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Taka Posted 18 years ago
Grammar

Don't think he would or think he wouldn't

0OK. Thanks, GG.02br
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00Oh, by the way, I've found something interesting in your sentence. I said 'I think a native English speaker would not say...', not ' I don't think a native English speaker would say...' Is that negation possible? When you'd like to emphasize the negative content of your idea, is it OK to say 'I think S' is not.../S' does not...'?0-
  

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4 Answers
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0If it were the contracted form: I think a native speaker wouldn't do that02br
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00Does that sound more natural?0-
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0I learned that when we say something negative in our opinion, it HAS TO BE 'I don't think it is so' not 'I think it isn't/is not so.' But you said 'I think a native speaker wouldn't/would not do that' not 'I don't think a native speaker would do that,'  So I'm wondering if what I learned is not always the case or not.0-
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0Taka, I created a new thread for us for this one.02br
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00Let's get some other opinions.02br
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00For me, if I say "He wouldn't do that," I'm sure he wouldn't do it.02br
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00If I say "I think he wouldn't do that," I'm not completely sure he woudn't. It's not a very common construction. It's the sort of thing you say in the midd
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0I agree, GG (if I understand correctly). 01b01i01u00I think02u02i02b00 is always more compelling than 01b01i01u00I don't think02u02i02b00. "I don't think so" often borders on "I don't feel very strongly about that."02br
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01i00I believe McCain can beat Clinto
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