, the word "not" would precede the dependent verb should you choose to make it negative. Looking ahead, I've used the verb "to interview" in an example of each construction.

Gerund: I suggest (not) interviewing...
Subjunctive: I suggest (that) he (not) interview...

Here's the sentence I'm trying to write (it's for a research paper):

1. "Issues of availability, together with constraints on time and scope of the research, suggested not interviewing any member of the scientific committee."
2. "Issues of availability, together with constraints on time and scope of the research, suggested not to interview any member of the scientific committee."
3. "Issues of availability, together with constraints on time and scope of the research, suggested that no member of the scientific committee should be interviewed."

I'd go for no. 1 (no. 3 seems to carry a different meaning ... or am I wrong?), but I am not sure about that. What do you think?
I'm also trying (with little, if any, success) to work out the general pattern.

Both the first and third examples work. The first is the gerund construction, the third is the subjunctive construction. The second is incorrect. However, despite being technically correct, both the first and third examples still sound awkward. Ultimately, I think this is because it sounds strange for "issues" to suggest something directly. Typically they would suggest something to someone. For instance, I think that "Issues of availability... suggest not interviewing any member of the scientific committee to me" or "Issues of availability... suggest to me that no member of the scientific committee should be interviewed" both sound better.

using photoalbums from the net-ideas for teachers

linguaprof — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 21:24:40 GMT

My tips:
Look at the photoalbum: http://picasaweb.google.com/Sean.Pigg/MimsAndSeanSHouse
With an elementary/pre-intermediate student these pictures could be used to teach:
1. The vocabulary of house and living.
2. Present simple by asking: What do they usually do in this room/ place? (interrogative, negative too)
3. Present continuous, by using the pictures with people, asking What are they doing?, etc.(interrogative, negative too)
4. The use of There is, There are. (interrogative, negative too)
5. Countable, uncountable nouns- much and many- Many chairs, much space
6. Prepositions of place.
7. Comparatives and superlatives- This room is bigger than that one. This is the largest room., etc.

These are just a few ideas. Have fun!
Peter

Re: create another stir up

Avangi — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:21:55 GMT

In my experience, "stir up" is not a common "compound noun." "Mix up" is, but doesn't fit your application.

The verb usage is much more common. "He stirred up a whole bunch of crap" (pardon the vernacular). "He really stirred something up when he opened this particular can of worms!" (mixed metaphor)

"He really created a buzz" is acceptable, but I don't think it has the negative connotation you're looking for. Buzzes can be good as well as bad.

- A.

Re: or /nor

Tanit — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:58:19 GMT

Hi

May I quote an excerpt from M. Swan, 2005, Practical English Usage, 3rd edition. OUP. (para. 370.5 "Two negative ideas: not ... or / not ... nor") I posted some months ago in another thread?

Swan

When not refers to two or more verbs, nouns, adjectives etc, we usually join them with or.
...
However, we can use not after a pause, to separate and emphasise a second verb, adjective etc.
Our main need is not food, nor money. It is education. (More emphatic than ... food or money.)
She didn't phone that day, nor the next day. (More emphatic than ... or the next day.)
Note that neither cannot be used in this way.

In the other thread, I think I learnt that:
1. neither ... nor ... / not ... or ... are more common in everyday speech -- more "natural"
2. not ... nor ... (possibly with a comma before "nor") emphasises the second part, so it can be used as a stylistic (formal? rhetoric?) device.
I assume this could explain the number of hits returned by G.Books. Would you agree?

Re: punctuation

Mr Wordy — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:05:49 GMT

Anonymous
Thank you. Why the phrase "a few" is needed before "weeks"? Can we use "few" weeks to note our dissatisfaction with the number of weeks or to denote a negative sense??eg, few pens
Thank you.

Yes, exactly -- dissatisfaction or a negative sense (fewer than might be expected/wanted, a notably small number, etc.)

There have been a few weeks better than this one = there have been some better weeks; this isn't the best.

There have been few weeks better than this one = this is one of the best weeks; hardly any weeks have been better.

Same with pens, and all sorts of other nouns.

But "few weeks ago" is unnatural. So, you wouldn't say "at our high school reunion few weeks ago", even if for some reason you wanted a negative sense.

Re: few, a few, a couple of -- difference?

Anonymous — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 05:09:07 GMT

Thank you, Mr. M. What is the difference? Why a person might envision a polarity, whereas the others might not. Both seem to be applying the chosen phrases before a plural noun.

I have been busy for a few days. I have eaten a few apples. -- from a positive polarity view point?

I have been busy for few days. I have eaten few apples. -- from a negative polarity view point

Re: Anton's 7-letter word

Grammar Geek — Thu, 08 May 2008 12:32:56 GMT

Is it a concrete noun?

If yes, is it naturally occurring, or man-made?

If no, does it have overall positive or negative associations?

Re: Barb's 10-letter word

Grammar Geek — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:26:02 GMT

Wow, the questions are getting very precise early in the game now.

It is an abstract noun with negative associations. It's not a profession, but your profession can cause it!

Re: feelings for or toward

Goodman — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:25:05 GMT

<<>>Can I switch the pronoun like this, from I to you and back to I?

Perosnally,no, not if I cna avoid it.
I strongly believe context is everything. If the context is unclear or incorrectly constructed, all bets are off. I would say it like this:

I had so much anger and hatred toward her. But I realized the sooner I let go of the negative energy, the sooner I would feel better. So I did. The moment I let go, I felt the world was lifted off my shoulder.