● Grammar and Usage

Step 1: General introduction

The grammar items in this unit focus on negative statements. You are expected to understand the meanings of negative statements. You will also learn the ways to make a negative statement. Then you may apply what you have learnt to practical use by finishing two exercises.

Step 2: Exercises

Turn the following into negative statements:

上海龙凤13141. They’re listening to pop music now.

上海龙凤1314________________________________

上海龙凤13142. Many people can speak English nowadays.

_________________________________

3. You must make your bed after you get up every day.

_______________________________________________

4. His mother has a beautiful car.

________________________________________________

上海龙凤13145. We need a pen and piece of paper.

上海龙凤1314________________________________________________

6. I need wear a warm coat.

_________________________________________________

7. The old man always goes for a walk in the park after supper.

_______________________________________________

上海龙凤13148. The doctors volunteer in the countryside every year.

_________________________________________

9. Mike does sports in the afternoon.

上海龙凤1314________________________________

10. You’d better talk with your parents right now.

___________________________________

Keys:

上海龙凤13141. They aren’t listening to pop music now.

2. Many people can’t speak English nowadays.

3. You don’t have to make your bed after you get up every day.

4. His mother doesn’t have a beautiful car.

5. We don’t need a pen and piece of paper.

上海龙凤13146. I needn’t wear a warm coat.

7. The old man seldom goes for a walk in the park after supper.

上海龙凤13148. The doctors don’t volunteer in the countryside every year.

上海龙凤13149. Mike doesn’t do sports in the afternoon.

10. You’d better not talk with your parents right now.

上海龙凤1314Step 3: Explanation and practice

上海龙凤13141. Make a list of the most commonly used negative words:

no, not, never, neither, hardly, seldom, few, little, barely…

上海龙凤13142. Please decide whether it is a true statement: John Keats was a famous short story writer.

上海龙凤1314This statement is untrue. We can correct an untrue statement in the following way:

上海龙凤1314John Keats was not a famous short story writer.

3. As we learned, negative statements are often used to correct a mistaken idea. Let’s recall the ways to make negative statements.

上海龙凤13144. Read Part 1 and Part 2. When not is used with a negative prefix, the meaning of the sentence is positive. However, the positive meaning is not as strong as that of a direct positive statement. For example:

Students are not discouraged to discuss things with their classmates. (Students are encouraged to discuss things with their classmates.)

Your actions were not inexcusable, but they were certainly not appropriate. (Your actions were excusable, but certainly not appropriate.)

It is not uncommon for him to be late. (It is very common for him to be late.)

not can be used before a phrase of time, distance or a noun phrase to emphasize the negative meaning of the phrase. For example:

It is not a long distance from the city center to the new railway station. (=It is very near from the city center to the new railway station.)

It will not be long before most people around the world know how to use a computer. (=Soon, people around the world will know how to use a computer.)

上海龙凤1314There were not many people present for the lecture. (=There were very few people present for the lecture.)

5. Read Part 3. In informal English, the negative expressions can be used with whether and if to show doubt or uncertainty. For example:

上海龙凤1314I wouldn't be surprised if they didn’t buy a house soon. (=I wouldn’t be surprised if they bought a house soon.)

I wonder whether/if I shouldn't get a haircut. (=I wonder whether/if I should get a haircut.)

I wonder whether/if I shouldn't buy a new suit. (=I wonder whether/if I should buy a new suit.)

上海龙凤13146. Read Part 4. Pay attention to some negative expressions.

on no account, in no circumstances, never before, nowhere, at no time, by no means,

上海龙凤13147. Read a book report written by Sharon. Try to cycle the negative statements.

Answers

上海龙凤1314A 1 … he experiences an abnormal childhood without any parents.

2 He is raised in a place with other children who also have no parents.

上海龙凤13143 He is then sent to a workhouse, where he has to work very hard and hardly has time to relax.

4 Oliver does not like anything about the workhouse.

5 He is treated very badly and seldom has enough food or water.

6 Fagin is not a good character and cares only about himself.

7 Oliver does not know anything at first and stays with Fagin.

上海龙凤13148 He does not want to steal from anyone, but in order to survive, Oliver is forced to become a criminal.

9 Mr Barnlow is a man without any of Fagin’s vices.

10 Unless Oliver can escape, he will never be reunited with Mr Barnlow.

11 He will have only misfortune, not a real family and the love he deserves, which is the major theme of the book.

8. Finish Part B individually.

Answers

B 1 surprised if, didn’t

上海龙凤13142 not uncommon

3 Not many

上海龙凤13144 wonder whether/if, shouldn’t

For reference

上海龙凤1314There are some other patterns which can be used to express negation.

上海龙凤13141 too + adjective +to-infinitive

In this pattern too, with the meaning ‘very’, is used before an adjective. After the adjective, an infinitive is used to mean ‘(somebody) cannot do’ or ‘something cannot be done’. Sometimes for somebody can be used before the infinitive. For example:

My father is too old to have such a long journey. (=My father is very old and cannot travel so long.)

She is too happy to say a word at the party. (=She is so happy that she cannot say anything at the party.)

上海龙凤1314The box is too heavy to carry. (=The box is so heavy that no one can carry it.)

上海龙凤1314The house is too expensive for us to buy. (=The house is so expensive that we cannot buy it.)

2 few + a countable noun; little +an uncountable noun

When we use few to modify a countable noun, we mean ‘not many’, and the noun should be in its plural form. When we use little to modify an uncountable noun, we mean ‘not much’. And few or little here has the negative meaning. For example:

Few students in our class have ever read Katherine Mansfield’s short stories. (=Not many/Only one or two students in our class have ever read Katherine Mansfield’s short stories.)

上海龙凤1314We have little rain all this summer. (=It almost does not rain during this summer.)

上海龙凤1314Because few or little has the negative meaning, we do not use the negative form in question tags. For example:

Few people liked his painting at that time, did they?

There is little ink in the bottle, is there?

For reference

上海龙凤1314关于英语中的否定句

1)一般否定

I don’t know this. No news is good news.

上海龙凤1314There is no person /not a person/not any person in the house.

2)特指否定

上海龙凤1314He went to his office, not to see him.

上海龙凤1314I am sorry for not coming on time.

I don’t think/believe/suppose/feel/imagine you are right.

3)部分否定

上海龙凤1314I don’t know all of them.

上海龙凤1314I can’t see everybody/everything.

上海龙凤1314All the answers are not right.（并非所有答案都对。）

All is not gold that glitters. （闪光的不一定都是金子。）

上海龙凤1314Both of them are not right.（并非两人都对。）

4)全体否定

上海龙凤1314None of my friends smoke.

I can see nothing/nobody.

上海龙凤1314Nothing can be so simple as this.

上海龙凤1314Neither of them is right.

5) 延续否定

上海龙凤1314You didn't see him, neither/nor did I.

You don't know, I don't know either.

He doesn't know English, let alone/to say nothing of/not to speak of French.

6) 半否定句

上海龙凤1314We seldom/hardly/scarcely/barely hear such fine singing.

上海龙凤1314I know little English.

I saw few people.

7) 双重否定

You can't make something out of nothing.

What's done cannot be undone.

上海龙凤1314There is no sweet without sweat.

No gain without pains.

上海龙凤1314I can't help /keep/ laughing whenever I hear it.

No man is so old but (that) he can learn.

8)排除否定

Everyone is ready except you.

上海龙凤1314He did nothing but play.

上海龙凤1314But for your help, I couldn't do it.

9)加强否定

I won't do it at all.

I can't see it any more.

上海龙凤1314He is no longer a boy.

上海龙凤1314Step 4: Consolidation　

上海龙凤1314I. Multiple choice

1. His mother had talked to him for many minutes while he was watching TV, but ＿＿＿＿.

A. a little did he hear B. little did he hear

上海龙凤1314C. little heard he D. a little heard he

上海龙凤13142. During the war, ＿＿＿＿but also he lost his wife and his child.

上海龙凤1314A. not was his job in the lab taken away

B. not only was his job in the lab taken away

C. not merely his job in the lab was taken away

上海龙凤1314D. not just was taken away his job in the lab

3. I think this is the first time that we have met.＿＿＿anywhere.

上海龙凤1314A. Before have we never seen each other B. Never before we have seen each other

C. Each other have we seen never before D. Never before have we seen each other

4. -- The old man wouldn’t stay at home for a rest even if it rained.

-- ＿＿＿＿. He would feel sick if he stayed home for one day.

上海龙凤1314A. So would my grandpa B. So wouldn’t my grandpa

C. Neither would my grandpa D. Nor wouldn’t my grandpa

上海龙凤13145. By no means ＿＿＿ to our plan for the trip.

上海龙凤1314A. will she agree B. she will agree C. agrees she D. will agree she

上海龙凤13146. They went into a small house but ＿＿＿.

A. no persons did they find B. not a person found they

C. not a person did they find D. not a person they found

7. Henry often helps look after Granny Wang, but＿＿＿.

A. seldom is George B. seldom George does

上海龙凤1314C. seldom does George D. seldom looks George after Granny Wang

8. Nothing but two ancient Chinese coins ＿＿＿＿ after they took out the jar.

A. did they find in it B. they found in it

C. in it did they find D. in it found they

上海龙凤1314II. Translation

1. 这两本书都不是英国出版的。　　

2. 你们当中我一个也不认识。

上海龙凤13143． 我不同意所有这些方案。

上海龙凤13144．在他还没来之前，我们就把所有的工作都做完了。

上海龙凤13145. 这些规章制度多不完善!

6. 未经允许，任何人不得入内。

7. 听到这个消息后，没有一个人不感到惊奇。

　　

上海龙凤13148. 人们直到失去了健康才知道健康的可贵。

上海龙凤13149. 直到五月的一个星期六下午，玛格丽特才安排我与她姐姐见面。

上海龙凤131410. 不久他就告诉了我们这件事。

11. 对他的成绩我们怎么赞扬也不过分。

12. 他刚进办公室，电话铃就响了。

上海龙凤131413. 只有傻瓜才会做这种事情。

上海龙凤131414. 她是班里最自私的了。

上海龙凤131415. 他的失败完全是由于他自己的粗心大意。

Keys :

I. 1-5 BBDCA 6-8 CCB

II.

1. Neither of the books is published in England.

上海龙凤13142. I know none of you.

3. I agree to none of these plans.

4. We had finished all the work before he came.

5. How imperfect the rules and regulations are!

上海龙凤13146. Nobody can come in without permission.

上海龙凤13147. Having heard the news, everybody felt surprised.

　There was nobody who did not feel surprised.

　There was nobody but felt surprised.

8. People do not know the blessing of health until they lose it．

9. It was not until a Saturday afternoon in May that Margaret could arrange for me to meet her elder sister.

10. It wasn't long before he told us about this affair．

11. We can hardly praise his achievement too much．

12. No sooner had he entered the office than the telephone rang．

13. None but a fool would do such a thing．

上海龙凤131414. Nobody is more selfish than her in the class．

上海龙凤131415. His failure was due to nothing else than his own carelessness．