名稱
相關信息
否定fǒudìng
【negate;negative】∶暗示兩個相互排斥的事物的一方為另一方所取消或廢除
否定之否定
那個理論已被事實所否定
【repudiate;deny;refute】∶拒絕承認
大家在理論上否定但實際上承認的一條規律
英語否定
否定的表達方式
1 前綴和後綴（Prefixes and suffixes）
增添詞綴，即前綴或後綴，使原來的詞由肯定意義化為否定意義。常用的否定前綴有ab- / dis- / il- / ill- / im- / in- / ir- / mis- / non- / un-等，否定後綴有-less / -free等，例如：
--It is abnormal for him to walk in his sleep. (夢遊症)
--This will disqualify (使…沒有資格) him from taking part in the game.
--The ship was leaky (漏) and very much disabled.
--Your remark is ill-timed.
--Every word he said was impossible of belief.
--The new evidence has completely invalidated(使…站不住腳)his theory.
--To be afraid of the number 13 is irrational.
--He bore (忍受) his misfortunes bravely.
--On the sea there were fleets of nondescript ships—converted yachts, riverboats, tugs and barges. (在海上有成批的無法歸類的船隻——改裝的遊艇、河裡的小船、拖船和駁船。)
--Such criticism is meaningless.
--The cause of the accident remains unknown to us.
--Water is incompatible (不相容)with fire.
--She is getting impatient.
--The method of working is useless.
--She is reckless of consequence. (她是不顧後果的。)
--She dislikes being spoken to like this.
--The sea is ice-free.
--He bought two bottles of wine at the duty-free (免稅) shop.
上述否定詞綴一般都表示否定，但是有時有些否定詞綴（前綴，後綴）並不表示否定。例如：
--Thank you for your invaluable (寶貴的) help.
--That nurse was indifferent (冷漠) to the sufferings of the patients.
--Oil is inflammable. (油容易燃燒。)
--Something seems to have unloosed her tongue.(不知什麼事情使她說個沒完。)
--Styles come and go, but good taste is timeless.(風格隨時在變，而風雅是永恆的。)
--He’s a shameless (無恥) liar.
--Works of art, historical monuments and priceless history records were ruthlessly destroyed. (藝術品、歷史上遺留下來的紀念品以及珍貴的歷史文獻慘遭破壞。)
2 副詞和介詞（Adverbs and Prepositions）
a. 副詞
有些副詞本身形式上是肯定，但是具有否定的性質，因此不要再用否定詞去加強這類詞。如：hardly, seldom, scarcely, rarely, little等。這些詞一旦出現，則表示整個句子的意思接近完全否定，稱之為幾乎否定。
副詞hardly和scarcely的意思等同於almost not或almost no。例如：
--They scarcely/hardly seem to care.
--It is hardly/scarcely right.
--Hardly anyone wants the job. (Quirk.)
--I can barely speak to any of my colleagues.
注意：hardly/scarcely和not 一樣，可以與不定慣詞a,不定代詞any以及副詞yet和ever等搭配。例如：
--They hardly have any friends.
--He hardly ever leaves his office before twelve o’clock.
--He had hardly a penny left.
--They can hardly have got there yet.
要否定某件事時，使用包括否定詞not (或n’t)，no, nothing, nowhere等的否定句。句子中否定詞後面的部分叫否定範圍。這部分就是需要否定的內容。否定範圍可以包括，也可以不包括句尾的狀語。例如：
--He definitely hasn’t taken the job. (It’s definite that he hasn’t)句中definitely一詞在否定範圍以外。
--He hasn’t definitely taken the job. (It’s not definitely that he has)句中的definitely則在否定範圍以內。
--They weren’t at home/for the whole day.
--(For the whole day, they weren’t at home.)
--They weren’t at home for the whole day.
--(It’s not true that they were at home for the whole day.)
在否定範圍內要使用any型詞，如any, yet和ever, anyone, anything, anywhere, at all, either。但在否定詞後也可以使用some型詞。如some, already, sometimes, somebody, something, somewhere, some-time, already, somewhat, somehow, too (表增加的副詞)，但這些詞在否定範圍之外。因此在否定範圍之內的any型詞與在否定範圍之外的some型詞所表達的意思是不同的。例如：
--I didn’t attend any of the lectures (I attended none of the lectures).
--We haven’t had dinner yet.
--I didn’t attend some of the lectures (There were some lectures that I didn’t attend).
否定詞的一般作用就是使帶否定詞的句子變成否定。這就意味著帶not的否定句的某些特點，也適用於其他否定詞：
1）否定詞後面一般不用some類詞而用any類詞，這是由some類詞和any類詞的語法特徵所決定的。some一般用於肯定陳述句，any一般用於yes-no問句和否定詞後面。例如：
--I seldom get any sleep after the baby wakes up.
--I’ve spoken to hardly anyone who disagrees with me on this point.
否定詞在句首時，主語和功能詞位置要顛倒，也就是說，語序是功能詞 ＋ 主語（除非否定詞包括在主語之內）。
在否定句中，any類詞不只跟在not或n’t後面，也跟在nobody, no, scarcely等其他否定詞後面。
Hardly/scarcely與不定代詞anybody, anyone, anything並列在一起，相當於almost not a 或almost not one 的意思。
--Hardly/Scarcely anybody believes that.
--I hardly/scarcely saw anything.
副詞seldom和rarely是not often 的意思。例如：
--I seldom get any sleep.
--Living as they do in a remote (偏遠的) village, they rarely have visitors.
副詞little是not much 的意思，一般修飾形容詞和動詞。例如：
--He is little known around here.
--I saw little of her last year. (去年我很少見到她。)
2）never為否定詞，only在某種程度上也是一個否定詞。當only強調錶示主語的名詞詞組時，可與any連用。例如：
--I have never seen such a device.
--I never said such a thing.
--Only two of us had any experience in sailing.
注意：never在句中的位置和not相同，但如果never的位置放置不同，句意就不同。例如：
--He never intended to use the method. (他從來沒想使用這種方法。)
--He intended never to use the method.(他想從此不再使用這種方法了。)
以上1）和2）中的否定或有否定含義的副詞時常放在陳述句首，以表示強調，而其後所用的詞序用倒裝語序。
--Rarely does crime pay so well as many people think.
--Scarcely ever has the British nation suffered so much.
--Little did I expect such enthusiasm from so many. (Crowell)
Only強調的句首部分不是主語部分時，其後所用的詞序有時可用倒裝，也可以不用倒裝。例如：
--Only his mother will he obey.
比較：
--Only his mother he will obey. =It’s only his mother that he will obey. (Quirk)
--Only on Sundays do they eat with their children. (only修飾狀語on Sundays)
3）可以用來表示否定意義的副詞還有down, off, otherwise, out, vainly等。例如：
--He is down in health. (他身體欠佳。)
--We have the afternoon off on Saturdays. (我們星期六下午不工作。)
--I think it will rain this afternoon, but my brother thinks otherwise.(我認為今天下午會下雨，但是我弟弟不這樣想。)
--He stood still, trying vainly to answer my question.(他愣愣的站著，回答不出我的問題。)
--The Labour Party was out (of power). (工黨不掌權了。)
b. 介詞
有一部分介詞可使用在排除否定句中，即：一個句子裡有二個部分：一部分肯定，另一部分被否定；反過來也是這樣，這種否定句稱為排除否定句。例如：
--We all went but him.此句中被否定的是“他”。
--We all did not go but him.此句中的“他”處於謂語動作的否定之外。這兩句都屬於排除否定句。
but 是介詞，表示“除……外”。相當於but的還有except, excepting, barring, except for, with the exception of, but for等。例如：
--He could answer all the questions but one.
--There was nothing in the desk but a few pencils.
--Nobody knew it but me.
--It snowed everywhere yesterday but in the South.
--Who but he would do such a thing?
--All the items were discussed exclusive of (除……外) the last two.
--They passed with the exception of (除……之外) three.
--The meeting will be held next Tuesday barring unforeseen factors (如無意外情況).
--I looked everywhere except there.
--He desired nothing except (to) see cherry trees.
--I looked for the book everywhere except in the laboratory (實驗室).
--The screen was all dark save for (除了) one bright spot.
注意：but作介詞時相當於except (除……之外)。主要用在all, no- body, nothing, who, where…… 等之後（參見以上例句）。except; except for和but for三者意思不一樣，用法也不一樣。
except 作“除……之外”解，表示被排除的人或事與句中列舉的人或事物屬於同一種類。例如：
--We all succeeded except Xiao Li.
except for 作“除……外，只是……”解，表示被排除的人或物不屬同一類。句子說明基本情況後，由except for引出的人或物對基本狀況作表異議的補充說明。例如：
--The hall is empty except for a man on duty.
but for 作“要不是……”解，相當於一個條件狀語結構。例如：
--But for air and water, nothing could live.
有些介詞，暗含否定性概念，這類介詞有above, beneath, beyond, from, again, behind, below, without, beside, besides, but, inside, out-side, over, under, off, past等。例如：
--To be vain of one’s rank or place is to show that one is below it.(凡因自己的地位而覺得了不起的人，就表明他不配有這樣的地位。)
--He is above playing tricks on others. (他不至於捉弄他人。)
--Almost everything was against him.
--That’s all beside the point (不關正題).
--He is anything but (決不是) a scholar.
--This year’s copy contains innovations over those in the past.(今年的版本花樣不同於過去。)
--They are under ten years of age (不滿10歲).
--To my mind, his integrity is above suspicion.(在我看來，他的廉潔是不容置疑的。)
--The book is above me. (這本書我讀不懂。)
--This kind of thing is beneath attention (不值得注意).
--The scene after the earthquake was beyond description.
--She only just refrained (克制) from giving a cry.
--Everyone was invited to the party besides me (除我之外).
--We have been without rain for a long time.
--The book are off (=no longer on) the shelves.
--Our car broke down again inside a mile (不到一英里).
--She is off duty now.
--The pain was past bearing (無法忍受).
--That’s outside my interests.
注意：介詞without作“沒有”解，多半作條件狀語用，也可作行為方式狀語或定語。例如：
--We can do nothing without energy. (條件狀語)
--He did the experiment without difficulty. (行為方式狀語)
--This will be a new-type automobile without any wheel.
--instead of 作“而不是”解，可以做介詞，也可以作連詞。例如：
--Instead of giving me an apple, she gave me a pear.
--The child was walking in the street, instead of on the sidewalk (人行道)，but right next to the curb (路邊). (連詞)
--This is dull instead of interesting. (連詞)
3 短語（Phrases）
英語否定句通常的表現形式是在肯定句中插入否定意義的詞或使用帶有否定前綴的詞，還可以通過短語如：動詞短語，名詞短語形容詞短語，副詞短語，介詞短語，以及連詞短語表示。這種通過辭彙手段表現的否定句，在形式上是肯定的，但意義上卻是否定的，這類句子通常稱為含蓄否定句（Implied negative sentences）.這類含蓄否定,不僅用短語表示,27.1.2中的副詞和介詞也是如此。
a. 動詞短語
這類短語有：fall/run short (of) (缺乏)，free from, keep from, keep off, lose sight of, protect from, refrain from, save from, turn a deaf ear, make light of, warn against, prevent from等。例如：
--We have run short of rubber and wood again.
--He falls short in a number of respects in punctuality, in courtesy, and in attention to his work.
(他在守時、禮貌和專心工作等幾方面都有不足之處。)
--It is a day that frees from wind (無風).
--He kept the matter from everybody’s knowledge.
--The antibiotics (抗生素) have protected millions of people from being killed by bacteria (細菌).
--He saved the boy from drowning (淹死).
--He turned a deaf ear to my advice.
--He makes light of everything. (他把什麼都不當一回事。)
--He warned me against smoking in the library.
b. 形容詞短語
可以用來表示否定意義的形容詞短語有：far from, far cry from (與……完全不同)，free from, free ，of, safe from, short of, independent of, absent from, devoid of (沒有), ignorant of (不知道), innocent of (沒有), the last等。例如：
--The work is far from (being) completed.
--What he said is far cry from what he did.
--He is free from care (憂慮).
--The village is said to be free of thieves.
--Now we are quite safe from the forest fire.(現在我們不會受森林大火的禍害了。)
--They are independent of their parents.
--Some of the students were absent from class yesterday.
--She seems devoid of common sense.
--I was ignorant of the fact.
--The windows are innocent of glass.
--The last person I want to see is Jeff. (傑夫是我最不想見到的人。)
--He is the last man to accept a bribe.（他決不受賄。）
c. 副詞短語
可以用來表示否定意義的副詞短語有：apart from, away from, out of 等。例如：
--He kept himself apart from other children.（他與其他孩子不合群。）
--Apart from the cost, the hat doesn’t suit me.(這帽子不合適，更不說價錢貴了。)
--Stay away from the fire! (不要靠近火！)
--The ancient town is out of existence.
d. 介詞短語
用來表示否定意義的複合介詞有：but for, in the dark, in default of, in defect of, at one’s end, at fault, for fear of, in ignorance of, at issue with, at a loss, in the negative, in place of, in spite ，of, instead of , out of, in vain 等。例如：
--But for him, we should fail.
--He is still in the dark.（他仍然一無所知。）
--Cooks could make artificial birds and fishes in default of real ones. (廚師在沒有真禽真魚時，可以做出假禽假魚。)
--I used artificial flowers in defect of real ones.
--We are in complete ignorance of his plan. (我們根本不知道他的計畫。)
--We are entirely at issue with him. (我們的意見與他不和。)
--I am at a loss what to do.
--He answered in the negative.
--We may use this substance in place of soap.
--They wanted to go in spite of (儘管) rain.
--They used chopsticks instead of knives and forks.(他們用筷子而不用刀叉。)
--Out of sight, out of mind. (眼不見，心不煩。)
--I tried in vain to get any information from her.
e. 連詞短語
可以用來表示否定意義的複合連詞有：but that, in case that, except that ,excepting that , for ，fear that, or (else), rather than, save that, saving that, still less等。例如：
--Who knows but that it may be so? (誰能說不會這樣呢？)
--He would have helped us but that he was short of money at the time. (要不是他那時沒有錢，他會幫助我們的。)
--Keep silence, or else I shall stop speaking. (保持安靜，否則我就不講了。)
--They are engaged in designing an engine rather than (in) repairing the machine. (他們從事發動機的設計工作，而不是修理那台機器。)
--You should help them rather than they should help you.
--This book is difficult rather than easy for me to read.(這本書我讀起來並不容易，而是相當困難。)
--She doesn’t like music, much less dancing.
--I don’t accuse you of falsehood, still less of dishonesty.(我不會控告你的虛偽，更不會控告你的欺詐。)
--He could not operate the machine, still less could he fix it. (Wang)
--I know nothing about him except that he lives next door. (Zhan)
--He’s working hard for fear (that) he should fail. (Oxf)
--We have no news save that the ship reached port safely.
注意：
still less 是用於否定句之後，less是否定副詞little 的比較級。所以，still less 比句子前一部分的否定更進一步的深入。much less 和even less 與still less 意思相同。使用still less 時，如果後一部分是句子時，後一部分必須倒裝。使用still less 時，如果句子的前半部分沒有否定詞not，雖則是否定意義時，一般不用still less，而用still more。例如：
--Proof reading is uninteresting, still more so when it is one’s own work.
使用still less 短語時，要否定的句子成分必須和前面的句子成分相對稱，rather than短語用法也一樣（如例句所示）。 rather than 短語可以表示主觀願望的抉擇，即“寧願……而不……”、“不是（或不應該是）這樣，而是（或應該是）那樣”。此時，句中多半有would，had等詞；rather than短語還可以反映客觀上的差異，即表示“與其說是……不如說是……”、“倒不如說”之意。
--save that 和 saving that 作“除了”解，這是比較文氣陳舊的用法，通常用except that和excepting that。
.4 反意疑問句 （Tag questions）
反意疑問句從結構上看，總是有兩部分：第一部分是否定結構，第二部分就用肯定結構。第一部分提出一種看法，第二部分用來質疑或者表示證實，即要求證實問句內容的真實性。前一部分總 是用降調，後一部分用升調，表示懷疑的程度較大；如果說話人堅信第一部分說的是事實，第二部分只是用來強調或證實一下，這時後面的問句就用降調。也就是說，否定的傾向就強些。反意疑問句只是證實一下提問者本來心裡已經有數的答覆，這類句子與其說是疑問句，不如說是陳述句。
a. 陳述句的謂語為否定式的反義疑問
--You won’t forget the shopping, will you?
--She never/scarcely seems to care, does she?
--Nobody was watching me, were they? (Leech)
--He doesn’t like his job, does he? (Leech)
--Your friend didn’t write you often, did he?
注意：
1）反意疑問句是加在陳述句後面的縮短了的yes—no問句。它的組成是功能詞加代詞。用什麼功能詞以及功能詞用什麼時態，取決於前面的動詞短語。代詞要重複，或回指陳述句中的主語。例如：
--The boat hasn’t left, has it?
2) 如果用像suppose這樣的動詞，主語是第一人稱，動詞後面接that分句，就會出現以下情況，例如：
--I suppose you’re not serious, are you? (不說：I suppose you’re not serious, don’t I?)
3) 在帶used to的陳述句後面，反意疑問句中的功能動詞用did。例如：usedn’t
--They used not to write to you, did they?
--didn’t use
4) 如果反意疑問句的陳述部分含有no，none，no one，nobody, never，nothing等這樣的詞，其疑問尾句是一般疑問式。例如 ：
--None of your students liked the novel, did they?
--You have never been to Hangzhou, have you?
--The surgeons could do nothing for the patient, could they?
--There was nobody in the room, was there?
5) 有hardly，seldom，scarcely，barely等這樣的詞的陳述句，也作為否定陳述句對待，即其疑問尾句也是一般疑問式。例如：
--She was hardly ten then, was she?
--Mary seldom goes to the cinema, does she?
--Scarcely any wine has yet arrived, has it? (Quirk)
6) 如果句子的主語是no one，nobody，none，anybody，anyone和neither時，用代詞they作為疑問尾句的主語。例如：
--Neither of them go there in time for the meeting, did they?
--I don’t suppose anyone will get to like the film, will they?
但是如果句子的主語是nothing時，疑問尾句的主語則是代詞it。例如：
--Nothing was said about the matter, was it?
b. 否定式祈使句後的反意疑問句
在否定式祈使句後的反意疑問中，必須用肯定形式will you，這使直截了當的否定變得含蓄一些了。例如：
--Don’t do that, will you?
--Don’t throw the book away, will you?
--Don’t let’s do that, shall we?
--Don’t let him do that again, will you?
注意：在以let us開頭的否定陳述部分開頭時，後面反意疑問句用shall we。
not的位置（Position of not）
在英語中，否定副詞not可以出現在動詞（be）之後，或助動詞（do）之後，或情態動詞之後，
以對句子的謂語進行否定；也可以出現在句子中的某個成分（主語、主語補語、賓語、定語、
狀語、謂語的陳述詞等）之前，對名詞、代語、形容詞、副詞、不定式、分詞或主動詞等進行否
定；not所處的這些位置使否定句被劃分為二大類：即“一般否定句” 和“特指否定句”。下面就以這
種劃分闡明not的位置問題。
1 Not在“一般否定句”中的位置
一般來說，用否定副詞not否定謂語動詞，並通過否定謂語使全句受到否定的句子，叫做“一般否定句”。Not在“一般否定句”中有以下幾種位置：
a. not放在聯繫動詞之後
聯繫動詞有am, is, are, was, were這五種形式，not即放在這五個聯繫動詞之後。例如：
--China of today is not what it was twenty years ago.
注意：
1）在疑問句中，not與特殊動詞構成縮略式一起放在主語之前；或特殊動詞提到主語之前，not留存主語之後。例如：
--Isn’t that Teddy Thomson out?
--Is that Teddy Thomson not out?
不可以說：*Is not that Teddy Thomson out?
2）這五個形式有時也作助動詞。例如：
--We are not going to do it.
--Tom was not fooled by his friend.
3）在 there is, there are 表示存在的句型中，not否定副詞放在聯繫動詞（be）後面，there 在這裡是引導詞。not a 後面跟單數名詞，not any 跟複數名詞或不可數名詞。例如：
--There is not a moment to be lost. (分秒必爭) 。
--There is not any water in the bottle.
b. 放在助動詞（do）之後，實義動詞之前。
如果句中只有行為動詞，在構成否定式時，就需在行為動詞的前面加do not (doesn’t)，過去時一概用did not (didn’t)。例如：
--I don’t know why Mr. Cooper is so angry today.
--They did not steal so much.
--She does not have his letter. (她沒有收到他的信)
--I did not have breakfast this morning.
注意：
1）have 意為“有”、“具有”時，可以直接在其後加not，也可以藉助do（does, did）構成否定式。例如：
--They have not a swimming pool in their school. (英國英語)
--They do not have a swimming pool in their school. (美國英語)
Have意為“有”、“具有”以外的含義時，無論是美國英語還是英國英語，均藉助do（does, did），構成否定式。例如：
--He didn’t have a rest after lunch.
在完成時中，not放在have（has, had）之後。例如：
--They have not finished the work.
否定詞not有時直接放於行為動詞後面，而不藉助於助動詞。這是一種古舊的用法，現在多用於詩歌、諺語和比較莊重的文體中。例如：
--I know not why I am so sad.
--He, hearing this, knew not how to behave, nor how to answer her.
--We are fleet-winged men at arms; we fear not mountains or rivers deep.
有些虛擬語氣的從句，其謂語動詞的前面，沒有助動詞，只有副詞not。例如：
--The doctor suggested that my father not go to New York.
--It is important that he not give up hope because of difficulties in his work.
--It is requested that the delivery of goods not be delayed.
c. 放在情態動詞後。
情態動詞有：can, could, might, may, must, ought, need, dare, should等。例如：
--She won’t object.
--He wouldn’t stand that type of music.
--He dare not do it.
2 Not在“特指否定句” 中的位置
如前所述，not位於謂語動詞之前而否定謂語的就是“一般否定句”。英語裡還有一種否定句，它不是否定謂語，而是就句子中某個成份（如主語、主語補語、定語、賓語、狀語、謂語內的陳述詞等）進行否定，它所否定的對象可以是名詞、代詞、形容詞、副詞、不定式、分詞、動名詞或主動詞等。這類否定非謂語成分的句子，就叫“否定句”。 在“特指否定句“中，not用於否定非謂語成分主要基於這兩種情況：第一是不這樣安排not，就會改變句子意義；第二是用於含有對比的敘述中。not在“特指否定句”中的位置有以下幾種：
a. not位於主語之前。例如：
--Not a soul was anywhere visible.
--Not many of us wanted the war.
b. not 位於主語補語之前。
一般來說，not位於聯繫動詞之後，否定謂語動詞be，屬“一般否定句”。然而有時，雖然位於聯繫動詞之後，卻不是為了否定謂語動詞，而是否定主語補語，屬“特指否定句 ”。例如：
--It’s not a cat, but a dog.
--His object is not to eat. (他的目的是不吃飯)
c. not位於賓語之前。例如：
--You must always remember not to become conceited. (自負)
--I can not risk not telling him.
--We felt sorry for not coming on time.
--The teacher told his students not to make such a mistake again. (否定複合賓語的第二部分)
注意：
在I think ,I believe, I feel. I suppose, I expect 等引出的賓語從句中，英語習慣將從句中的否定詞not 放在主句中。 這種句子形式上是否定主句謂語動詞的，實際上是否定賓語從句的。例如：
--I don’t think it’s right to make such a hasty decision.
--I don’t believe that he will come tomorrow.
--I didn’t expect you would do such a thing.
d. not位於定語之前。
--Not all the books are good.
--Not two native speakers of English speak it alike.
--Not every student can do the problem.
e. not位於狀語之前。例如：
--I went to see him off, not to meet him.
--They suffered not a little through the war.
--Not knowing his address, I did not write to him.
--Not surprisingly, he failed in the final exam.
注意：
否定狀語或狀語從句時，往往將否定詞提前移到謂語中去，其意義仍然是表示否定後面的部分。例如：
--He didn’t walk across the park. (not否定across the park)
--You can’t judge a thing only by its looks. (not 否定by its looks)
--He didn’t leave college because he was tired of learning. (not 否定原因狀語從句)
--I didn’t go because I was afraid. (not否定原因狀語從句)
此句中，顯然有兩個不同的意思：第一個意思是：“我沒有去因為我害怕”；第二個意思是：“我並非因為害怕而去”。第一義，not 否定謂語動詞，屬“一般否定句”；第二義，not否定非謂語成分，即原因狀語從句，屬“特指否定句”。此歧義可以在I didn't go 之後上標上一個表示停頓的逗號而得以消除。
--I didn’t go, because I was afraid.
此句中的not，否定謂語動詞go。
f. 謂語內的陳述詞否定。
通常not否定副詞位於情態動詞後時，對謂語動詞進行否定，屬“一般否定句”；然而有時，not位於情態動詞後時，卻是對謂語中的主動詞進行否定，屬“特指否定句”，但與一般的“特指否定句”又有不同的地方，因為它的否定範圍從謂語的主動詞開始直至延伸到幾個句子成分，並且有的句子還有不定代詞any。例如：
--They may not go swimming. (=They are allowed not to go swimming.) (他們可以不去游泳。)
這是一個肯定句，謂語一半否定，即否定主動詞go，情態動詞肯定。
--You could not attend any of the lectures. (=It’s possible for you not to attend any of the lectures.)
有時一個句子包含有兩種否定：即“一般否定”和“謂語內陳述詞否定”。例如：
--I can’t not obey the order. (= It is not possible for me not to obey the order.或I have to obey the order.)
--You can’t not admire her. (=It is not possible for you not to admire her.或You have to admire her.)
全部否定、部分否定和雙重否定
1 全部否定（Full negation）
全部否定是百分之百地、毫無例外地否認一個事物的存在、成立或真實性。英語句子在表示全部 否定意思時，常用以下四種形式：a. 含有“絕無”意義的否定詞（如no，none等）＋ 表示肯定意義的謂語這種形式；b. 用否定謂語 ＋ 不定代詞或不定副詞形式；c. 肯定謂語 ＋ 含否定意義的單詞；d. all等概括詞 ＋ 肯定謂語 ＋ 含有否定意義的單詞。這四種形式來表達。
a. no, none等否定詞 ＋ 肯定謂語
否定詞除no，none外，還有nobody，nothing，nowhere，neither，nor，nohow（絕不，毫不）， nowise（一點也不）等。這些詞本身就是絕對否定意義，謂語雖然是肯定形式，但整個句子仍
表達否定的意義。例如：
--Nobody can tolerate this.
--No trickery can fool us.
--Neither of the sisters is here.
--The book was nowhere to be found. (Wan)
b. 否定謂語 ＋ 不定代詞或不定副詞
not + any / anyone / anybody / anything / anywhere / either / anywise/ anyways / or / ever表示全部否定的概念。例如：
--I didn’t go anywhere this morning.
--I don’t like either of the novels.
--anyhow I shall not go today.
--I am not taking linguistics or American literature. (Wan.)
注意：
不定代詞通常不能出現在否定詞的前面。例如：
--Nobody can do it.
不能說：Anybody cannot do it.
not + half 也可表示全部否定的概念。例如：
--You don’t mean half what you are saying. (你說的，根本不是你想的。)
c. 肯定謂語 ＋ 含否定意義的單詞
--I have answered every single question, but my opponent has answered none.
--He was nowhere to be seen.
--The ship was leaky and very much disabled (不能用).
--It’s utterly impossible that you will catch the bus.
--On this hot day the sea was irresistible.(在這樣的熱天，我們無法抵禦下海的欲望。)
--This book is useless.
注意：帶否定詞綴的詞，也可表示全部否定的概念。有關常用的否定前綴和否定後綴可參考
d. All等概括詞 ＋ 肯定謂語加上含否定意義的單詞
all, every, both等概括詞在本句型中表示全部否定。它的否定意義不是通過謂語，而是通過句子其他成分中含有否定意義的單詞表達出來。例如：
--Every result was abnormal (不正常).
--Both substances are impure (不純).
--All her fuss (大驚小怪) is unnecessary.
--All his plans came to nothing.（他的一切計畫都沒有實現。）
注意：
1) 此句型也可以通過謂語來表示否定意義，但是謂語動詞在形式上必須是肯定式，只是靠它的詞綴來表示它的否定意義。如dislike, disbelieve。例如：
--We all disbelieve in the existence of God.
--We both dislike pop music.
2) little和dream，expect，think等動詞連用時，有完全否定的意思。例如：
--Little did I dream of succeeding so well.(我做夢也未想到會有這樣大的成功。)
2 部分否定（Partial negation）
部分否定是局部地或在一定程度上否定一個事物的成立、存在或真實性。在日常英語中，表示部分否定通常可以同以下四種方式表達：a. 用表示“部分”意思的some/sometimes等詞加上否定詞；b. 用否定詞not加上表示“較大數量”或“較大程度”的many/much等詞；c. 用否定詞not ＋ 表示 “整體”、“全體”意思的all/entirely等詞；d. 否定詞與and連線的兩個並列詞語連用。
a. 用表示“部分”意思的some/sometimes等詞 ＋ 否定詞。這種形式，可以表示部分否定的概念。 例如：
--Some students are not right in answering the question.
--Sometimes you are not right.
b. 用否定詞not + many/much等詞。
部分否定也是對較大數量或較大程度的否定，因此可以用not + many / much / very much / some 來表示部分否定的概念。例如：
--There are not many books on the shelf.
--There is not much water left in the bottle.
--I don’t like classic very much.
--I don’t like some of his poems.
c. 用否定詞not ＋ 表示“整體”、“全體”的意思的all/entirely等詞
部分否定是對全部肯定的否定，因此可以用not + all / every / both / always / fully / wholly / altogether / entirely / quite來表示部分否定的概念。例如：
--All is not gold that glitters. (是發光的並非都是黃金。)
--All the answers are not right. (答案並非全對。)
--I don’t know all of them. (對於他們我不是個個都認識。)
--Not all the students will be translators.
--Every one cannot make music. (不是所有的人都懂音樂。)
--Everybody wouldn’t like it. (並不是人人都喜歡它。)
--Not everything is attractive and interesting over there.
--Not everyone can play the violin.
--Not every man can do it.
--Both children are not clever. (兩個孩子並不都是聰明的。)
--I don’t like both of the novels. (這兩本小說我不是都喜歡。)
--Not both methods are practical.
--Such a thing is not found everywhere.
--A man of learning is not always a man of wisdom.
--We don’t wholly agree with him.
--This kind of person is never to be entirely trusted.
--Joanna was not altogether satisfied with the sailor.
--The new house is not quite what it should be.
d. 否定詞與and連線的兩個並列詞語連用
否定詞與and連線的兩個並列詞語連用時，有時只表示部分否定，即通常否定and後面的部分。 例如：
--He did not speak clearly and correctly.(他不能講得清楚而正確。即：他講得清楚但不正確。)
--The lecture was not instructive and interesting.(講座頗有教育意義，但不生動。)
--I am sorry. But I simply cannot stay up night after night at parties and work the next morning. (對不起，我只是不能天天在晚會上熬夜，而第二天早上又得工作。)
注意：
1) 否定詞後用and連線兩個並列成分時，有時會出現兩種情況：要么僅否定其中的一個並列成分（多為後者），要么兩個並列成分雙雙受到否定（此時and的作用與or相同），這樣便會造成句子出現歧義。例如：
--He doesn’t have long hair and wear jeans. (他並非既蓄長發，又穿工作褲。或：他沒有蓄長發也沒有穿工作褲。)
不過這種歧義也可以通過上下文清除。又例如：
--You cannot eat your cake and have it. (諺語：魚和熊掌不能兼得。)只有一種含義：“事無雙全”。
2) 否定詞與由as well as連線的兩個並列結構連用時，否定詞只否定as well as之前的部分，而對 as well as後面的部分卻表示肯定。例如：
--I shall not go as well as you. (你去，但我不去。)
--Tom does not speak French as well as English. (湯姆說英語，但不說法語。)
3 雙重否定（Double negation）
所謂雙重否定，即句子，不僅在簡單句子，也可在複合句中，同時有兩個否定詞，或一個否定詞 和一個具有否定含義的詞、短語等。這種兩次運用否定手段，起到了相互抵消否定意義的作用， 實際上是強調的肯定。這種表達方式或為了表達委婉的語氣，或為了加強整個句子的語氣，同一般的肯定句相比，更加重了肯定色彩，更富有感染作用。
雙重否定具有下列表達形式：
a. 否定詞 ＋ 否定詞綴
1) 否定詞 ＋ 否定前綴
例如：
--Such things have happened not infrequently.
--Nothing is unsuspected.
--But it seemed no impossibility to him.
--The tart (尖刻的) reply did not discomfort him.
--A radar screen (螢光屏) is never unlike a television screen.
2) 否定詞 ＋ 否定後綴
例如：
--The period of waiting was not limitless.
--No cigarette is completely harmless.
(有關否定前綴和否定後綴可參照27.1.1)
b. 否定詞 ＋ 含有否定意義的詞
1) 否定詞 ＋ 名詞
例如：
--No one has any doubts about his ability.
2) 否定詞 ＋ 動詞
例如：
--We must never fail to act as the doctor has told us to.
3)否定詞 ＋ 形容詞
例如：
--No one can be free of faults.
4) 否定詞 ＋ 副詞
例如：
--Not once did he answer otherwise. (他沒有一次不是這樣回答。)
5) 否定詞 ＋ 介詞
否定詞 ＋ without
例如：
--There is no rule without Exceptions (例外).
否定詞 ＋ but (for）
例如：
--Some oil wells produce nothing but salt water.
--But for your help, we couldn’t have finished the work in time.
否定詞 ＋ except
例如：
--She doesn’t do anything except looking after her baby.
6) 否定詞 ＋ 連詞
否定詞 ＋ 連詞unless
例如：
--Do not come unless I call you. (我不叫你，你就不要來。)
--He will never go there unless he is invited.
否定詞 ＋ 連詞until / till
例如：
--It was not until 1979 that I began to study English.
--He didn’t go abroad till he graduated from college.
c. 否定詞 ＋ 否定詞
1) 完全否定詞 ＋ 完全否定詞
例如：
--No one has nothing to eat.
--Nobody has nothing to offer to society. (沒有人不向社會貢獻的。)
--None of us have never made mistakes.
--He is nothing if not diligent. (勤勉是他的最大的長處。)
2) 完全否定詞 ＋ 半否定詞
例如：
--He took no little pain over it. (他在這事上費了很多力氣。)
--He is not seldom ill.
--It is not rarely that they discuss the matter from all angles.
--The doctor’s achievements are nothing short of a miracle. (醫生的成就簡直是奇蹟。)
d. 否定詞 ＋ 否定句
例如：
--No pains, no gains.
--Nothing can be wholly beautiful that is not useful. (凡是沒有用的東西就沒有可能達到完美。)
--He replied that there was nothing he would not sacrifice (犧牲).
含有否定詞的句子 ＋ 否定連詞but的句子
例如：
--It never rains but it pours. (沒有一次下雨不是傾盆大雨。)
--I never see you but I think of my brother.
含有否定詞的句子 ＋ 有否定含義的關係代詞but的句子。
例如：
--There is no rule but has exception (例外).
--No one but can do it. (沒有人不能做這件事。)
--There is not a woman but doesn’t get an eye for illness.(沒有一個女人對病痛沒有識別力的。）
--He never comes but he brings something for her.
注意：
1) but在下列例句中是否定副詞，此時but後面只能接動詞原形，即不帶to的動詞不定式，有時也
可用cannot choose/help but但是以cannot but形式最常用。例如：
--I could not but speak the truth. （我不得不說實話。）
--We can not choose but read books to increase our knowledge.
2) but that前面含有否定意義的doubt, question, wonder，deny等詞語時，but that相當於連線詞
that，不再含有否定意義。例如：
--There is no question but that the earth is round. (毫無疑問，地球是圓的。)
--I don’t deny but that he will become an outstanding teacher. (我不否認他會成為一名出色的教 師。）
