The meaning of NOT is —used as a function word to make negative a group of words or a word. How to use not in a sentence. used to form a negative phrase after verbs like "be", "can", "have", "will", "must", etc….

Understanding the Context

Learn what not means with clear definitions, pronunciation, synonyms, and real-world examples. Simple explanations to help you use not correctly. NOT definition: (used to express negation, denial, refusal, or prohibition). See examples of not used in a sentence.

Key Insights

Not is often shortened to n't in spoken English, and added to the auxiliary or modal verb. For example, 'did not' is often shortened to 'didn't'. 'Not' is a commonly used negative marker and pro-sentence in the English language. In this lesson, we will discuss how to learn and use it. Sep 25, 2023 · Do you make mistakes with “don’t”, “no”, “not” and “didn’t”?

Final Thoughts

Many English learners confuse these negatives. Although you can say that something is not very good, don't use 'not' in front of other words meaning 'very good'. Don't say, for example, that something is ' not excellent ' or ' not marvellous '.