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

Not and hedging 

447b

In negative clauses, not is often accompanied by actually, necessarily, really or

very

in order to soften the force of the negative and to sound more polite or

tentative:

Her acting was

n’t actually convincing, was it?

Sorry, but I do

n’t really feel like going out tonight.

I’m 

not very familiar with this type of printer. Can you help me?

Û

539 Glossary for any unfamiliar terms

Negation | 743

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Other words such as absolutely, altogether, entirely are used in the same way,

although they are more formal:

I’m 

not altogether sure whether we should support him for election.

The shopkeepers are 

not entirely against the idea of twenty-four-hour shopping.

These structures are often used as short hedged replies:

A: Did you mind not being invited?

B: Not really, no. I didn’t.

A: I suppose you’ve made up your mind to buy the roses?

B: No, not necessarily.