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Lucas21c Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
Usage of 'Not'
Could you tell me whether the following sentence is right?
We know not where it comes from, only that it holds the power to create worlds and fill them with life.
We know not where it comes from, only that it holds the power to create worlds and fill them with life.
Top answer
It was right in Shakespeare's days about 450 years ago. In modern English you should say we don't know. The introduction of a totally needless do in negative sentences and questions in English is one of the great linguistic mysteries.
- It was right in Shakespeare's days about 450 years ago.
- In modern English you should say we don't know.
- The introduction of a totally needless do in negative sentences and questions in English is one of the great linguistic mysteries.
- In modern English not can be placed only after a few select verbs, such as the defective/modal auxiliaries, the present and past tense forms of to be and the perfect and past perfect auxiliaries (have, has; had).
- We know not might still occur in poetry, though.
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1 Answers
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It was right in Shakespeare's days about 450 years ago. In modern English you should say we don't know.The introduction of a totally needless do in negative sentences and questions in English is one of the great linguistic mysteries. In modern English not can be placed only after a few select verbs, such as the defective/modal auxiliaries, the present and past tense for
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