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- differences - When to use cannot versus cant? - English Language . . .
Stylistically, the choice between can't and cannot is more complex Generally, people use can't in speech and informal writing, and cannot or can not in formal writing or very formal speech Also (as @Kris points out in a comment), cannot might be used when you need to carefully distinguish it from can't in speech
- What is the difference between can not, cannot, and cant?
The words "cannot" and "can't" only mean "not able to " The phrase "can not" may mean "cannot" or "can't," but it also may mean "able not to," which is much different than "not able to" as it conveys the ability to not do something rather than the inability to do it
- double negation - Is cannot not say standard English? - English . . .
"cannot not say" would only rarely be used in English, and only in very specific circumstances In particular, this is not a simple double negative "cannot not" does not mean the same as "can", it means "must" It also carries a connotation that not saying is the expected or default action
- meaning - What is the correct way to use neither and nor in a . . .
The tool cannot be found in the kitchen The tool cannot be found in the bathroom Which is the correct sentence to represent the situation above? I can find the tool neither in the kitchen nor in the bathroom I cannot find the tool neither in the kitchen nor in the bathroom I cannot find the tool, neither in the kitchen nor in the bathroom
- Why is “cannot” spelled as one word? - English Language Usage . . .
The construction cannot help but probably arose as a blend of cannot help and cannot but; it has the meaning of the first and the syntax of the second: We cannot help but admire his courage The construction has sometimes been criticized as a redundancy, but it has been around for more than a century and appears in the writing of many
- expressions - Hard to understate versus Hard to overstate - English . . .
Similar topic ("cannot must not underestimate") here A Google search for "hard to understate" (with quote marks) mostly returns examples of misuse Share Improve this answer
- differences - Get hold of, get ahold of, get a hold of - English . . .
“Get ahold of” doesn’t exist “Get hold of” and “Get a hold of” are mostly interchangeable, but “get hold of” is more often used with people: “get hold of Mr Jones and tell him…”, and “get a hold of” is used with things, like gaining expertise: “I think I’ve finally gotten a hold of this subject…”
- grammaticality - Is it incorrect to say, Why cannot. . . . ? - English . . .
Cannot is the only negative form that contains not rather than -n't Theoretically, since it is a single word, you can say why cannot you without a problem My theory is that modern English speakers don't want to put cannot before the subject because it contains not and sounds like can not
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