Verb after the word never

• #1

Sometimes, the words “would / could have never” + a verb are used to speak of something which was not possible in the past. For example, “They helped us greatly in a way we would have never imagined.” Or “The polar region acidic air pollution was thought to be on a scale and with an intensity that could have never been imagined.”

I need to know what words to use in the following statement.

“Since people in the distant past lived in primitive times, the fact that there is electromagnetic radiation was not known to them. Ancient people would have never invented/ could have never invented/ would never invent/ could never invent an idea that there is an invisible force in the form of waves which can be generated with the use of special equipment.”

• #2

Only «could never» refers to it not being possible. «Would never» says that it would not happen/have happened in any reasonably imagined set of circumstances, but it does not deny the possibility of it happening. Having said this, «could» is sometimes used fairly loosely.

Your sentences are flawed by using «invent» with «an idea». Since you are clearly referring to something wholly in the past, you need the perfect infinitive «have invented», but you can use either «could» or «would».

• #3

They helped us greatly in a way we would have never imagined.

The polar region acidic air pollution was thought to be on a scale and with an intensity that could have never been imagined.

I don’t feel that would/could have is used in a meaningful way here.
You might find this kind of use in woolly writing; I don’t recommend using it yourself.
It might be different if the conditional verb pointed to an identified condition.

• #4

Thank you. Then is it better to use the word “could” or “would” with an infinitive instead of the words “would / could have» with a verb to speak of something which was not entirely impossible but which nevertheless could not be done in the past?

“… Ancient people would never come up with/ could never come up with an idea that there is an invisible electromagnetic force in the form of waves … “

• #5

You would use a plain infinitive if you were looking forward in time; if the sentence is set at some time when «ancient people» were alive. The time setting depends on the previous sentence. Using a bare infinitive does not work if you are looking back from the present.

If you want to remove any suggestion that something was impossible, don’t use «could».

• #6

Can you also explain exactly how the sentence in the previous pot should be worded? The context is given at the beginning of the thread.

• #7

Can you also explain exactly how the sentence in the previous pot should be worded? The context is given at the beginning of the thread.

The original quote is looking back from the present, and I imagine the whole piece of writing it is from is written from the perspective of the present so looking forward in time from some point in the distant past wouldn’t fit. However, in a narrative (a story, perhaps), a writer can choose their time setting, and here it would be possible to set things in the past and look both forwards and backwards.

• #8

Although I do not fully understand what you mean regarding how exactly to word the statement, I can conclude that the words “could never” should be used:
“Since people in the distant past lived in primitive times, the fact that there is electromagnetic radiation was not known to them. Ancient people could never come up with an idea that there is an invisible electromagnetic force in the form of waves.”

• #9

Ancient people could never have come up with the idea that there is an invisible electromagnetic force in the form of waves.

• #10

Thank you. Can you explain why you think that the phrase «could never have come up with» should be used instead of «could never come up with»?

• #11

Thank you. Can you explain why you think that the phrase «could never have come up with» should be used instead of «could never come up with»?

Because it happened in the past, and you aren’t telling a story or using a storytelling narrative technique. In a story, you can shift time all over the place, moving backwards and forwards, and you can also look ahead to things that haven’t yet happened (at the time the story is set) and backwards to things that happened before the time of the story.

These techniques are sometimes used in non-fiction writing, but your passage, with «Since people in the distant past lived in primitive times, the fact that there is electromagnetic radiation was not known to them,» places the frame of reference firmly in the present. You are looking backwards in time, so you need the perfect infinitive.

• #12

Thank you. Based on what has been said, I can conclude that the statement should be worded in the following way:

“Since people in the distant past lived in primitive times, the fact that there is electromagnetic radiation was not known to them. Ancient people could/ would never have come up with the idea that there is an invisible electromagnetic force in the form of waves.”

In the English language, is it more common to put the word “never” before a verb in the perfect tense (e.g. “could never have come up with”) or after the verb (e.g. “could have never come up with”)?

• #13

One problem with the sentence inhibits me from commenting. Can we say that people in the distant past lived in primitive times?

Some people who lived in the distant past lived in very civilised times.

• #14

One problem with the sentence inhibits me from commenting. Can we say that people in the distant past lived in primitive times?

Some people who lived in the distant past lived in very civilised times.

We can day that people in the distant past lived in primitive times in the sense that those times were far more primitive than modern times with their advanced science and technology. But my question pertains to grammar rather than to whether some people think that the ancient times were primitive or not. So the wording of the first sentence in the statement should not cause problems as far as the grammar of the second sentence is concerned.

• #15

We can day that people in the distant past lived in primitive times in the sense that those times were far more primitive than modern times with their advanced science and technology. But my question pertains to grammar rather than to whether some people think that the ancient times were primitive or not. So the wording of the first sentence in the statement should not cause problems as far as the grammar of the second sentence is concerned.

I know. I agree with you, but when the sentence starts with something which sticks in the throat, it’s hard to go on to consider other parts of the sentence.

• #16

In the English language, is it more common to put the word “never” before a verb in the perfect tense (e.g. “could never have come up with”) or after the verb (e.g. “could have never come up with”)?

There are three places where «never» could go in «They could never have come up with the idea»:

1. They never could have come up with the idea
2. They could never have come up with the idea
3. They could have never come up with the idea

The second form is easily the most common, and in this particular example there is no difference in meaning between them that I can see, but in a different situation, there might be:

1. They never could have met.
   In the circumstances just described, it would have been impossible for them to have met.
2. They could never have met.
   It would have been impossible for them to have met, or it is possible that they never met.
3. They could have never met.
   It is possible that they never met.

If there could be any confusion about the meaning of (2), then (1) or (3) would likely be chosen instead. (1) and (3) tend only to be used where there is a risk of the meaning not being clear.

• #17

Thank you for the explanations. I usually put the word “never” after the auxiliary and the main verb. (E.g. “They must have never been here.”) But I now I see that it may be better to put it between the auxiliary and the main verb because such usage seems to be more common. (E.g. “They must never have been here.”)

• #18

Thank you. Can you explain why you think that the phrase «could never have come up with» should be used instead of «could never come up with»?

I still don’t understand why «could never have come up with» should be used instead of «could never come up with»? @Alexander2

• #19

Although I do not fully understand what you mean regarding how exactly to word the statement, I can conclude that the words “could never” should be used:
“Since people in the distant past lived in primitive times, the fact that there is electromagnetic radiation was not known to them. Ancient people could never come up with an idea that there is an invisible electromagnetic force in the form of waves.”

I still don’t understand why «could never have come up with» should be used instead of «could never come up with»?

Both versions are grammatical, but they convey different meanings. I have included the original quite in full, to provide some context.

The sentence is talking about ancient people’s ability (or lack of ability) rather than an impossibility, and it is expressed in hypothetical terms (the sentence describes a hypothesis). If you were to replace «could» with «be able to», you would need to use «would», and the choice appears to be between:

1. Ancient people would never be able to come up with an idea that there is an invisible electromagnetic force in the form of waves. [This has the same meaning and structure as the «could never come up with» sentence.]
2. Ancient people would never have been able to come up with an idea that there is an invisible electromagnetic force in the form of waves. [This has the same meaning and structure as the «could never have come up with» sentence.]

Sentence (1) is the form used for the present and future, and sentence (2) is the form used for the past. This sentence requires (2) because it is in the past.

The «real» alternative sentence is a statement of fact:

• Ancient people were never able to come up with an idea that there is an invisible electromagnetic force in the form of waves. [This could be re-written with «could never come up with».]

This is a correct sentence so far as the rules of English are concerned, but it would only be said if there was evidence to support it. This does not appear to fit the rest of the quote.

«Could never come up with»/»Would never have come up with» does have another possible use, if the writer were describing ancient people in a past tense narrative, and was looking ahead into the future using the future in the past tense, but the quote does not seem to be in the style of a past tense narrative.

• #20

All the versions seem rather wishy-washy and confusing to me. Just because people love to say wishy-washy and confusing things all the time, it doesn’t mean you and we have to imitate them.

Alexander and Baktbd, what do you want to say about the relationship between the “primitive” people and the idea?
— Are you speculating or assuming that they did not come up with the idea? (Won’t have)
— Are you tentatively speculating or assuming that they did not come up with the idea? (Wouldn’t have)
— Are you inferring that they did not come up with the idea? (Can’t have)
— Are you tentatively inferring that they did not come up with the idea? (Couldn’t have)
— Are you saying that they tried and tried but did not succeed in coming up with the idea? (Never could)
— Do you want to make noise that sounds like language but is empty of meaning?
— Or is it something else?

Last edited: Mar 29, 2023

• #21

Thank you for the explanations. I have received a notification about new posts by the user Baktbd on this thread which I started in 2021.

Alexander and Baktbd, what do you want to say about the relationship between the “primitive” people and the idea?
— Are you speculating or assuming that they did not come up with the idea? (Won’t have)
— Are you tentatively speculating or assuming that they did not come up with the idea? (Wouldn’t have)
— Are you inferring that they did not come up with the idea? (Can’t have)
— Are you tentatively inferring that they did not come up with the idea? (Couldn’t have)
— Are you saying that they tried and tried but did not succeed in coming up with the idea? (Never could)
— Do you want to make noise that sounds like language but is empty of meaning?
— Or is it something else?

As I remember it, when I posted the original question, I invented the statement simply for the purpose of asking about grammar which was not clear to me. I had encountered such grammar in another text.

It can be said that the original sample statement in the question is a logical inference rather than something else. I want to write correct sentences which are not empty of meaning, but the original example did not appear illogical to me.

Last edited: Mar 29, 2023

Adverbs of Frequency

Always, usually, normally, generally, often, frequently, sometimes, occasionally, seldom, hardly ever, rarely, and never.

These are all adverbs and they describe how frequently we do an activity or the frequency of habits.

These are called Adverbs of Frequency or more specifically Adverbs of Indefinite Frequency. (Indefinite because it is NOT a specific frequency like three times a week, once a month, etc.)

To help you understand when to use each adverb of frequency, I will add some approximate numbers (percentages of frequency or possibility of it happening) to give you a general idea of the frequency associated with each adverb.

• 100% always
• 90% usually
• 80% normally / generally
• 70% often / frequently
• 50% sometimes
• 30% occasionally
• 10% seldom
• 5% hardly ever / rarely
• 0% never

IMPORTANT: The percentages that appear on the left are only approximate numbers to give you a general idea of the frequency associated with each adverb.

Let’s look at each adverb of frequency more in detail…

ALWAYS

When something happens 100% of the time, we use the adverb ALWAYS.

• I always brush my teeth at night.

This means that without exception 100% of the time I will brush my teeth at night before going to bed.

NEVER

What is the opposite of ALWAYS? … NEVER, which is 0% of the time.

• Vegetarians never eat meat.

This means there is a zero percent possible of this happening. The frequency is zero.

SOMETIMES

What adverb do we use when something happens half the time and the other half of the time it doesn’t happen?

When something has about a 50% frequency of happening. We use the adverb SOMETIMES.

• I sometimes sing in the shower.

This means half the time I am in the shower I sing, and half the time I don’t sing… I sometimes sing in the shower.

HARDLY EVER / RARELY

What can we use if we almost never do something? It’s not zero percent but maybe 5% possibility of it happening.

In this case we use the adverbs HARDLY EVER or RARELY.

• I hardly ever get angry.

OR you can say…

• I rarely get angry

They both mean the same thing.
This means there is a VERY small chance of it happening but it is almost never.

I hardly ever get angry. It usually only happens if you steal my chocolate from the fridge. Other than that, nothing else annoys me.

Let’s quickly look at the other adverbs of frequency.

USUALLY

USUALLY is when something happens around 90% of the time. It is almost always.

• I usually walk to work.

Yes, I live close to my place of work so I usually walk there.

NORMALLY / GENERALLY

NORMALLY or GENERALLY happen around 80% of the time.

• I normally get good marks.

Yes, about 80% of the time my marks are good, the rest of the time… they are excellent!

OFTEN / FREQUENTLY

When something has a frequency of around 70%, we use the adverbs OFTEN or FREQUENTLY

OFTEN can be pronounced two ways:

• By pronouncing the T … “OFTEN” … or
• By not pronouncing the T …”OFFEN” (Never write “Offen”)

Both forms are correct and depend on where you live.

Our examples of these adverbs are:

• I often read in bed at night.

which is the same as:

• I frequently read in bed at night.

The adverb OFTEN is more common than using the word FREQUENTLY.

OCCASIONALLY

The adverb Occasionally is at about 30% frequency.

• I occasionally go to bed late.

Yes, this happens on Friday and Saturday night. I occasionally go to bed late.

SELDOM

And the adverb Seldom is at around 10% frequency.

• I seldom add salt to my food.

Which means it is not common or not often that I add salt.

The adverbs Seldom, hardly ever, rarely, and never all have a negative meaning.

Adverbs of Frequency – Word Order

Let’s look at word order when we use adverbs of frequency.

In general, the adverb of frequency goes before the main verb.

The order is: Subject + Adverb + Main Verb

Let’s look at this sentence…

• I read in bed at night.

If I want to let you know about the frequency I do this, the frequency that I read in bed, then I need to use an adverb.

The main verb is READ, so we put the adverb before the verb READ…

• I often read in bed at night.

Another example:

• Daniel always passes his exams.

The main verb is PASSES so we put the adverb before it.

• They never speak Spanish in class.

The main verb is SPEAK so the adverb of frequency goes before it.

Adverbs of Frequency – Word Order with Auxiliary Verbs

When there is an auxiliary verb such as has, have, must, might, will, can, should, would, etc. followed by a main verb, then the adverb goes between them both.

Subject + Auxiliary Verb + Adverb + Main Verb

• I have done my homework.

HAVE is the auxiliary verb and DONE is the main verb so we put the adverb of frequency in the middle:

• I have always done my homework.

You can see it is the same rule as before, the adverb goes before the main verb. Just remember to put it after the auxiliary verb.
Look at this sentence:

• Susan has lived in New York.

HAS is the auxiliary verb and LIVED is the main verb so we put the adverb of frequency in the middle:

• Susan has always lived in New York.

Look at this example:

• I have never eaten dog food.

The adverb NEVER goes between the auxiliary verb HAVE and the main verb EATEN.

• I have never eaten dog food… that I know of.

Adverbs of Frequency – Word Order with TO BE

Of course in English there is always an exception and this happens with the verb TO BE.

When we want to use an adverb with the verb TO BE, then the order is:

Subject + TO BE + Adverb

Look at this sentence:

• I am busy at work.

AM is a form, or conjugation, of the verb TO BE so we put the adverb after it.

• I am normally busy at work.

We cannot say “I normally am busy at work.” NO, this is NOT correct.

• He is always happy.

Again, the adverb is after the form of To Be.

• They are sometimes late.

The adverb SOMETIMES comes after the verb ARE which is a form of TO BE.

Adverbs of frequency at the beginning of a sentence

We have just seen the common position of adverbs of frequency within a sentence.

But, it is also possible to place SOME adverbs at the beginning of a sentence.

These adverbs include: usually, normally, frequently, generally, occasionally, and sometimes.

Look at these examples:

• Occasionally I have pancakes for breakfast.

OR you can put the adverb between the subject and main verb:

• I occasionally have pancakes for breakfast.

Both sentences are correct.

• Normally our English class is in the morning.
• Sometimes they take a bus to work.

But be careful with always, hardly ever, seldom, rarely, and never …. Do NOT put them at the beginning of the sentence.

• Always I get up early.  This is NOT correct.

We need to put ALWAYS before the main verb…

• I always get up early. (CORRECT)

The exception to this is when we are using ALWAYS or NEVER in the IMPERATIVE to give orders or instructions.
We will see more about this in another lesson.

Next activity

You might want to watch our other video about Adverbs of DEFINITE frequency.

Summary Chart

I hope you found this English lesson about adverbs of frequency useful. If you did, please let other people know about us!

Have an awesome day!

Lesson tags: Adverbs, Adverbs of Frequency, Word Order

Back to: English Course > Adverbs in English

• #1

[h=6]Calling all coffee aficionados! Experience coffee like you never have! It is time to learn and answer all your doubts relating all things coffee! [/h]Hi everyone. I came across something as above in an article and I have a question to ask you all about. I always have a problem with using the right tense for the verb after the word ‘never‘ in a sentence. From the second sentence above, is it using the correct tense for ‘never have‘ or should it be ‘never had‘? Or both past and present tenses are applicable? Please explain to me what should be the correct tense after the word ‘never‘. At what situation should I use the past tense or the present tense for the verb after the word ‘never‘? It seems to me that the past tense of the verb is most often used after the word ‘never’ to convey a done action, for example, «I never told anyone the secret» rather than «I never tell anyone the secret». Please advise me how to use the correct tense for the verb after the word ‘never‘. It’s confusing for me. Thank you all!

• #2

I am a beginner

I think the sentence «never have» here means you are not going to have this great experience in future also…

• #3

NOT A TEACHER

Hello, Confused:

I was just wondering whether this information from two experts * might be helpful.

The two scholars give these examples:

I

have

never

visited

Japan.
Cynthia never smile

s

at strangers.
Never

be

rude.
You never

are

ready on time!
I never

have met

the president.
Jim never

did talk

to Raymond!

*****

It is only my guess that your sentence might be analyzed as:

Experience coffee like [as] you never

have

[experienced it before]!

The present perfect may be more correct than the past perfect («had experienced») because we are talking about something

that «started in the past and still touches the present.» That is, you have experienced the drinking of coffee since the

the day you started (for example, ten years ago) right up to this day. But this day, your experience is going to be the

greatest that you

have

had

so far

in your life.

HAVE A NICE DAY!

* Marianne Celce-Murcia and Diane Larsen-Freeman, The Grammar Book (1983), pages 206 -207.

Last edited: Aug 15, 2012

BobK

Harmless drudge

• #4

[h=6]Calling all coffee aficionados! Experience coffee like you never have! It is time to learn and answer all your doubts relating all things coffee! [/h]Hi everyone. I came across something as above in an article and I have a question to ask you all about. I always have a problem with using the right tense for the verb after the word ‘never‘ in a sentence. From the second sentence above, is it using the correct tense for ‘never have‘ or should it be ‘never had‘? Or both past and present tenses are applicable? Please explain to me what should be the correct tense after the word ‘never‘. At what situation should I use the past tense or the present tense for the verb after the word ‘never‘? It seems to me that the past tense of the verb is most often used after the word ‘never’ to convey a done action, for example, «I never told anyone the secret» rather than «I never tell anyone the secret». Please advise me how to use the correct tense for the verb after the word ‘never‘. It’s confusing for me. Thank you all!

In ‘Experience coffee like you never have’, ‘have’ is an auxiliary; it is an ellipted version of ‘have had’. (There is a most unlikely meaning in which it’s a present tense lexical ‘have’ — with the sense ‘Experience coffee like you never usually have the opportunity to do’. This meaning is, as I said, unlikely, but the copy-writer obviously wouldn’t mind if it was interpreted that way.

In ‘Experience coffee like you never had’ the ‘had’ is lexical. (I’d guess the context was Br English, though attempting to copy American enthusiasm — as Am Eng would ofter prefer the simple past in that case. [Come to think of it the strange collocation answer/doubt, and the erroneous ‘relating all’ might suggest some other provenance.])

• #5

Calling all coffee aficionados! Experience coffee like you never have! It is time to learn and answer all your doubts relating all things coffee!

Hi everyone. I came across something as above in an article and I have a question to ask you all about. I always have a problem with using the right tense for the verb after the word ‘never‘ in a sentence. From the second sentence above, is it using the correct tense for ‘never have‘ or should it be ‘never had‘? Or both past and present tenses are applicable? Please explain to me what should be the correct tense after the word ‘never‘. At what situation should I use the past tense or the present tense for the verb after the word ‘never‘? It seems to me that the past tense of the verb is most often used after the word ‘never’ to convey a done action, for example, «I never told anyone the secret» rather than «I never tell anyone the secret». Please advise me how to use the correct tense for the verb after the word ‘never‘. It’s confusing for me. Thank you all!

Firstly, «never have» here means «never have experienced (before)». ‘Have’ is the auxiliary verb, so the second half of your question about «never tell» vs. «never told» is a different question.

The example is simple. «You have never experienced coffee like this before. Now you can.»
If this were written by a native, it would probably say «… like you never have before.«

BobK

Harmless drudge

• #6

Firstly, «never have» here means «never have experienced (before)». ‘Have’ is the auxiliary verb, so the second half of your question about «never tell» vs. «never told» is a different question.

The example is simple. «You have never experienced coffee like this before. Now you can.»
If this were written by a native, it would probably say «… like you never have before.»

:up: I don’t disagree with Raymott. He’s right and I was guilty of doing some editing — I didn’t like ‘experienced’, so I said ‘have had’. It could have been ‘have done’, or even ‘have experienced’. Anyway, the ‘have’ is an auxiliary.

b

• #7

I can also say it in this way, «Experience coffee like you never had experienced before»? Is the sentence correct in terms of its tenses?

• #8

I can also say it in this way, «Experience coffee like you never had experienced before»? Is the sentence correct in terms of its tenses?

No, you can’t use ‘had’.
After you’ve experienced this wonder coffee, you can say, «I experienced coffee like I never had before.»

BobK

Harmless drudge

• #9

Besides, I don’t think real people

experience

coffee, except in the fevered imagination of advertising copy writers.

b

• #10

Thanks TheParser for the response. Just wondering what if I want to convey about something which you had never done before in the past… can I say it in this way. «Experience coffee like you never had (experienced/tried) before»? Is this sentence correct?

• #11

Thanks TheParser for the response. Just wondering what if I want to convey about something which you had never done before in the past… can I say it in this way. «Experience coffee like you never had (experienced/tried) before»? Is this sentence correct?

No

.

• #12

In ‘Experience coffee like you never have’, ‘have’ is an auxiliary; it is an ellipted version of ‘have had’. (There is a most unlikely meaning in which it’s a present tense lexical ‘have’ — with the sense ‘Experience coffee like you never usually have the opportunity to do’. This meaning is, as I said, unlikely, but the copy-writer obviously wouldn’t mind if it was interpreted that way.

In ‘Experience coffee like you never had’ the ‘had’ is lexical. (I’d guess the context was Br English, though attempting to copy American enthusiasm — as Am Eng would ofter prefer the simple past in that case. [Come to think of it the strange collocation answer/doubt, and the erroneous ‘relating all’ might suggest some other provenance.])

So if in ‘Experience coffee like you never had‘ the ‘had‘ is lexical, and not an auxiliary verb,… is the sentence correct in regards to tenses? Can I use the sentence, ‘Experience coffee like you never had‘ to convey something that you had never experienced/tried in the past? Is the sentence correct in terms of its tenses? Thank you.

• #13

Hi BobK, thanks for the response. May I ask what do you mean by Br English? I presume An English means American English? Thank you.

• #14

Hi 5jj, thanks for responding. I am confused. Please explain to me why your answer is no. I used the word ‘had’ as in «Experience coffee like you never had (experienced/tried) before» to mean something that you never done in the past. If it’s about the past, shouldn’t I use the word ‘had‘? If the sentence is wrong, how should I construct the sentence then? Please advice me. Thank you.

• #15

Hi 5jj, thanks for responding. I am confused. Please explain to me why your answer is no. I used the word ‘had’ as in «Experience coffee like you never had (experienced/tried) before» to mean something that you never done in the past. If it’s about the past, shouldn’t I use the word ‘had‘? If the sentence is wrong, how should I construct the sentence then? Please advice me. Thank you.

This would be, «Experience coffee like you never did [in the past].» But it’s a strange concept.

BobK

Harmless drudge

• #16

Hi BobK, thanks for the response. May I ask what do you mean by Br English? I presume An English means American English? Thank you.

You’re right about ‘An [sic] English’ -simple typo.

‘Br English’ is

British

English.

b

Negation in English sentences can be expressed with the help of negative adverbs, negative pronouns, or negative conjunctions, such as «not, no, nothing, nobody, no one, none, neither, neither…nor, never, nowhere».

Ways of expressing negation and typical negative constructions are described in this material. (Inverted negative constructions beginning with «never, not only, no sooner» and the like are described in Inversion in the section Miscellany.)

Main ways of expressing negation

Negation is most frequently expressed by using «not» with an auxiliary verb to express the opposite meaning of verbs, nouns, and adjectives (he did not ask; it wasn’t done; I haven’t seen it; he is not my brother; it’s not funny). Also, negation is often expressed with the help of «no, nothing, nobody» and other negative pronouns (I have no time; nothing happened).

In some cases, NO and NOT can be used in the same situations. NO has the same meaning as «not a» before a singular countable noun and the same meaning as «not any» before a plural countable noun and before an uncountable noun. For example:

He has no car. – He doesn’t have a car.

She has no brothers. – She doesn’t have any brothers.

I have no time now. – I don’t have any time now.

There is no bread on the table. – There isn’t any bread on the table.

There are no stores near our hotel. – There aren’t any stores near our hotel.

According to the rules, only one negative is allowed within one and the same construction in English. In those cases where there are two negatives in Russian sentences, there is only one negative in corresponding English sentences. For example:

I found no mistakes in your composition. – I didn’t find any mistakes in your composition.

She saw no one. – She didn’t see anyone.

He said nothing. – He didn’t say anything.

This sometimes presents a problem for Russian learners of English as two negatives are often necessary in Russian negative sentences. Besides, learners of English have difficulty choosing between NO and NOT. (Comparison of NO and NOT is provided at the end of this material.)

Note: The use of the pronoun «any» in different types of sentences, including negative sentences, is described in Some and Any in the section Miscellany.

NOT: Main cases of use

NOT is a negative particle (an adverb). NOT changes the meaning of words (of verbs, nouns, adjectives, adverbs) to the opposite.

Main use of NOT is to express the opposite meaning by negating the auxiliary verb. NOT is often contracted with the auxiliary or modal verb in speech and writing. (Full forms are considered preferable in formal writing.)

I do not like this film. / I don’t like this film.

She will not come to the party. / She won’t come to the party.

Do not ask him. / Don’t ask him.

You should not do it. / You shouldn’t do it.

I cannot help him. / I can’t help him.

He was not invited. / He wasn’t invited.

A knife is not a toy.

I saw Ella, not her sister.

It’s a pen, not a pencil. I need pencils, not pens.

He is not old.

It’s not important.

Her school is not far from here. / Her school isn’t far from here.

I can go there with you, but not today.

It works, but not very well.

Place of NOT in a sentence

NOT usually stands after the auxiliary verb before the main verb. Examples:

He does not know it. / He doesn’t know it.

She did not call him. / She didn’t call him.

We have not seen her lately. / We haven’t seen her lately.

He is not going to buy it. / He isn’t going to buy it.

If there are two auxiliary verbs in a tense form, NOT is placed after the first.

These letters have not been sent yet. / These letters haven’t been sent yet.

She might not have received my letter.

NOT after linking verb BE

NOT is placed after the linking verb BE before the adjective or noun in the predicative.

This dress is not new. / This dress isn’t new.

The book was not interesting. / The book wasn’t interesting.

He is not a very good driver.

It is not the best example.

A bat is not a bird. Bats are not birds.

His name is not John. / His name isn’t John.

It was not Tom. / It wasn’t Tom.

NOT and Verb + infinitive

If the main verb is followed by the infinitive (or gerund), NOT usually stands before the main verb.

She does not want to invite him. / She doesn’t want to invite him.

I don’t want to be late.

He doesn’t seem to understand it.

I don’t expect to see him today.

I don’t intend to go there.

She doesn’t like to work late.

I don’t mind working on weekends.

I haven’t finished writing my letter.

NOT is placed before the infinitive (or gerund) if the meaning of the sentence requires it.

She decided not to invite him.

Try not to be late.

It is better not to discuss it with him.

I prefer not to work on weekends.

I regret not telling him about it.

The meaning of the sentence usually changes when NOT stands before the infinitive, as compared with similar sentences in which NOT stands before the main verb.

He did not ask me to call her. – He asked me not to call her.

I did not promise to do it. – I promised not to do it.

He does not like working on Saturdays. – He likes not having to work on Saturdays.

Note:

Note the preferred way of negation in the following sentences:

I don’t think I know him.

I don’t think I met her.

I don’t think that it will rain today.

But: I hope that it won’t rain today.

NO: Main cases of use

NO is a pronoun used as an adjective before nouns. NO before nouns indicates the absence of something. NO is also used before gerunds in certain constructions.

NO is an adverb used as the opposite of YES in responses. NO as an adverb is also used before the comparative degree of adjectives and adverbs.

The affirmative form of the verb is used in sentences containing NO so that the sentence has only one negative.

He has no time.

They have no children.

They had water, but no food.

With milk and sugar? – A little milk, but no sugar.

There is no telephone in his house.

There are no mistakes in your composition.

There is no need to worry.

No guests have arrived yet.

No part of this text may be reproduced without permission.

No smoking. No littering.

No parking.

There was no telling what he might do.

Would you like some coffee? – No, thank you.

Are they here? – No, they are not.

She has no more money.

He feels no better today. / He doesn’t feel any better today.

We can wait no longer. / We can’t wait any longer.

Other negative pronouns

The indefinite pronouns «nothing, nobody, no one, none» are used in the function of nouns; the verb is used in the affirmative form.

He said nothing. / He didn’t say anything.

He told nobody about it. / He didn’t tell anybody about it.

She saw no one in the yard. / She didn’t see anyone in the yard.

That’s none of your business.

Nothing has changed.

Nothing happened.

Nobody knows how it happened.

No one believed him.

No one has seen him.

None of them can help him.

There is nothing in this drawer.

There is nothing we can do.

How much money have you got? – I’ve got none. / None. / I’ve got no money. / I haven’t got any money. / I haven’t got any.

(Agreement of subject and predicate in number, including indefinite pronouns in the function of subjects, is described in Agreement in the section Grammar.)

The use of «nowhere»

The adverb «nowhere» is used as an adverb and as a noun. The following examples illustrate the use of «nowhere».

We didn’t go anywhere last week. (We went nowhere last week.)

Where did you go? – Nowhere.

I have nowhere to go.

He has got nowhere to live.

She was nowhere to be found.

They appeared from nowhere. / They appeared out of nowhere.

This takes us nowhere. This will take us nowhere.

Either, neither, and nor

The pronoun «neither» means «not either (of two people or things); not one or the other». The pronoun «neither» is the negative form of the pronoun «either».

Neither answer is correct.

Neither of them was able to help him.

Which of these cars do you like? – Neither. / I like neither of them. / I don’t like either of them.

Don’t use «either» or «neither» if you have more than two to choose from. Compare:

Neither of the answers is correct. – None of the answers is correct.

The pronoun «both» is not used in negative constructions. «Neither» is used instead of «both» in negative sentences.

We both knew it. / Both of us knew it. – Neither of us knew it.

The adverb «too» is not used in negative constructions. The adverb «either» is used instead of «too» in negative sentences.

I know him too. – I don’t know him either.

The conjunctions «either…or» and «neither…nor» imply the choice out of two (people, things, groups, actions). «Either…or» is used in negative constructions with the verb in the negative form. «Neither…nor» is used with the verb in the affirmative form.

He doesn’t speak either Spanish or French. / He speaks neither Spanish nor French.

Neither his family nor his friends knew about his plans.

«Neither» is also an adverb used in phrases like «Neither do I». (See So do I. Neither do I. in the section Phrases.)

The adverb «never»

The adverb «never» is used in negative constructions with the verb in the affirmative form. «Never» is used very often.

I have never heard about it.

She has never visited New York.

I will never forget it.

The stolen diamonds were never found.

He was never seen again.

He never married.

He is never late.

One never knows. / You never know.

It’s now or never!

Never mind. / Never mind about that.

Never leave this door open.

Answers to negative questions

Compare the answers to the affirmative and negative questions below. The speaker agrees in the first answer and disagrees in the second. Note the difference in the use of Yes and No in English and Russian answers to negative tag questions.

Did you see him? – 1. Yes, I did. (Yes, I saw him.) 2. No, I didn’t. (No, I didn’t see him.)

Didn’t you see him? – 1. Yes, I did. (Yes, I saw him.) 2. No, I didn’t. (No, I didn’t see him.)

You saw him, didn’t you? – 1. Yes, I did. (Yes, I saw him.) 2. No, I didn’t. (No, I didn’t see him.)

You didn’t see him, did you? – 1. No, I didn’t. (No, I didn’t see him.) 2. Yes, I did. (Yes, I saw him.)

Note:

In negative questions, NOT is usually contracted with the auxiliary verb: Didn’t you know it? Hasn’t he called you?

If you want to use the full form, your negative questions should be like these: Did you not know it? Has he not called you? (Such questions are less common.)

Shortened negative questions

Sometimes a negative question is asked in a shortened form, and the answers offered are usually just Yes or No (for example, in some forms that you need to fill out on the Internet). In such cases, it may be difficult to understand the meaning of Yes and No. Compare the meanings of the answers in these examples:

Disallow images? – Yes. (Images won’t be shown.)

Disallow images? – No. (Images will be shown.)

Never display email? – Yes. (Email address won’t be shown.)

Never display email? – No. (Email address will be shown.)

(Different types of questions are described in Word Order in Questions in the section Grammar.)

Double negative

Double negative is a construction in which two negative words express a single negation. Double negative is considered nonstandard (i.e., incorrect) in English and should be avoided in speech and writing.

English does not allow double negative, which means that you can use only one negative word within the same construction. Compare the number of negatives in English and Russian sentences:

She did not call anyone. / She called no one.

She has not done anything. / She has done nothing.

He never visits them.

The following examples show incorrect and correct negative constructions.

Incorrect: I don’t have nothing; I didn’t ask no one; I didn’t see neither of them; there isn’t nobody; he doesn’t go nowhere.

Correct: I don’t have anything; I have nothing; I didn’t ask anyone; I asked no one; I didn’t see either of them; I saw neither of them; there isn’t anybody; there is nobody; he doesn’t go anywhere.

The adverbs «hardly, scarcely, barely» are used in the meaning of a negative. It is considered incorrect to use them together with an additional negative.

Incorrect: hardly none; scarcely none; hardly never; can’t hardly; can’t scarcely; can’t barely.

Correct: hardly any; scarcely any; hardly ever; can hardly; can scarcely; can barely.

There is hardly any cheese left.

She hardly ever watches TV.

I could hardly breathe.

Double negative in songs

Double negative is often used in the lyrics of modern songs. Double negative in song lyrics is usually formed by replacing «any» with «no» for emphasis and by using «ain’t» (for all persons instead of «am not, isn’t, aren’t, haven’t, hasn’t»). Such use is a stylistic device aimed at making the song stronger, simpler, and closer to the listener.

Here are some examples illustrating the use of double negative in songs: I just can’t take no more (Iron Maiden); I can’t get no satisfaction (The Rolling Stones); Come back baby I never did you no wrong (Gary Moore); Sweet bitter words unlike nothing I have heard (Korn); Ain’t no love in the heart of the city (performed by Whitesnake); Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone (Bill Withers); It ain’t no big thing but it’s growin’ (Elvis Presley); And you still ain’t got no place to go (Deep Purple); You ain’t goin’ nowhere (Bob Dylan); She ain’t never gonna be the same (Aerosmith).

Learners of English should avoid using double negatives or «ain’t» in their speech and writing. Native speakers sometimes use double negatives or «ain’t» in informal speech, but generally, such use is regarded as nonstandard and is unacceptable in formal speech and writing.

Other constructions with two negatives

There are some constructions with two negatives which are not considered to be wrong. For example, «neither…nor» is not regarded as double negative.

Neither Mike nor Jim knows her address.

They know neither her address nor her telephone number.

Negative answers to negative general questions are not double negatives either.

Do you know her address? – No, I don’t.

Didn’t she tell you? – No, she did not.

There may also occur some sentence constructions which are not regarded as containing double negative despite the presence of two negatives. Generally, it is better to rephrase such sentences to avoid possible misunderstanding that two negatives may cause. For example:

I don’t like not being told the truth. – I don’t like it when people don’t tell me the truth.

I don’t mind not watching this film. – I don’t really want to watch this film.

They were waiting for him; he couldn’t not go. – They were waiting for him; he had to go.

As a rule, such constructions with two negatives are more expressive than ordinary affirmative constructions with similar meaning. Generally, it is advisable for language learners to use ordinary constructions in ordinary situations. Compare these examples:

They left no stone unturned in their search for the missing child. – They did everything they could in their search for the missing child.

His actions were not entirely unselfish. – He had his own personal interest in it.

Note: Proverbs

Numerous examples of negative constructions can be found in English proverbs. Some proverbs exist in negative and affirmative variants. (See Russian and English Proverbs in the section Idioms.)

All is not gold that glitters. All that glitters is not gold.

He who makes no mistakes makes nothing.

There is no smoke without fire. – Where there is smoke there is fire.

What’s done can’t be undone. – What’s done is done.

Additional material: Comparison of NO and NOT

NO expresses absence (He has no money), disagreement (No, I don’t), refusal (No, thank you). NOT changes the meaning to the opposite (He does not like it; No, I do not; I am not a student; It is not funny).

NO is used before nouns (He has no friends; She has no time); before gerunds (No smoking); in responses (No, thank you); before certain pronouns (There is no other way; I’ll do no such thing); before the comparative degree of adjectives and adverbs (She has no more money; He is no older than you are; We can wait no longer).

NOT is used before main verbs (He does not work; He is not sleeping); in responses (No, I’m not; No, she doesn’t); before nouns (He is not a doctor; These are not toys); before articles (not a lot; not the best); before certain pronouns (not all of them; not many; not this one); before adjectives (He is not rich; It’s not ready); before adverbs (not now; not very well); before prepositions (not in winter; not on Monday).

NOT is often contracted with the auxiliary verb, especially in spoken English (he doesn’t work; he hasn’t read this book; he isn’t sleeping; he isn’t a doctor; he isn’t rich; it isn’t funny). NOT is not contracted in «I am not; I’m not».

Similar cases of the use of NO and NOT before nouns, pronouns, adjectives and adverbs are described below.

NO and NOT before nouns

Before nouns, NO has the meaning «not a; not any». NO is used before a singular or plural countable noun and before an uncountable noun.

«Not a» is used before a singular countable noun; «not any» is used before a plural countable noun and before an uncountable noun.

In such cases, NO and NOT can be used in the same situations. In ordinary situations, negating the auxiliary verb with the help of NOT is usually preferable, as NO may sound emphatic. (NO stresses complete absence.)

They have no car. – They do not have a car. / They don’t have a car.

She has no friends. – She does not have any friends. / She doesn’t have any friends.

He has no money. – He does not have any money. / He doesn’t have any money.

I found no information about it. – I did not find any information about it. / I didn’t find any information about it.

Emphatic meaning of NO

NO may have the following emphatic meaning: «not at all; far from being». NOT does not have such meanings. Compare:

He is no fool. He is no genius.

He is no teacher. (Meaning: He is not a good teacher. i.e., he can’t teach)

He is not a teacher. (Meaning: He is not a teacher by profession.)

Note the phrase «be not much of»: He is not much of a teacher / cook / writer. It was not much of a dinner.

NO and NOT after «there is; there are»

NO and NOT are often used after «there is; there are», usually without noticeable difference in meaning. NOT is usually in the contracted form after «there is; there are».

In many cases, using NO after «there is; there are» is preferable. There are many set expressions and proverbs with «there is no».

There is no milk in the refrigerator. – There isn’t any milk in the refrigerator.

There are no chairs in the room. – There aren’t any chairs in the room.

There were no cars in the parking lot. – There weren’t any cars in the parking lot.

There is no rule without an exception.

There is no sense in it.

There is no need to shout.

NO and NOT before the subject

NO is used before the subject expressed by a singular or plural countable noun or by an uncountable noun.

No textbook can explain all the rules.

No cars were sold yesterday.

No students attended the lecture.

No information about it has ever been published.

NOT (i.e., «not a») can be used before the subject expressed by a singular countable noun, with the meaning «not even one».

Not a sound came from behind the door.

Note: «Not any» is generally not used before the subject at the beginning of a sentence. Use NO as in the examples above, i.e. «No cars; No information», etc.

Other similar cases with NO and NOT

NO and NOT before pronouns

NOT is used before the pronouns «all; everyone; many; much», often at the beginning of a sentence before the subject.

Not everyone knows about it.

Not all of them are here.

Not many students were present.

Not much can be done in this situation.

There’s not much time. It’s not much.

NO is used before the pronouns «other; such».

No other options were available.

There was no other way.

I’ll do no such thing!

There is no such thing as eternal life.

NO and NOT before adjectives and adverbs

NOT before adjectives and adverbs changes their meaning to the opposite.

This bag is not very large.

It’s not too late to change it.

I talked to him not long ago.

NO is used before adjectives and adverbs in the comparative degree.

They are no longer friends. – They aren’t friends any longer.

This bag is no larger than that one.

We should leave no later than eight.

She no longer works here. – She doesn’t work here any longer.

It is no less than a mile to the station.

NOT is used in those cases where «much» stands before the comparative degree of an adjective or adverb.

It is not much warmer today than it was yesterday.

She types faster than I do, but not much faster.

The constructions «as…as; not as…as» are often used to compare the qualities of people or things: It is as cold today as it was yesterday. This box is not as big as that one. He is not as tall as she is. (See «Constructions of comparison» in Degrees of Comparison in the section Miscellany.)

Set expressions with NO and NOT

Some set expressions with NO: no doubt; no idea; no comment; no hurry; no joke; no luck; no matter; no problem; no wonder; no kidding; no smoking; no parking; no later than; no less than; no longer; no better; no further; no sooner…than; no more; no more than; no other than; by no means; in no hurry; in no time; on no account; no other way.

Some set expressions with NOT: not a bit; not a chance; not at all; not any longer; not any more; not bad; not bad at all; not a bad idea; not good; not so good; not really; not in the least; not long ago; not enough; not much; not only…but also; not surprisingly; not to mention; not to say; not to worry; not without reason; not worth it; not yet; why not.

Отрицательные конструкции

Отрицание в английских предложениях можно выразить с помощью отрицательных наречий, отрицательных местоимений или отрицательных союзов, таких как «not, no, nothing, nobody, no one, none, neither, neither…nor, never, nowhere».

Способы выражения отрицания и типичные отрицательные конструкции описаны в этом материале. (Отрицательные конструкции с обратным порядком слов, начинающиеся с «never, not only, no sooner» и т.п., описаны в статье Inversion в разделе Miscellany.)

Основные способы выражения отрицания

Отрицание наиболее часто выражается употреблением «not» с вспомогательным глаголом для выражения противоположного значения глаголов, существительных, прилагательных (he did not ask; it wasn’t done; I haven’t seen it; he is not my brother; it’s not funny). Также, отрицание часто выражается с помощью «no, nothing, nobody» и других отрицательных местоимений (I have no time; nothing happened).

В некоторых случаях, NO и NOT могут употребляться в одних и тех же ситуациях. NO имеет такое же значение как «not a» перед исчисляемым существительным в ед. числе и такое же значение как «not any» перед исчисляемым существительным во мн. числе и перед неисчисляемым существительным. Например:

У него нет автомобиля.

У неё нет братьев.

У меня нет времени сейчас.

На столе нет хлеба.

Возле нашей гостиницы нет магазинов.

Согласно правилам, допускается только одно отрицание в пределах одной и той же конструкции в английском языке. В тех случаях, где в русских предложениях два отрицания, в соответствующих английских предложениях всего одно отрицание. Например:

Я не нашёл (никаких) ошибок в вашем сочинении.

Она никого не видела.

Он ничего не сказал.

Это иногда представляет проблему для русских, изучающих английский язык, т.к. в русских отрицательных предложениях часто необходимы два отрицания. Кроме того, изучающие английский язык испытывают трудности в выборе между NO и NOT. (Сравнение NO и NOT дано в конце этого материала.)

Примечание: Употребление местоимения «any» в различных типах предложений, включая отрицательные предложения, описывается в статье Some and Any в разделе Miscellany.

NOT: Основные случаи употребления

NOT – отрицательная частица (наречие). NOT меняет значение слов (глаголов, существительных, прилагательных, наречий) на противоположное.

Основное употребление NOT – выразить противоположное значение путём отрицания вспомогательного глагола. NOT часто сокращается с вспомогательным или модальным глаголом в устной и письменной речи. (Полные формы считаются предпочтительными в официальной письменной речи.)

Мне не нравится этот фильм.

Она не придёт на вечеринку.

Не спрашивайте его.

Вам не следует делать этого.

Я не могу помочь ему.

Его не пригласили.

Нож не игрушка.

Я видел Эллу, а не её сестру.

Это ручка, а не карандаш. Мне нужны карандаши, а не ручки.

Он не старый.

Это не важно.

Её школа недалеко отсюда.

Я могу пойти туда с вами, но не сегодня.

Оно работает, но не очень хорошо.

Место NOT в предложении

NOT обычно стоит после вспомогательного глагола перед основным глаголом. Примеры:

Он не знает этого.

Она не звонила ему.

Мы не видели её в последнее время.

Он не собирается покупать это.

Если во временной форме два вспомогательных глагола, NOT ставится после первого.

Эти письма ещё не отправлены.

Она, возможно, не получила моё письмо.

NOT после глагола-связки BE

NOT ставится после глагола-связки BE перед прилагательным или существительным в предикативе (в именной части сказуемого).

Это платье не новое.

Книга была не интересная.

Он не очень хороший водитель.

Это не самый лучший пример.

Летучая мышь не птица. Летучие мыши не птицы.

Его имя не Джон.

Это был не Том.

NOT и Глагол + инфинитив

Если за основным глаголом следует инфинитив (или герундий), NOT обычно стоит перед основным глаголом.

Она не хочет приглашать его.

Я не хочу опоздать.

Кажется, он не понимает этого.

Я не ожидаю увидеть его сегодня.

Я не намереваюсь идти туда.

Она не любит работать допоздна.

Я не возражаю работать в выходные.

Я не закончил писать моё письмо.

NOT ставится перед инфинитивом (или герундием), если этого требует значение предложения.

Она решила не приглашать его.

Постарайтесь не опоздать.

Лучше не обсуждать это с ним.

Я предпочитаю не работать в выходные.

Я сожалею, что не сказал ему об этом.

Значение предложения обычно меняется, когда NOT стоит перед инфинитивом, по сравнению с похожими предложениями, в которых NOT стоит перед основным глаголом.

Он не просил меня звонить ей. – Он просил меня не звонить ей.

Я не обещал сделать это. – Я обещал не делать этого.

Он не любит работать по субботам. – Ему нравится, что не нужно работать по субботам.

Примечание:

Обратите внимание на предпочтительный способ отрицания в следующих предложениях:

Не думаю, что я знаю его.

Не думаю, что я с ней знаком.

Не думаю, что сегодня пойдёт дождь.

Но: Надеюсь, что сегодня не будет дождя.

NO: Основные случаи употребления

NO – местоимение, употребляемое как прилагательное перед существительными. NO перед существительными указывает на отсутствие чего-то. NO также употребляется перед герундием в определённых конструкциях.

NO – наречие, употребляемое как противоположность YES в откликах. NO как наречие также употребляется перед сравнительной степенью прилагательных и наречий.

Утвердительная форма глагола употребляется в предложениях, содержащих NO, так чтобы в предложении было только одно отрицание.

У него нет времени.

У них нет детей.

У них была вода, но не было еды.

С молоком и сахаром? – Немного молока, но без сахара.

В его доме нет телефона.

В вашем сочинении нет ошибок.

Нет необходимости беспокоиться.

Ни один гость ещё не приехал.

Ни одна часть этого текста не может быть воспроизведена без разрешения.

Не курить. Не сорить.

Стоянка запрещена. (Не парковаться.)

Невозможно сказать, что он может сделать.

Не хотите ли кофе? – Нет, спасибо.

Они здесь? – Нет.

У неё нет больше денег.

Он чувствует себя не лучше сегодня. / Ему (нисколько) не лучше сегодня.

Мы не можем дольше ждать.

Другие отрицательные местоимения

Неопределённые местоимения «nothing, nobody, no one, none» употребляются в функции существительных; глагол употребляется в утвердительной форме.

Он ничего не сказал.

Он никому не сказал об этом.

Она никого не видела во дворе.

Это вас не касается. / Это не ваше дело.

Ничего не изменилось.

Ничего не случилось.

Никто не знает, как это случилось.

Никто не поверил ему.

Никто не видел его.

Никто из них не может помочь ему.

В этом ящике стола ничего нет.

Мы ничего не можем сделать.

Сколько у вас денег? – Нисколько. / У меня нет денег. / У меня нет никаких денег.

(Согласование подлежащего и сказуемого в числе, включая неопределённые местоимения в функции подлежащих, описывается в статье Agreement в разделе Grammar.)

Употребление «nowhere»

Наречие «nowhere» употребляется как наречие и как существительное. Следующие примеры иллюстрируют употребление «nowhere».

Мы никуда не ходили на прошлой неделе.

Куда вы ходили? – Никуда.

Мне некуда идти.

Ему негде жить.

Её нигде не могли найти.

Они появились ниоткуда.

Это нас никуда не ведёт. Это ничего нам не даёт. Это нам ничего не даст.

Either, neither и nor

Местоимение «neither» значит «ни один (из двух людей или вещей); ни тот, ни другой». Местоимение «neither» – это отрицательная форма местоимения «either».

Ни тот, ни другой ответ не правилен.

Ни тот, ни другой не смог помочь ему.

Который из этих автомобилей тебе нравится? – Ни тот, ни другой. / Мне не нравится ни тот, ни другой.

Не употребляйте «either» или «neither», если вы выбираете более чем из двух. Сравните:

Ни один из (двух) ответов не правилен. – Ни один из (ряда) ответов не правилен.

Местоимение «both» не употребляется в отрицательных конструкциях. «Neither» употребляется вместо «both» в отрицательных предложениях.

Мы оба знали это. – Мы оба не знали этого. (т.е. Ни один из нас двоих не знал этого.)

Наречие «too» не употребляется в отрицательных конструкциях. Наречие «either» употребляется вместо «too» в отрицательных предложениях.

Я тоже знаю его. – Я тоже не знаю его.

Союзы «either…or» и «neither…nor» подразумевают выбор из двух (людей, вещей, групп, действий). «Either…or» употребляется в отрицательных конструкциях с глаголом в отрицательной форме. «Neither…nor» употребляется с глаголом в утвердительной форме.

Он не говорит ни на испанском, ни на французском языке.

Ни его семья, ни его друзья не знали о его планах.

«Neither» также наречие, которое употребляется во фразах типа «Neither do I». (См. So do I. Neither Do I. в разделе Phrases.)

Наречие «never»

Наречие «never» употребляется в отрицательных конструкциях с глаголом в утвердительной форме. «Never» употребляется очень часто.

Я никогда не слышал об этом.

Она никогда не была в Нью-Йорке.

Я никогда не забуду этого.

Украденные бриллианты так и не нашли.

Больше его никогда не видели.

Он так никогда и не женился.

Он никогда не опаздывает.

Никогда не знаешь, что будет (в будущем).

Сейчас или никогда!

Неважно.

Никогда не оставляй эту дверь открытой.

Ответы на отрицательные вопросы

Сравните ответы на утвердительные и отрицательные вопросы ниже. Говорящий соглашается в первом ответе и не соглашается во втором. Обратите внимание на разницу в употреблении Yes и No в английских и русских ответах на отрицательные разделительные вопросы.

Вы видели его? – 1. Да, видел. (Да, я видел его.) 2. Нет, не видел. (Нет, я не видел его.)

Разве вы не видели его? – 1. Да, видел. (Да, я видел его.) 2. Нет, не видел. (Нет, я не видел его.)

Вы видели его, не так ли? – 1. Да, видел. (Да, я видел его.) 2. Нет, не видел. (Нет, я не видел его.)

Вы не видели его, не так ли? – 1. Нет, не видел. (Нет, я не видел его.) 2. Нет, видел. (Нет, я видел его.)

Примечание:

В отрицательных вопросах NOT обычно сокращается с вспомогательным глаголом: Didn’t you know it? Hasn’t he called you?

Если вы хотите употребить полную форму, ваши отрицательные вопросы должны быть такими: Did you not know it? Has he not called you? (Такие вопросы менее употребительны.)

Укороченные отрицательные вопросы

Иногда отрицательный вопрос задаётся в укороченной форме, а предложенные ответы обычно просто Yes или No (например, в некоторых формах, которые вам нужно заполнить в Интернете). В таких случаях может быть трудно понять значение ответов Yes и No. Сравните значения ответов в этих примерах:

Не разрешать изображения? – Да. (Изображения не будут показаны.)

Не разрешать изображения? – Нет. (Изображения будут показаны.)

Никогда не показывать email? – Да. (Email-адрес не будет показан.)

Никогда не показывать email? – Нет. (Email-адрес будет показан.)

(Различные типы вопросов описываются в статье Word Order in Questions в разделе Grammar.)

Двойное отрицание

Двойное отрицание – это конструкция, в которой два отрицательных слова выражают одно отрицание. Двойное отрицание считается нестандартным (т.е. неправильным) в английском языке, и его следует избегать в устной и письменной речи.

Английский язык не допускает двойного отрицания, что значит, что можно употребить только одно отрицательное слово в пределах одной и той же конструкции. Сравните количество отрицаний в английских и русских предложениях:

Она никому не звонила.

Она ничего не сделала.

Он никогда не навещает их.

Следующие примеры показывают неправильные и правильные отрицательные конструкции.

Неправильно: I don’t have nothing; I didn’t ask no one; I didn’t see neither of them; there isn’t nobody; he doesn’t go nowhere.

Правильно: I don’t have anything; I have nothing; I didn’t ask anyone; I asked no one; I didn’t see either of them; I saw neither of them; there isn’t anybody; there is nobody; he doesn’t go anywhere.

Наречия «hardly, scarcely, barely» употребляются в значении отрицания. Считается неправильным употреблять их вместе с дополнительным отрицанием.

Неправильно: hardly none; scarcely none; hardly never; can’t hardly; can’t scarcely; can’t barely.

Правильно: hardly any; scarcely any; hardly ever; can hardly; can scarcely; can barely.

Сыра почти не осталось.

Она почти никогда не смотрит телевизор.

Я едва мог дышать.

Двойное отрицание в песнях

Двойное отрицание часто употребляется в словах современных песен. Двойное отрицание в словах песен обычно образуется заменой «any» на «no» для усиления и употреблением «ain’t» (для всех лиц вместо «am not, isn’t, aren’t, haven’t, hasn’t»). Такое употребление является стилистическим приёмом, направленным на то, чтобы сделать песню сильнее, проще и ближе к слушателю.

Вот некоторые примеры, иллюстрирующие употребление двойного отрицания в песнях: I just can’t take no more (Iron Maiden); I can’t get no satisfaction (The Rolling Stones); Come back baby I never did you no wrong (Gary Moore); Sweet bitter words unlike nothing I have heard (Korn); Ain’t no love in the heart of the city (в исполнении Whitesnake); Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone (Bill Withers); It ain’t no big thing but it’s growin’ (Elvis Presley); And you still ain’t got no place to go (Deep Purple); You ain’t goin’ nowhere (Bob Dylan); She ain’t never gonna be the same (Aerosmith).

Изучающим язык следует избегать употребления двойного отрицания или «ain’t» в своей устной и письменной речи. Носители языка иногда употребляют двойное отрицание или «ain’t» в разговорной речи, но в целом, такое употребление считается нестандартным и неприемлемо в официальной устной и письменной речи.

Другие конструкции с двумя отрицаниями

Есть некоторые конструкции с двумя отрицаниями, которые не считаются неправильными. Например, «neither…nor» не рассматривается как двойное отрицание.

Ни Майк, ни Джим не знает её адрес.

Они не знают ни её адрес, ни номер её телефона.

Отрицательные ответы на отрицательные общие вопросы также не являются двойными отрицаниями.

Вы знаете её адрес? – Нет, не знаю.

Разве она вам не сказала? – Нет, не сказала.

Могут также возникать конструкции предложений, которые не рассматриваются как содержащие двойное отрицание несмотря на наличие двух отрицаний. В целом, лучше перефразировать такие предложения, чтобы избежать возможного неправильного понимания, которое могут вызвать два отрицания. Например:

Мне не нравится, что мне не говорят правду. – Мне не нравится, когда мне не говорят правду.

Я не возражаю (против того, чтобы) не смотреть этот фильм. – Я не особенно хочу смотреть этот фильм.

Они ждали его; он не мог не пойти. – Они ждали его; он должен был пойти.

Как правило, такие конструкции с двумя отрицаниями более выразительны, чем обычные утвердительные конструкции с похожим значением. В целом, изучающим язык желательно употреблять обычные конструкции в обычных ситуациях. Сравните эти примеры:

Они использовали абсолютно все средства в поисках пропавшего ребёнка. – Они сделали всё, что могли, в поисках пропавшего ребёнка.

Его действия не были полностью бескорыстными. – У него был свой собственный личный интерес в этом.

Примечание: Пословицы

Многочисленные примеры употребления отрицательных конструкций можно найти в английских пословицах. Некоторые пословицы существуют в отрицательных и утвердительных вариантах. (См. Russian and English Proverbs в разделе Idioms.)

Не всё то золото, что блестит.

Не ошибается тот, кто ничего не делает.

Нет дыма без огня.

Что сделано, того нельзя отменить. – Что сделано, то сделано.

Дополнительный материал: Сравнение NO и NOT

NO выражает отсутствие (He has no money), несогласие (No, I don’t), отказ (No, thank you). NOT меняет значение на противоположное (He does not like it; It is not funny).

NO употребляется перед существительными (He has no friends; She has no time); перед герундием (No smoking); в откликах (No, thank you); перед некоторыми местоимениями (There is no other way; I’ll do no such thing); перед сравнительной степенью прилагательных и наречий (She has no more money; He is no older than you are; We can wait no longer).

NOT употребляется перед основными глаголами (He does not work; He is not sleeping); в откликах (No, I’m not; No, she doesn’t); перед существительными (He is not a doctor; These are not toys); перед артиклями (not a lot; not the best); перед некоторыми местоимениями (not all of them; not many; not this one); перед прилагательными (He is not rich; It’s not ready); перед наречиями (not now; not very well); перед предлогами (not in winter; not on Monday).

NOT часто сокращается с вспомогательным глаголом (he doesn’t work; he hasn’t read this book; he isn’t sleeping; he isn’t a doctor; he isn’t rich; it isn’t funny). NOT не сокращается в «I am not; I’m not».

Похожие случаи употребления NO и NOT перед существительными, местоимениями, прилагательными и наречиями описаны ниже.

NO и NOT перед существительными

Перед существительными, NO имеет значение «not a; not any». NO употребляется перед исчисляемым существительным в ед. или мн. числе и перед неисчисляемым существительным.

«Not a» употребляется перед исчисляемым существительным в ед. числе; «not any» употребляется перед исчисляемым существительным во мн. числе и перед неисчисляемым существительным.

В таких случаях, NO и NOT могут употребляться в одних и тех же ситуациях. В обычных ситуациях предпочтительно отрицание вспомогательного глагола с помощью NOT, т.к. NO может звучать эмфатически. (NO подчёркивает полное отсутствие.)

У них нет автомобиля.

У неё (совсем) нет друзей. – У неё нет друзей.

У него (совсем) нет денег. – У него нет денег.

Я не нашёл (совсем никакой) информации об этом. – Я не нашёл (никакой) информации об этом.

Эмфатическое значение NO

NO может иметь следующее эмфатическое значение: «совсем не; далеко не». NOT не имеет таких значений. Сравните:

Он совсем не дурак. Он далеко не гений.

Он совсем не учитель. (Значение: Он не хороший учитель. т.е. он не умеет преподавать)

Он не учитель. (Значение: Он не учитель по профессии.)

Обратите внимание на фразу «be not much of»: Он весьма посредственный учитель / повар / писатель. Обед был весьма посредственный.

NO и NOT после «there is, there are»

NO и NOT часто употребляются после «there is, there are», обычно без заметной разницы в значении. NOT обычно в сокращённой форме после «there is; there are».

Во многих случаях, предпочтительно употребление NO после «there is, there are». Есть много устойчивых выражений и пословиц с «there is no».

В холодильнике нет молока.

В комнате нет стульев.

На стоянке не было автомобилей.

Нет правила без исключения.

В этом нет смысла.

Нет необходимости кричать.

NO и NOT перед подлежащим

NO употребляется перед подлежащим, выраженным исчисляемым существительным в ед. или мн. числе или неисчисляемым существительным.

Ни один учебник не может объяснить все правила.

Никакие машины (т.е. ни одна) не были проданы вчера.

Никто из студентов не присутствовал на лекции.

(Никакая) Информация об этом никогда не была опубликована.

NOT (т.е. «not a») может употребляться перед подлежащим, выраженным исчисляемым существительным в ед. числе, с значением «not even one» (ни один, ни единый).

Ни один звук не доносился из-за двери.

Примечание: «Not any» обычно не употребляется перед подлежащим в начале предложения. Употребите NO как в примерах выше, т.е. «No cars; No information» и т.д.

Другие похожие случаи с NO и NOT

NO и NOT перед местоимениями

NOT употребляется перед местоимениями «all; everyone; many; much», часто в начале предложения перед подлежащим.

Не все знают об этом.

Не все из них здесь.

Немногие студенты присутствовали.

Немногое можно сделать в этой ситуации.

Времени мало. Это не много.

NO употребляется перед местоимениями «other; such».

Никаких других опций (т.е. другого выбора) не было.

Другого пути / способа не было.

Я не буду делать ничего подобного!

Не бывает вечной жизни.

NO и NOT перед прилагательными и наречиями

NOT перед прилагательными и наречиями меняет их значение на противоположное.

Эта сумка не очень большая.

Ещё не слишком поздно изменить это.

Я разговаривал с ним не так давно.

NO употребляется перед прилагательными и наречиями в сравнительной степени.

Они больше не друзья.

Эта сумка не больше, чем та.

Мы должны выйти не позднее восьми.

Она больше не работает здесь.

До станции не менее мили.

NOT употребляется в тех случаях, где перед сравнительной степенью прилагательного или наречия стоит «much».

Сегодня не намного теплее, чем вчера.

Она печатает быстрее, чем я, но не намного быстрее.

Конструкции «as…as; not as…as» часто употребляются для сравнения качеств людей или вещей: Сегодня так же холодно, как вчера. Эта коробка не такая большая, как та. Он не такой высокий, как она. (См. «Constructions of comparison» в материале Degrees of Comparison в разделе Miscellany.)

Устойчивые выражения с NO и NOT

Некоторые устойчивые выражения с NO: no doubt; no idea; no comment; no hurry; no joke; no luck; no matter; no problem; no wonder; no kidding; no smoking; no parking; no later than; no less than; no longer; no better; no further; no sooner…than; no more; no more than; no other than; by no means; in no hurry; in no time; on no account; no other way.

Некоторые устойчивые выражения с NOT: not a bit; not a chance; not at all; not any longer; not any more; not bad; not bad at all; not a bad idea; not good; not so good; not really; not in the least; not long ago; not enough; not much; not only…but also; not surprisingly; not to mention; not to say; not to worry; not without reason; not worth it; not yet; why not.