|
ESL Forum:
Techniques and methods
in Language Teaching
Games, activities
and teaching ideas
Grammar and
Linguistics
Teaching material
Concerning
worksheets
Concerning
powerpoints
Concerning online
exercises
Make suggestions,
report errors
Ask for help
Message board
|
ESL forum >
Message board > ´can not ´ or ´cannot ´
´can not ´ or ´cannot ´
|
aura+
|
´can not ´ or ´cannot ´
|
|
Hi everyone!
Is it possible to write can not instead of cannot?
Jayho is a native speaker and he has just done that: ´Regretfully, I did not keep the link and of course I can not find it again (it ´s like trying to find a needle in a haystack!). ´
To Jayho: I ´m 
|
17 Jul 2009
|
|
|
|
anitarobi
|
|
I was taught it is possible to use both. |
17 Jul 2009
|
|
|
Stellam
|
|
I think that in written English only ´cannot ´ is correct.
|
17 Jul 2009
|
|
|
ballycastle1
|
|
I ´m with Anita on this one. Both, I was taught (and have taught) are possible but there is a slight difference: cannot is much more usual in spoken and written English, but when the speaker wishes to stress the negative aspect, the ´not ´ is written separately. Hence, if I were rather irate and with my 14 year old I might say, ´No, you can NOT go to the disco! ´ (Think of john McEnroe and his oft-quoted, ´You can NOT be serious! ´
Furthermore, I would use ´can not ´ in cases where the ´not ´ was part of the construction ´not only ´, so a possible sentence would be, ´He can not only swim the Channel, he can pilot a plane as well. ´ Goodness - heavy stuff for a Friday afternoon! |
17 Jul 2009
|
|
|
libertybelle
|
I always write can not because they are two different words.
I wouldn ´t write willnot or couldnot.
I ´d write will not or could not.
I ´ve seen cannot and it is accepted but I don ´t use it.
L
ps I also agree with ballycastle about the stress on NOT when you say, You can NOT be serious!
|
17 Jul 2009
|
|
|
|
|
douglas
|
|
Very well explained Bally--exactly right, I couldn´t say it better.
also: In literature you see "cannot" or "can´t" more often than "can not". |
17 Jul 2009
|
|
|
