Tagged Questions
2
votes
2answers
154 views
Not only X but also Y are (is?)
At first glance, sentence 1 below seems more correct because there are two subjects. However, something seems more natural about sentence 2. Maybe there is something abbreviated, elliptical, or ...
1
vote
0answers
99 views
Why does a negative adverbial phrase trigger inversion? [duplicate]
When a negative adverb (or adverbial phrase) is placed at the beginning of a sentence, we exchange the normal placement of subject and verb.
Why is that?
-1
votes
2answers
123 views
He Did Come Home? [closed]
Is this:
1 He did come home late yesterday.
a sloppy variation of:
2 He came home late yesterday.
because of poor editing under adverse writing conditions? Could the writer have ...
1
vote
1answer
190 views
Use of “afraid not”
Is this sentence correct?
I am afraid not of preparing for the exam but of the result.
Or is there some other way to write that sentence?
2
votes
2answers
565 views
“You have nothing to do” - “Yes I do” / “Yes I don't” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When a negative question is asked, what is the grammatically correct way to answer?
How to answer a negative question without ambiguity?
If someone says "You have ...
3
votes
2answers
132 views
“Nobody ever joined” vs “Nobody joined at all” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Usage of “ever” in a negative statement
Yesterday I read a discussion here and I still cannot figure it out. What is the difference between the following:
...
2
votes
3answers
328 views
Usage of “ever” in a negative statement
I know that "ever" can be used to express the strengthened negation but would it work like that?
I created a session but nobody ever joined.
Is it possible? It does not sound right to me. If ...
2
votes
4answers
917 views
“I don't think you X” versus “I think you don't X”
Consider the following two sentences:
I don't think you love your father.
I think you don't love your father.
Is the second sentence correct? I was taught it is wrong.
3
votes
2answers
183 views
Use of ‘or’ when it means ‘and’ in negatives [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How does negation affect the use and understanding of “or” and “and”
If I want to negate a sentence such as
I like beer and whiskey. [Most ...
5
votes
3answers
156 views
Parenthetical double negation?
Is this a double negation? Is it still grammatically correct? If not, what is a better form?
He cannot go outside (legally, not physically), because he is under house arrest.
The meaning is that ...
6
votes
1answer
3k views
“They're not” vs. “they aren't”
How dissimilar are "they're not" and "they aren't"?
Is it dependent on context or are these exactly the same?
They are supposed to be going, but they are not.
They are not going.
26
votes
5answers
6k views
What's the negation of “I used to be”? Surely not “I didn't used to be”?
What is the negative form of "I used to be"? I often hear "I didn't used to be" but that sounds awfully wrong in my ears.
5
votes
3answers
2k views
“currently not” or “not currently”
What's the correct order:
Lessons are not currently being offered.
or
Lessons are currently not being offered.
5
votes
1answer
2k views
Is “Stick no bills” correct English?
'Stick no bills' sounds awkward.
Shouldn't it be something like 'Do not stick any bills'?
