Forming negative statements: negative affixes

4.76 A prefix such as 'un-' or 'dis-' can be added to the beginning of some words to give them the opposite meaning. Words with prefixes can be looked up in any good dictionary. The suffix '-less. is added to the end of words to give them a negative meaning.

She asked us to her house which was very small and untidy.

At last Janet sat down, as she was breathless.

Here is a list of common negative prefixes:

a- anti- counter-

de- dis- ex-

il- im- in-

ir- mal- mis-

non- un-

'un-' 4.77 The most common of these prefixes is 'un-'. It can be added to many adjectives, adverbs, and verbs.

They were unhappy with the way things were going.

They described what they saw, sometimes truthfully and at other times untruthfully.

She unpacked straightaway.

'Un-' can also be added to some nouns.

She wanted to save her sister from unhappiness.

'in-', 'il-', 'ir-' 4.78 Another common prefix is 'in-'. It is added to some adjectives, adverbs, and nouns instead of 'un-'.

The footpath was invisible.

Some radiation continues almost indefinitely.

There's enormous inefficiency in the system.

'Il-' is added to some adjectives, adverbs, and nouns beginning with 'l'. 'Im-' is added to others which begin with 'b', 'm', or 'p', and 'ir-' is added to some which begin with 'r'.

He was reached an illogical conclusion.

The windows will be almost impossible to open.

I was a crazy, irresponsible adventurer.

'dis-' 4.79 'Dis-' is added to some verbs, adjectives, nouns, and adverbs.

I disliked change of any kind.

I was becoming disconnected.

He gave a look of disapproval.

She just gets disagreeably rebellious.

4.80 'Non-' is added to some adjectives and nouns.

...a peaceful, non-violent protest.

Traffic signals were inadequate or non-existent.

The match was a non-event.

The oil companies stubbornly pursued a course of non-cooperation.

4.81 The suffix '-less' can be added to many nouns in order to form negative adjectives.

They were completely helpless.

Many people were in tears and almost speechless.

That was very thoughtless of you.

...a cold, heartless smile.

Here is a list of common words which have the suffix '-less':

breathless careless childless countless doubtless endless

harmless heartless helpless homeless hopeless landless

lifeless limitless meaningless merciless mindless motionless

nameless needless pointless powerless relentless restless

senseless shapeless speechless thoughtless useless worthless

4.82 You can add '-less' to many other nouns when it is clear from the context that you are talking about a lack of something. This is an example of a productive feature.

Productive features are explained in the Introduction.

Forming negative statements: broad negatives

4.83 Another way in which you can make a statement negative is by using a broad negative. Broad negatives are adverbs like 'rarely' and 'seldom' which are used to make a statement almost totally negative.

The estimated sales will hardly cover the cost of making the film.

We were scarcely able to move.

Kuwait lies barely 30 mites from the Iranian coast.

Here is a list of the most common broad negatives:

barely

hardly

rarely

scarcely

seldom

4.84 The position of a broad negative within a clause is similar to that of 'never' (see paragraphs 4.60 to 4.62).

4.85 When you use a broad negative with a verb group which contains an auxiliary verb, you put it after the first word in the verb group and in front of the main verb.

I could scarcely believe my eyes.

Mr Al-Fayed is rarely photographed with his family.

His eyes had hardly closed.

4.86 If the verb is the simple present of simple past of 'be', the broad negative usually comes after the verb.

Examiners were seldom unkind.

The new pressure group is barely six months old.

The office was hardly ever empty.

The lagoons are rarely deep.

The results were scarcely encouraging.

with other verbs 4.87 If the verb is the simple present of simple past of any verb except 'be', the broad negative usually comes in front of the verb.

He seldom bathed.

Marsha rarefy felt hungry.

John hardly ever spoke to the Press.

It is also possible to put a broad negative after the verb, but this is less common.

They climb rarely and do not have much reason to.

They met so seldom.

as first word in the clause 4.88 In formal or literary English, a broad negative is sometimes placed at the beginning of a clause for emphasis. If you are using a verb with an auxiliary, the first word in the verb group is placed after the broad negative, followed by the subject and then the remainder of the verb group.

Seldom has society offered so wide a range of leisure time activities.

Hardly had we recovered from this appalling shock when he were approached by a yacht.

If there is no auxiliary, you put the simple present or simple past of 'do' after the broad negative, followed by the subject, followed by the base form of the main verb.

Seldom did a week pass without a request for assessment.

Rarely do local matches live up to expectations.

Note that 'barely' and 'scarcely' are not often used in this way.

USAGE NOTE 4.89 If you make a tag question out of a statement that contains a broad negative, the tag on the end of the statement is normally positive, as it is with other negatives. Tag questions are explained in paragraphs 10.122 to 10.130.

She's hardly the right person for the job, is she?

You seldom see that sort of thing these days, do you?

You can modify 'rarely' and 'seldom' by putting 'so', 'very', 'too', or 'pretty' in front of them. You can also modify 'rarely' by using 'only'.

It happens so rarely.

Women were very seldom convicted.

He too seldom makes the first greeting.

Most people go to church only rarely.

If you want to say there is very little of something, you can use a broad negative with 'any' or with a word which begins with 'any-'.

The bonds show barely any interest.

Hardly anybody came.

In fact, it is seldom any of these.

With scarcely any warning, the soldiers charged.

Sometimes two or three relatives are admitted, but rarely any friends.

'almost' 4.90 Instead of using a broad negative, you can use 'almost' followed by a negative word such as 'no' or 'never'. For example, 'There was almost no food left' means the same as 'There was hardly any food left'.

They've almost no money for anything.

The cars thinned out to almost none.

They were very private people, with almost no friends.

Men almost never began conversations.