Lecture 5: Negation and Emphasis

5.1 Negation

5.1.1 Negating Lexical Verbs

What is a lexical verb?

• A lexical verb carries the main action or state meaning of the clause;

Lexical verb -> negative form

• Structure: did/do/does + not + verb base form
• Past events: did
• Note: If the past tense action changes to negation, the verb should return to base form, then add did;
• Present time: do
• Present time with a third-person singular subject: does
• Give an example
• Example 1:
• She likes music.
• She does not like music.
• Example 2:
• American professors did not possess one.
• Example 3:
• They do not fund peer-reviewed research.

5.1.2 Negating Linking Verbs, Auxiliary Verbs, and Modal Verbs

Method

• Linking verbs, auxiliary verbs, and modal verbs become negative, directly followed by not
• be verb;
• Modal verb;
• Have/has/had, etc. in the perfect tense;

Examples

• With other audiences you mustn't attempt to cut in with humor….
• Directly add 'not' after modal verbs;
• ... Average height…. hasn't really changed since 1960.
• In the perfect tense, 'has' is directly added to 'not';

When multiple words help form a verb, place 'not' after the first word

• Such cooperation is likely to be stable only when each animal feels it is not being cheated.
• Place it after is, not being;

5.2 Emphasis

5.2.1 Emphasis on finite verbs

Composition

• do/does/did+ verb base form;
• Example:
• He does trust you
• He truly believes in you;
• Although the figure may vary，Analysts do agree on another matter…
• Despite the differing figures, analysts do agree on this matter...
• The court did suggest that accepting favors in return for opening doors is “distasteful” and “nasty.”
• Emphatic did stresses that the court really made this suggestion;