the position of "not"

Question

hey guys i know the following questions may sound stupid but i'm confused by them all the time.
firstly, i would like to ask what is the rule of using "not" in a sentence?which position should it be placed?before or after the main verb?
secondly, i would like to know if the following sentences are all grammatically correct:
1) i not yet see the place (should i put have/can/am/do in front of "not"?)
2) i don't like not to know how to do things right (can i put "not" directly after the main verb?)
3) it needs not to know
4) it need not to know
5) it does not need to know (and what are the differences between that with the 3)/4) one?)

the one confuses me most is the 1).
i don't know if it is necessary to have "do", "can", "am" or "have" etc. between the subject and "not".
for me, i always have these words.

please kindly answer my questions and your replies would help me enormously!
Or just answering if 1) to 5) are correct would already give me a great help.
thanks a lot!xxx

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

1) I can/do not yet see the place: I have not yet seen the place; I am not yet going to the place.
2) I don't like to know how to do things right; I don't see the place
3) He doesn't need to know; You need not go (this is a special case).
4) It doesn't need to be known.
5) It doesn't need to be known; He doesn't need to know.

Kaychn · Answer

Mister Micawber1) I can/do not yet see the place: I have not yet seen the place; I am not yet going to the place.
2) I don't like to know how to do things right; I don't see the place
3) He doesn't need to know; You need not go (this is a special case).
4) It doesn't need to be known.
5) It doesn't need to be known; He doesn't need to know.

thankyou! :-)
some more questions for 1) and 2)
1) so is "I not yet see sth." incorrect?
2) but what I mean to say is, I don't know how to do things right and I hate to be like that!
so are there any sentences like " I hate not to know how to do things right" or "I don't like not to know how to do things right" ?

thanks sooooooooooooooooooo much! x

Mister Micawber · Answer

1) so is "I not yet see sth." incorrect? -- Incorrect
2) So are there any sentences like " I hate not to know how to do things right" or "I don't like not to know how to do things right" ? -- Occasionally, but they are awkward at best and should be avoided in any serious writing.

Bokeh · Answer

Mister Micawber"I don't like not to know how to do things right" ? -- Occasionally, but they are awkward at best and should be avoided in any serious writing.

"I don't like not knowing how to do things right" sounds ok to me, although a bit coloquial.

Kaychn · Answer

thanks all and i think i get some idea now. thankyou!

CalifJim · Answer

what is the rule of for using "not" in a sentence?

Before the infinitive or gerund.

He told me not to do that.
Not knowing the answer bothers me.

After the operator. (are not, have not, will not, ...)
Use do-support if there is no other operator. (do not, does not, did not)

See

CJ

Kaychn · Answer

CalifJim
what is the rule of for using "not" in a sentence?
Before the infinitive or gerund.

He told me not to do that.
Not knowing the answer bothers me.

After the operator. (are not, have not, will not, ...)
Use do-support if there is no other operator. (do not, does not, did not)

See

CJ

oh thanks i now understand the rule FOR using "not"!:-)

however, i saw the post 245063 and read your reply as that:
because of the characteristics mentioned above, all questions and negations have operators.
So the "not" we place before the gerund or infinitive is an exception?(no operators are found in the 2 examples you've given to me)
and does the infinitive you mentioned include both to-infinitive and bare-infinitive?

if the answer of the 2nd question is yes, why isn't "I not yet see sth." correct? it is "not + bare infinitive", doesn't it?
or it's because "see" is used as verb in this sentence, but not infinitive?
thanks a lot!!!

CalifJim · Answer

So the "not" we place before the gerund or infinitive is an exception?(no operators are found in the 2 examples you've given to me) Yes. These are exceptions. There's no operator, but you place not before the gerund or infinitive.

and does the infinitive you mentioned include both to-infinitive and bare-infinitive? No. Just the to infinitive.

if the answer of the 2nd question is yes, why isn't "I not yet see sth." correct? it It is "not + bare infinitive", ~~doesn't~~ isn't it? No. It's not an infinitive.
or it's because "see" is used as verb in this sentence, but not infinitive? Yes. see is the main verb -- present tense, not infinitive.

Bare infinitives occur after operators most of the time, so this situation is covered by the other rules. (I cannot see anything yet. - Here can is the main verb, and an operator. see is a bare infinitive. There's already a rule to place not after the operator can, so another rule to place not before the bare infinitive is totally unnecessary.)

CJ

Kaychn · Answer

Thankyou CJ!:-) Your explanations are so clear that I entirely understand now.
Give you my big big thanks from the deepest of my heart! haha :-)

the position of "not"

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