not S1 W1 / nɒt $ nɑt / 副词

1 used to make a word, statement, or question negative :

Most of the stores do not open until 10 am.

She’s not a very nice person.

You were wrong not to inform the police.

‘Can we go to the park?’ ‘No, not today, dear.’

not at all/not … at all (= used to emphasize what you are saying )

The changes were not at all surprising.

I do not like his attitude at all. → no 1 , n’t

2 used in order to make a word or expression have the opposite meaning :

Edinburgh isn’t far now.

The food is not very good there.

not a lot/much/many etc (= only a few, only a little etc )

Not much is known about the disease.

Not many people have read the report.

Most of the hotels are not that cheap (= they are fairly expensive ) .

3 used instead of a whole 短语 to mean the opposite of what has been mentioned before it :

No one knows if the story is true or not .

I hope to see you tomorrow, but if not , leave me a message.

‘Is Mark still sick?’ ‘I hope not .’ → so 1 ( 4 )

4 not only in addition to being or doing something

not only … (but) also …

Shakespeare was not only a writer but also an actor.

not only do/will/can etc

Not only do the nurses want a pay increase, they want reduced hours as well.

5 not a/not one not any person or thing :

Not one of the students knew the answer.

There wasn’t a cloud in the sky.

Not a single person said thank you.

6 not that … used before a sentence or 短语 to mean the opposite of what follows it, and to make the previous sentence seem less important :

Sarah has a new boyfriend – not that I care (= I do not care ) .

Janice had lost some weight, not that it mattered (= it did not matter ) .

7 not at all especially British English spoken used to be polite when someone has thanked you or asked you to do something :

‘Would you mind helping me with my suitcase?’ ‘Not at all.’

8 not the sharpest tool in the box/shed ( also not the brightest crayon in the box ) , not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree informal used to say that someone is not very intelligent or is not able to learn things quickly or easily – used humorously

9 –not! spoken used, especially by young people, to say that you really mean the opposite of what you have just said :

I really enjoy spending my day working here – not!

→ not half at half 3 ( 5 ) , → not to say at say 1 ( 44 )

Grammar

Do not use another negative word (eg ’no’, ’nothing’, ’nobody’, ’never’) with not . Use any, anything, anybody, ever etc :

They didn’t have any money (NOT didn’t have no money).

I didn’t know anybody (NOT didn’t know nobody).

When you use not with a to-infinitive, put it before the ’to’ :

I try not to make errors (NOT try to not make errors).