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Meaning & use

adverb of negation

phrase·Academic

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UK/ˌædvɜːb əv nɪˈɡeɪʃən/
US/ˌædvɜːrb əv nɪˈɡeɪʃən/

Meanings

  1. phrasecountabletechnical

    A word such as 'not', 'never', or 'nowhere' that makes a statement negative or expresses denial.

    Grammar: Often used in grammar study. The plural is 'adverbs of negation'.

    Patterns

    • an adverb of negation
    • adverbs of negation

    In 'I do not know', 'not' is an adverb of negation.

    The class listed 'never', 'no' and 'nowhere' as adverbs of negation.

    An adverb of negation can change a positive sentence into a negative one.

  2. phrasecountableformaltechnical

    A negative adverb that can cause subject-verb inversion when it starts a sentence, as in 'Never have I seen such a thing'.

    Grammar: This sense is more advanced and appears in formal or literary writing.

    Patterns

    • adverb of negation + auxiliary verb + subject
    • begin a sentence with an adverb of negation

    When an adverb of negation begins a sentence, the subject and auxiliary verb often change places.

    'Never' and 'seldom' are adverbs of negation that can trigger inversion.

    The writer used an adverb of negation at the start of the sentence for emphasis.

Word forms

pluraladverbs of negation

Common combinations

adverb of negation
'Not' is the most common adverb of negation in English.
use an adverb of negation
You can use an adverb of negation to make a sentence negative.
list of adverbs of negation
The teacher gave us a list of adverbs of negation to memorize.

Synonyms and how they differ

negative adverb
A simpler everyday term with the same meaning; 'adverb of negation' sounds more technical and is common in grammar textbooks.

Word family

negation noun
The act of making something negative or saying something is not true.
negative adjective
Expressing 'no' or 'not'; opposite of positive.
negate verb
To make something ineffective or show it is not true.

Commonly confused: adverb of negation or negative adjective?

adverb of negation vs negative adjective

A negative adjective describes a noun in a bad way, like 'bad' or 'terrible'. An adverb of negation makes a sentence negative, like 'not' or 'never'.

Practice

Which word is an adverb of negation?

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