Introduktion
Nægtelse gør et bekræftende udsagn nægtende. På engelsk bruger de fleste nægtelser not sammen med et hjælpeverbum.
Grundled+hjælpeverbum+not+verbum
- I do not like coffee.
- She is not coming.
- They have not arrived.
Sammentrækninger
I tale og uformelt skriftsprog trækkes not normalt sammen med hjælpeverbet.
| Fuld form | Sammentrækning |
|---|---|
| do not | don't |
| does not | doesn't |
| is not / are not | isn't / aren't |
| cannot | can't |
| will not | won't |
| have not / has not | haven't / hasn't |
| am not | 'm not (I'm not) – der findes ikke noget standard-amn't |
Andre nægtende ord end not
Engelsk har også nægtende ord, der udtrykker nægtelse på egen hånd, uden not: never, no, nobody, nothing, nowhere, neither.
- I have never been there.
- Nobody called.
- There is nothing to do.
Standardengelsk bruger kun one (ét) nægtende ord pr. sætning. Kombinerer man to, som på nogle andre sprog, opstår en dobbelt nægtelse.
No + navneord betyder det samme som not a / not any: I have no money = I don't have any money; There's no bus = There isn't a bus. Brug det ene eller det andet, aldrig begge.
Nægtende spørgsmål (Don't you like it? / Isn't she coming?) udtrykker overraskelse eller forventer enighed. Svar efter fakta: Don't you like it? – Yes (jo, jeg kan lide det) / No (nej, det kan jeg ikke).
Almindelige fejl
- I don't have no money.I don't have any money.avoid double negatives
- She don't like it.She doesn't like it.subject-verb agreement
Øvelser
do not = ___
Which sentence avoids a double negative?
Which sentence is correct?
Which word carries negation on its own, without needing 'not'?
cannot = ___
will not = ___
is not / are not = ___
have not / has not = ___
Which negative word means 'no place'?
Which negative word means 'no thing'?
I ___ like coffee.
___ you like the film? I thought you loved it!
I have ___ money.
I ___ ready yet.
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