Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[b7lake]

#1-(1)This is not simple matter.
(2)This is no simple matter.
Is there any difference between two sentences?

#2-(1)It is not good.
(2)It is no good.
Is there any difference between two sentences?

Thanks a lot for your help.

[CP]

1. You would not say, "This is not simple matter." You can say, "This is no simple matter" or "This is not a simple matter." Both mean that it is a complicated matter.

2. "It is not good" and "It is no good" both mean pretty much the same thing, that it is not good, it is bad. We use "no good" sometimes to mean broken or useless or evil, too. "This car is no good--it won't even start." "Joe is a career criminal. He's been arrested for burglary, robbery, car theft, and kiting checks. He's just no good."
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