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- 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
- Can not vs. cannot - English Language Usage Stack Exchange
Both are acceptable, but cannot is now more common OED has this much to say about cannot: (ˈkænət) the ordinary modern way of writing can not: see CAN v Notwithstanding, in some situations ambiguity may arise if you write can not, and the difference might not be a minor one Compare: I cannot make love to you
- 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
- Cannot vs. Can Not - English Language Usage Stack Exchange
OED-cannot definition: the ordinary modern way of writing can not Both cannot and can not are acceptable spellings There’s no difference in meaning between cannot and can not but the cannot is much more usual Some references from ELU - can't vs cannot Why is “cannot” spelled as one word? (a few exceptions)
- If I am writing a formal letter, should I use cant, cannot, or . . .
"Cannot" can be written in almost all cases but it's also possible to use "can not" You generally need to use it only if it's a part of some other construction, such as "not only but also " Example: "The company’s new product can not only reduce emissions, but also trap some of the existing greenhouse gasses "
- 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
- The usage of can not vs. cannot in mathematics
The terms cannot and can not are identical in meaning and are typically considered to be alternate forms of one another However, the form cannot is much more commonly used than can not Cannot has become the standard form in formal writing (and is typically the form recommended by most grammar resources and style guides)
- 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
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