{"id":3071,"date":"2019-03-05T23:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-03-06T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/?p=3071"},"modified":"2020-12-09T16:32:57","modified_gmt":"2020-12-09T22:32:57","slug":"navigating-negative-constructions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/effective-writing\/navigating-negative-constructions\/","title":{"rendered":"Navigating Negative Constructions"},"content":{"rendered":"

The negative construction in English: We need it to state something is incorrect or not true. For example, if we look into a clear sky, we have the verbal component to express\u00a0It is not raining.<\/em><\/p>\n

At the same time, English teachers and communication coaches will advise us to use negative constructions with care and restraint for a reason. Negative constructions can make us work harder at comprehension; they can also trigger subconscious resentment or resistance, as well as be unhelpful, as we\u2019ll see in a moment. When receiving information, our minds are more naturally wired to receive positive constructions.<\/p>\n

Examples<\/em><\/strong>
\n(Negative)\u00a0Do not use the main entrance when entering the facility.\u00a0<\/em>(Beyond being a negative construction, it leaves open the question of how to enter the facility.)
\n(Positive)\u00a0Use the side doors when entering the facility.<\/em><\/p>\n

(Negative)\u00a0She does not often talk at parties.<\/em>
\n(Positive)\u00a0She\u2019s typically quiet at parties.<\/em><\/p>\n

(Negative)\u00a0Your main point shouldn\u2019t be in the final paragraph.\u00a0<\/em>(Where then should it go?)
\n(Positive)\u00a0Place your main point near the beginning.<\/em><\/p>\n

The differences between negative and positive statements about the same idea are clear. The positive achieves more, many times with fewer words.<\/p>\n

As mentioned, we will still sometimes need negative constructions to identify what is incorrect or not true. We simply want to be aware of some of their pitfalls. Let\u2019s review one area of the negative many of us are familiar with.<\/p>\n

Is It True\u2014or Isn\u2019t It?<\/strong>
\nBy now we\u2019ve probably seen both live and fictionalized courtroom proceedings in which attorneys ask a question such as \u201cIs it not true you were in the vehicle involved in the hit and run?\u201d<\/p>\n

This exemplifies how including a negative can make an expression evasive or slippery. Is someone being asked to tell the truth or the not-truth? The subject could provide different responses:<\/p>\n

Response:\u00a0No, it\u2019s true. I was in the vehicle.<\/em>
\nResponse:\u00a0Yes, it\u2019s true I was in the vehicle.<\/em><\/p>\n

Easy enough, it might seem, but the negative construction forces the subject to think more than if simply asked \u201cWere you in the vehicle involved in the hit and run?\u201d To this, the subject could just say \u201cyes\u201d or \u201cno.\u201d The simpler question also requires fewer words.<\/p>\n

In addition, the question as posed by the attorney can leave room for the subject to be elusive because a negative statement has already been offered.<\/p>\n

Response:\u00a0Yes, it is not true. I was not in the vehicle.<\/em>
\nResponse:\u00a0No, it\u2019s not true I was in the vehicle.<\/em><\/p>\n

It\u2019s possible this word play by the attorney can be a subtle ploy to further force or corner the matter of truth by clouding intent with the negative: further proof that the mind works harder and gets confused without the positive form. A question posed negatively could even work subliminally on a juror\u2019s mind by suggesting the subject is skirting the truth.<\/p>\n

In writing as in life, the negative is sometimes necessary and unavoidable. In our daily discourse, however, such constructions may steer us away from clarity and efficiency if used and relied on too much. By keeping composition positive in form, we will promote more-effective message delivery and comprehension.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pop Quiz<\/h2>\n

Using what you’ve learned in this article, choose the better sentence from each pair.<\/p>\n

1a. We can see hardly anything through the fog.
\n1b. We can’t see hardly nothing through the fog.<\/p>\n

2a. I agree with you.
\n2b. I don’t disagree with what you’re saying.<\/p>\n

3a. Trey told Tina not to overcook the eggs.
\n3b. Trey told Tina to boil the eggs for five minutes.<\/p>\n

4a. Is it not true that you stayed out an hour past curfew?
\n4b. Did you stay out an hour past curfew?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Pop Quiz Answers<\/h3>\n

1a. We can see hardly anything through the fog.<\/strong>
\n1b. We can\u2019t see hardly nothing through the fog.<\/p>\n

2a. I agree with you.<\/strong>
\n2b. I don’t disagree with what you\u2019re saying.<\/p>\n

3a. Trey told Tina not to overcook the eggs.
\n3b. Trey told Tina to boil the eggs for five minutes.<\/strong><\/p>\n

4a. Is it not true that you stayed out an hour past curfew?
\n4b. Did you stay out an hour past curfew?<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The negative construction in English: We need it to state something is incorrect or not true. For example, if we look into a clear sky, we have the verbal component to express\u00a0It is not raining. At the same time, English teachers and communication coaches will advise us to use negative constructions with care and restraint […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3071","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-effective-writing"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3071"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3071"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3071\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3071"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3071"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.grammarbook.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3071"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}