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Jonathan1 Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

Is "will be no easy task" correct?

Hello,
I encountered the sentence "This will be no easy task since, for various reasons, the amount of land..."
Is this form right or should it be written as "This will be not easy task" (I'm sure that "This won't be an easy task" is correct, but I'm asking about this specific form).

Also, I found the following part of a sentence (which is not a start of a question, just a regular sentence): "Only then might we see..."
Why isn't it written as "Only then we might see..."?

Thanks in advance, Jonathan
  

Top answer

Jonathan1 This will be no easy task Correct. "no" can be used as a determiner in a noun phrase. Jonathan1 This will be not easy task Not correct.

— CalifJim

  • Jonathan1 This will be no easy task Correct.
  • "no" can be used as a determiner in a noun phrase.
  • Jonathan1 This will be not easy task Not correct.
  • If you want the negation on the verb instead of on the noun, it's This will not be an easy task .
  • However, the turn of phrase you're asking about is usually said with the negation on the noun, as it appears at the top of this post.
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2 Answers
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Jonathan1This will be no easy task
Correct. "no" can be used as a determiner in a noun phrase.
Jonathan1This will be not easy task
Not correct. If you want the negation on the verb instead of on the noun, it's This will not be an easy task. However, the turn of phrase you're asking about is usually said with the ne
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