Home of English Grammar

Free Guide (Updated for 2022)

  • Home
  • Download Lessons
  • Grammar Rules
  • Online Exercises
  • Online Tools
    • Grammar Checker
    • Word Counter
  • Guides
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Learning / Using Not

Using Not

October 21, 2014 - pdf

‘Not’ is one of the most common words in English. We use it to make negative sentences.

  • We are friends. (Affirmative)
  • We are not friends. (Negative)
  • I know the answer. (Affirmative)
  • I do not know the answer. (Negative)

Not even

Not even is used to talk about negative extremes.

  • She cannot even write her name.
  • The boy does not even remember his name.

The expression ‘or not’ is often used to avoid the repetition of something in the negative.

  • Will you listen to me or not?
  • Are you coming with me or not?

Hope not / suppose not

  • ‘Are they going to find out?’ ‘I hope not.’

‘Not’ is also used in Yes/No questions when you expect the answer to be ‘Yes’.

  • Did you not receive my message?
  • She is a lovely girl, isn’t she?

Not at all

This expression is used to emphasize a negative statement.

  • I was not all amused by his antics.
  • My parents were not at all impressed with my test results.

‘Not at all’ is sometimes used in polite replies to someone who has thanked you.

‘Thank you so much for your help.’ ‘Not at all.’

Not only…but also

This is a correlative conjunction that means the same as ‘as well as’.

  • She is not only beautiful but also intelligent. (= She is beautiful as well as intelligent.)
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
1,127,749 
203,870 

Check Your Grammar

GrammarCheck.net - Try online
Hint → Bookmark GrammarCheck for future use.

Latest Exercises

  • Gap Filling Exercise June 29, 2022
  • General Grammar Exercise June 28, 2022
  • Will vs. Would June 26, 2022
  • See vs. Look vs. Watch June 23, 2022
  • General Grammar Exercise June 21, 2022
  • Tenses Gap Filling Exercise June 21, 2022
  • Gap Filling Exercise June 20, 2022
  • Subject Verb Agreement Exercise June 20, 2022
  • Prepositions Exercise June 19, 2022

Topics

  • Adjectives
  • Adverbs
  • Business Writing
  • Commas
  • Conjunctions
  • Creative Writing
  • Difference
  • Essay Writing
  • Exercises
  • Learning
  • Lessons
  • Nouns
  • Prepositions
  • Pronouns
  • Proofreading
  • Punctuation
  • Quiz
  • Spelling
  • Style Guide
  • Teaching
  • Terms
  • Verbs
  • Words
  • Writing

Quiz

  • Can you correct these 14 basic grammar mistakes?
  • What kind of writer are you?

Copyright © 2022 · EnglishGrammar.org
Disclaimer · Privacy Policy · Sitemap