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

Û

436 above; Û also 97b

) and in end-position reporting clauses with verbs such as imagine,

suppose

, think. In everyday speech these are accepted as standard:

You’re 

not going near the paper-shop, I don’t suppose?

A: We won’t be allowed in, I shouldn’t think.

B: Not without an invitation we won’t.

[deciding where to place a temporary bed]

It should fit there, because it’s 

not that big I don’t think.

Û

See also 119 for the use of double negatives in many dialects of English

NOT IN NON-FINITE AND ELLIPTED CLAUSES

439

The negative not is placed before the verb phrase in non-finite clauses. Such

structures are common in formal, written styles:

Not having a strong enough defence

, the team let in four goals at the end of the

second half.

I wrote the address down, so as 

not to forget it

. 

In informal spoken English, not often follows the infinitive to. Such ‘split

infinitives’ are considered bad style in writing by many people, but they are

common in speech:

It took a lot of self-control 

to 

not hit

him.

Sometimes verb phrases can be subject to ellipsis (

Û

94 Situational ellipsis

). Not

can be used to negate the understood element(s):

Come early in the morning, but 

not too early though. 

(Come early in the morning but do not come too early though.)

The CD’s playing okay but 

not with the right sound quality. 

(The CD’s playing okay but it is not playing with the right sound quality.)

736 | Negation

Cambridge Grammar of English

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It’s a powerful car though 

not as expensive on petrol as you’d think.

(It’s a powerful car though it is not as expensive on petrol as you’d think.)