Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[hela]

Dear teachers,

When we have a negative verb + an adverb should the "not" of the negative form always comme after the adverb in an non-contracted form? e.g.

1) "I have STILL NOT seen him" and not "I have NOT STILL seen him".

2) "He had PREVIOUSLY NOT been told" and not "he had NOT PREVIOUSLY been told" Correct?

Regards,
Hela

[pugachevV]

Not necessarily.
I have still not seen him is correct, but you can also say I still have not seen him.
He had not been told previously; he had not previously been told and he had previously not been told, are all OK.

[hela]

Ok, but you can't say "I have NOT STILL seen him", can you?

[bud]

You are correct on that one!