- differences - When to use cannot versus cant? - English Language . . .
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?
This isn't really a duplicate, as both the question and answer are different, and include the form "can not" with valuable info as to when not to use it This was exactly what I was looking for, and the other question+answer wasn't
- double negation - Is cannot not say standard English? - English . . .
9 "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 . . .
I cannot find the tool, it is neither in the kitchen nor in the bathroom I dislike that punctuation and I would either use a semicolon or make it two sentences But if the sentence is interpreted that way then it only has a minor punctuation issue, while the use of 'neither' and 'nor' is actually correct Share Improve this answer Follow
- expressions - Hard to understate versus Hard to overstate - English . . .
It has frequently been remarked by students of language how often people get these around the wrong way, or use 'understate' when they mean 'overstate', for example here and here Similar topic ("cannot must not underestimate") here A Google search for "hard to understate" (with quote marks) mostly returns examples of misuse
- The usage of can not vs. cannot in mathematics
So here it’s about minimizing ambiguity: can not permits two interpretations, while cannot permits only one Such care is critical in the language of mathematics As another example, West would tell you that in mathematical discourse, both “x is a minimum” and “x is a minimal” are valid utterances, but they mean different things
- Why is “cannot” spelled as one word? - English Language Usage . . .
Why is “cannot” spelled as one word whereas other similar constructions such as “do not,” “will not,” “shall not,” “may not” and “must not” are spelled as two words (unless they are contracted as “
- Cant help but vs cant help - English Language Usage Stack Exchange
If you suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder, then you cannot control your impulses You can't help it, but you exhibit undesirable behavior There are other explanations for poor impulse control, including the obvious: you want to be rude
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