I have been looking online for some good formal alternatives to 'does not' but I haven't found anything that seems ok.
It should fit in a sentence like this: "He doesn't have the ability to ...."
Thanks in advance.
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1He doesn't have the ability to fly -> He has no ability to fly -> He cannot fly– GEdgarCommented Mar 31, 2020 at 14:35
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1No worries. You may use does not in the most formal settings like court or contracts.– Yosef BaskinCommented Mar 31, 2020 at 14:42
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It's formal enough, but if you like, you can remove the negative as in "he lacks the ability".– oerkelensCommented Mar 31, 2020 at 14:46
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3Is there any particular reason why you're looking for an alternative to the phrase "does not"? The phrase "does not" certainly sounds fine in formal writing, so I can't think of why you'd want an alternative. Are you asking for a completely general alternative for "does not" which will work in any context, or are you specifically asking for an alternative way to say "he does not have the ability to ..."?– Sophie SwettCommented Mar 31, 2020 at 15:27
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1British stuffiness about 150 years ago.– Michael HarveyCommented Mar 31, 2020 at 16:12
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2 Answers
What could be more formal than does not?
There isn't another phrase that means the same thing. So I think you're there.
He lacks the ability to ...
Or maybe something like
He does not appear to be qualified to ...
answered Apr 30, 2020 at 18:06
