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Magic79 Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

place of NOT in questions???

As you know, NOT has spicific places in questions. Check the following sentences:

1- Why did the old men NOT come in the house?

2- Why did NOT the old men come in the house?

3- Why didN'T the old men come in the house?

If all the above sentences are correct, then what is the difference in meaning (focus)?

Thanks
  

Top answer

2 is incorrect. 1 = 3

— Inchoateknowledge

  • 2 is incorrect.
  • 1 = 3
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4 Answers
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Hi guys,

I wouldn't say #2 is incorrect. However, I'd class it as literary, rhetorical and very uncommon.

Best wishes, Clive
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Thanks Clive and Inchoateknowledge for your promt replies. To further the discussion of NOT place in the question, what do you think of NOT place if a pronoun is used instead of a noun. For example, look at those sentences and determine if NOT is placed correctly.

1- Why did he NOT come into the house?

2- Why did NOT he come into the house?

3- Why didN'T he come into th
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Speaking only of modern spoken English, the negation in questions can only appear before the subject if it is in contracted form (n't). Whether the subject is a noun or a pronoun is irrelevant.

CJ
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