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Teo Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

Come on in. (Negative)

Don't come on in!

Is the above negative imperative sentence acceptable?

Thanks a lot for your reply.
  

Top answer

Unfortunately not. We would simply say; Don't come in! Cheers

  • Unfortunately not.
  • We would simply say; Don't come in!
  • Cheers
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6 Answers
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Unfortunately not. We would simply say;

Don't come in!

Cheers

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The particle "on" with verbs of motion is generally used to offer encouragement to act. With a negative, a contradictory message results, so the sentence is really not possible (as already mentioned).

CJ
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1. Hurry up.

2. Don't hurry up.

3. Stand up.

4. Don't stand up.

According to my knowledge, sentences #1 and #3 are acceptable; sentence #2 is not acceptable. Am I right?

Can anyone tell me if sentence #4 is acceptable? Thank you very much for your reply.
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I too feel #2 is somehow incorrect. Maybe it is because "up" functions as an emphasizer of "hurry". But #4 doesn't seem wrong. I think "up" here is not an emphasizer but a usual manner adverb to describe the state of "stand".

paco
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I agree with Paco. "Don't hurry up", used to assure someone that there is no need to hurry, i.e., the equivalent of "Don't hurry", doesn't work.
However, in a tone of exasperation, used as the negation of a previous similar utterance, it will work.

-- Hurry up! Hurry up! You're going to be late. Come on! Get going!
-- (No reaction. Pause. Still no reaction.) (Sile
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Don't hurry up.
The above sentence is not acceptable. Are the sentences below acceptable?
Don't tie the horse up.
Don't clean up the room.

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