NOT and NO

NEGATIVES

The words NO and NOT are separate words in English and they cannot be interchanged (used as a substitute for each other).

‘Not’ is used in the negative of verbs and is frequently contracted.

For example, ‘I do not know.’ is often contracted to ‘I don’t know.’  ‘I would not’ is often contracted to ‘I wouldn’t.

The word NO is never contracted. We must note the differences between these two words.

NOT

1. As an adverb

(its most common use) – used with an auxiliary to form the basic normal negative of verbs:

"She would not (wouldn’t) say.”

“He cannot (can’t) walk far.”

“I do not (don’t) speak French.”

“They are not (aren’t) here.”

“The train does not (doesn’t) stop here.”

2.   Used as a short substitute for a negative phrase:

‘Don’t you know the city? – I’m afraid not.’

(instead of, ‘I’m afraid I don’t know the city.’)

‘He wouldn’t know if I was lying or not.’

(instead of, ‘…… or if I was not lying.’)

‘Like it or not, we must do this.’

‘Like it or not’ is a common standard phrase. It can apply to all persons without change, e.g. ‘whether I/you/we etc. like it or not’. In this example it is instead of

‘Whether we like it or we do not like it.’

3.   As a negative of words that are not verbs:

‘How did it go? – Not bad.’

Not a sound was heard.

Not on your life! (i.e. never!)

Not for the first time, the army advanced.

4.   As an adjective:

‘Not at all’ – a polite response to someone saying “thank you.” It is similar to ‘You’re welcome.’ If someone bumps into you and says, ‘Excuse me’, ‘not at all’ is a polite response.

‘Not at all’ is also an emphatic ‘no’, usually with the stress on ‘all’, as in ‘Are you the valet?” – ‘Not at all, I’m the duke!’

‘Wasn’t he a doctor?” – “Not at all, he was a bus driver!’

‘I think you still owe me ten dollars.’ – ‘Not at all, I repaid you last week!’

5.   Exclamation of surprise or irritation:

‘Oh no, not again!’

‘Not Likely!’ (meaning highly improbable, in much the same sense as ‘no way!’)

NO

Some meanings:

1.   Plain negative, refusal of consent, or rejection:

‘May I borrow your car?’ –‘No.’

‘Do you believe me?’ –‘No’

‘Would you like a drink?’ – ‘No.’

‘Is he Polish, yes or no?’ –‘No.’

2.   (determiner) – not any:

‘There is no mail for you.’  ‘There is no sense in that opinion.’

‘No problem.’

3.   Expressing disagreement:

‘This is terrible.’– ‘No, it’s not!’

‘She’s wonderful!’ – ‘No, she’s not!’

4.   Indicating opposite:

‘It was no easy matter to close the deal.’

‘Karl is no weakling.’

Note: these two sentences could be constructed – ‘It was not an easy matter...…’ and, ‘Karl is not a weakling’. But these are different sentences, although the meaning is the same.

5.  A very small amount:

‘You’ll arrive in no time.’ or ‘You’ll arrive in no time at all,’ for emphasis.

‘No trouble, ma’am (sir).’ when agreeing to give a service or offering a service.

6.   No way:

An extremely popular modern phrase meaning ‘in no circumstances’ or ‘not at all.’

‘There’s no way I’m going to do that.’

‘No way is he a rock singer.’

‘No way I’m talking to him again!’

In this phrase ‘way’ means 'manner' and not ‘road or path’.

7. No sweat:

usually means, ‘No problem’

‘it’s no trouble,’ or

‘I don’t mind.’

‘Don’t worry.’

It is intended to be courteous, at least among people who might think of using it (it’s not a very attractive phrase).

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