Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

Ain’t as a negative contraction

I know something. That 

ain’t the answer. (level 4)

(level 1 form: that isn’t …)

Û

also 120 for innit, which may be regarded as a variant of ain’t it

Double and multiple negation

She has

n’t got no sense at all, she hasn’t. (level 4)

I have

n’t got nothing to say to no one. (level 4)

Û

also 438a Double negatives and usage

Patterns with past and -ed participle verb forms

These range from past forms used as -ed participle forms, -ed participle forms used

as past forms and base forms used as past tenses:

She’s been so worried she’s 

hid in her room. (level 4)

Yeah, it’s good, innit, I 

seen it there yesterday. (level 4)

She’s already 

give it to me, thanks. (level 4)

Subject/verb concord 

This is a very common area of variation in spoken grammar. Patterns occur

involving singular noun + plural verb, plural noun + singular verb and structures

involving existential there, in particular, in which a singular verb is followed by a

plural complement. This last structure is very common in spoken English and is

becoming established as a standard form:

It

were too heavy to move. You need a winch of some sort. (level 4)

We

was frightened like. That’s why we didn’t call her. (level 4)

There’s

three

other people still to come. 

(level 2)

236 | From discourse to social contexts

Cambridge Grammar of English

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