Negation

--how do we use it?

Section 1From the Affirmation to the Negation

• Like affirmation, English negation largely depend on the use of the

helping verb.do, be, can, shall, may, etc. with the adverb ‘not’.

• Chinese students should learn from the very beginning to use this form,

instead of saying He not knows(x), or He not comes(x).

• AFFIRMATION NETATION

I come (go, play). I do not come (go,

play). I came (went, played). I did not come

(go, play). He comes (goes, plays). He does not

come (go, play).

• Can not is the emphatic form of cannot. The changes

came and did come, comes and does come occur also in

the question.

• PRESENT PAST

• (A) He comes. (A) He came.

• (B) Does he come? (B) Did he come?

• (C) He does not come. (C) He did not come.

Exercise 1: Practice the following orally. The first one is already done for you.

• 1. He knows that I am here.

– He doesn’t know that I am here.

– Does he know that I am here?

• 2. They saw me on Nanking Road.

• 3. He heard the shot.

• 4. You spoke to that fellow on the way.

• 5. They all ran away when the police came.

• 6. The teacher saw me, but did not see him.

Section 2 No!!!!

• We generally say There is no one, but There is not any one , and I

have no money, but I cannot pay.

• No is thus used as an adjectiveadjective before noun, and not is used as an

adverbadverb.

• When there is a noun, it is better to use no. The form with no is often

more emphatic.

• Examples:

• 1. The pen is no good. 2. That’s no fun.

• 3. This camera is no use. 4. It is no use talking.

Exercise 2: Use ‘no’ in the following sentences and change them in any way you like--

• 1. I have not received any answer from him.

• 2. I have not seen any Chinese in this city.

• 3. He doesn’t have money to pay me.

• 4. I tell you I do not have any lover.

• 5. This fountain pen cannot be of any use to me.

¶ Section 3Few, a Few, Little, a Little

• In English, the meaning of few and little is negative, while that of a

few and a little is affirmative.

• When you come to borrow money from me, and I say “I have little

money,” that means I am not going to lend it to you. But when I say

“Yes, I have a little,” this means I am willing to lend you what little I

have. Study the following--

• 1. You have little time left. You’d better hurry up.

• 2. I have a little time. What can I do for you?

• 3. She knows little, but she talks a whole lot.

¶ Section 4“No” in Negative Answers

• It is a peculiar English habit that, when the answer itself is negative,

we must use no in the beginning, even when in Chinese yes would be

the proper word to use.

• There are two examples:

• 1. Q: Isn’t he your brother?

• A: Yes, he is. / No, he is not.

• 2. Q: Haven’t you got your book?

• A: Yes, I’ve got it. / No, I haven’t.