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

subject

auxiliary/modal verb

negative particle

verb 

X

The lights

were

not

working.

He

could

not

afford it.

He

did

n’t 

(= not)

phone me.

I 

was

n’t

allowed 

in the room.

In informal language, especially spoken contexts, the negative particle not is

contracted to n’t (though only very rarely with may and used to, 

Û

380e 

and 400

).

Û

437 Negation and mental process verbs for negation with verbs such as think,

hope

, guess, wish

Û

also 472–475 Word order and focus

Declaratives used as questions, requests and directives

291d

Affirmative and negative declarative clauses typically function as statements, but

may also occasionally function as questions or requests or directives:

A: You want it today?

B: Yes, as quickly as possible.

(question)

A: You could put that in the dishwasher for me.

B: Okay.

(directive)

A: I’m going to have a cake. You haven’t got any cakes? 

B: I have indeed. 

(question)

Û

539 Glossary for any unfamiliar terms

Clause types | 533

---

[fixing an appointment]

A: You couldn’t make it twelve o’clock.

B: Yeah, twelve would be fine.

(request)

[talking about a child; the expression to go ballistic means to lose one’s temper

in an extreme way]

He actually had had a temper tantrum for the first time yesterday and his sister

took something off him and he went absolutely ballistic and he went ‘

You don’t

do that!’ and pushed her.

(directive)

Û

also 430 Declarative questions and 410a Declarative clauses functioning as

questions