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ImDarkerThanYou Posted 11 years ago
Vocabulary
Can't vs cannot
What would you say is the intrinsic difference between the use of these two? I feel like "cannot" is used to emphasize more. Is that right, and why?
I first thought about it when I had detention in primary school and had to write "I must not shout out if I cannot answer the question". Which I thought was a little unfair! But it made me think about the difference between can't and cannot in that context, I was a very insightful 10 year old!
I first thought about it when I had detention in primary school and had to write "I must not shout out if I cannot answer the question". Which I thought was a little unfair! But it made me think about the difference between can't and cannot in that context, I was a very insightful 10 year old!
Top answer
The main difference is one of formality — "can't" being informal and "cannot" formal. By virtue of its formality, "cannot" may seem to carry more weight.
- The main difference is one of formality — "can't" being informal and "cannot" formal.
- By virtue of its formality, "cannot" may seem to carry more weight.
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3 Answers
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The main difference is one of formality — "can't" being informal and "cannot" formal. By virtue of its formality, "cannot" may seem to carry more weight.
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I suppose so, in formal written English though, wouldn't you be more likely to write "can not"?
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ImDarkerThanYouI suppose so, in formal written English though, wouldn't you be more likely to write "can not"?No. See http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/words/cannot-or-can-not
By the way, I thought of another "can't"/"cannot" difference. When formin
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