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ESL forum >
Grammar and Linguistics > Are both correct?
Are both correct?
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S.Reisner
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Are both correct?
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Hi dear friends,
I �ve always learned that this structure: "I told him NOT TO go there" is the only correct one. But I �ve heard lots of native speakers on TV saying "I told him TO NOT go there". Is the second one also acceptable in written English?
Thanks a lot for your help.
Simone
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18 Jun 2010
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Bruna Dutra
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Actually, I believe the grammar rule is NOT to separate the infinitive. But there are examples where the EMPHASIS can split them up.
For example:
How to NOT learn English: blah, blah, blah... LOL ;)
I have never heard a native saying: "I told her to not do this", but maybe it �s acceptable as that emphatic form, can �t say for sure, sorry.
But I �m almost sure it �s not grammatically correct.
Hope to have helped.
Bruna.
: )
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18 Jun 2010
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sulekra
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I might say it during conversation if I �m speaking faster than I �m thinking, but generally keep the infinitive together. In writing I would always have NOT TO, written down TO NOT looks awfully strange :S
-adam
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18 Jun 2010
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S.Reisner
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Thanks a lot guys. I just wanted to confirm that.
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19 Jun 2010
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dturner
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I would probably not say "to not", but if I did...... it would be because I �d stopped talking and was thinking of what to say next. "I told him...... to not go out with that stupid girl!"
dt
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19 Jun 2010
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