|
Joe's Cafe, 24/7 pit stop for ESL learners and teachers | July 2010
Egg's off, bacon's off, bread's off, tea's off. English is on though.
Cannot or can not?People often ask me whether they should write cannot (1 word) or can not (2 words). Cannot is a contraction of can not. In British English cannot is the normal form. In American English both forms are acceptable but cannot is more common. In general I would suggest that you use cannot. However, note that there are times when you really have to use can not. If the word “not” is part of a set phrase, then you have no choice but to use the two-word form can not. Look for example at the set phrase “not only . . . but (also)”:
Note, too, that cannot may be contracted to can’t, but in formal written English (such as in an essay or exam) you are not advised to use can’t. Joe | Monday, July 12th, 2010 | Filed under Vocabulary
68 Responses to “Cannot or can not?”Leave a Comment |  Personal blog of Josef Essberger, EnglishClub founder Browse by Category |
 |
12th July 2010 at 3:52 pm
More words to me.
Thanks Josef
12th July 2010 at 5:48 pm
He can not only teach brilliantly, but he can also write script very well.
12th July 2010 at 6:18 pm
Thank you for the nice explanation. It is importnant to be attention to when we should write “can not” not “cannot”.
Skoon…
12th July 2010 at 9:41 pm
so nice ,, now am full knowing when i should use cannot and can not ,, thank you very much
13th July 2010 at 11:31 am
It is very nice knowledge. I am always asked about this case from my friends. Now, I have known it very well..Thank ya
14th July 2010 at 10:24 am
Thank you very much indeed,Josef.
14th July 2010 at 3:38 pm
Thanks very much, Josef
15th July 2010 at 3:18 am
In my country (Uruguay) in the highschool it is taught the contracted form even to be used in the tests and exams. I have a question: in the formal written, is it not correct to use other contracted forms such as “I’m”, “You’re”, “musn’t”, etc?
Thanks very much. Your explanations are great.
15th July 2010 at 11:16 pm
@Silvana: in general, contractions should be avoided in formal writing (eg essays, exams, business letters etc). In informal writing (eg a letter or email to a friend) contractions are normal. Bear in mind that in formal writing you might wish to quote what somebody said. If that somebody used contractions in their speech - which is almost always the case - then it is acceptable to include written contractions in the quoted direct speech, even though the overall written work is formal. It would not be acceptable to use contractions for indirect or reported speech in a formal piece of writing.
By the way, even though “cannot” is technically a contraction of “can not”, it is acceptable in formal writing. But the “real” contraction - “can’t” - is not acceptable in formal writing.
More about contractions.
16th July 2010 at 9:40 am
Thank you Joe.
16th July 2010 at 4:30 pm
Thank you Josef for your helpful explain I cannot use can’t in my writing.
21st July 2010 at 3:40 pm
I am very glad to get knowledge concerned with
the usage of cannot and can not.
thank you Josef,
25th July 2010 at 10:39 am
I used to get confusing about cannot or can’t.
Thank you so much for explaining.
27th July 2010 at 12:58 pm
Thanks a lot! I heard that using “can’t” in informal speech may cause a confusing situation, because it may sound offensive, because in russian english textbooks “can’t” is pronounced [ka:nt].
29th July 2010 at 6:01 pm
Thank you for this wonderful explanation. I also I was wondering about this word:)
3rd August 2010 at 11:01 am
Very nicely explained the diff of cannot & can not. We are expecting more such explanations in future
3rd August 2010 at 11:34 am
thenks very much ,, realy it’s helpful
waiting for moreeee
10th August 2010 at 12:19 am
thanks sir , i understand it ,
sir , i am very confusion that how to use “rather” in sentence , i could not easily understand , please clear it sir
10th August 2010 at 8:22 am
Thank you a lot Mr. Josef, it is nice explanation cannot and can not, to have me know that more rich right grammar.
10th August 2010 at 7:08 pm
Thank you. You explained a confusing subject .
10th August 2010 at 7:47 pm
dear joe
thank you for the comments and the explanations about diffrent matters
please if you have porvide me the cds of english for today ( five vol)
best regars
10th August 2010 at 8:03 pm
This is a very important explanation and a very helpfuk tip
Thank you very much
10th August 2010 at 8:05 pm
Dear Mr. Essberger,
I greatly enjoy receiving your newsletters, and I am very thankful for them. In addition to being extremely well written, they also pass on great information for non-native speakers of English, like myself.
I found your example of “can not” in phrases like “can not only…but also…” just fantastic!
Congratulations
João, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
10th August 2010 at 9:24 pm
Hey! Joe Thanks a lot, it have been very useful.
ed
11th August 2010 at 2:46 am
You have given very good examples to illustrate the use of cannot and can not very clearly.
Thank you.
11th August 2010 at 2:50 am
Dear Josef
I am thanking you very much
not only for this hint
but for your all kind helpful tips
wish you best wishes
Sincerely Yours
Jeff
11th August 2010 at 2:52 am
your explaination is wonderful. thanks.
11th August 2010 at 4:00 am
Thank you Mr.Joseph for make us learn always useful hints of the English language.:)
11th August 2010 at 4:34 am
Thank you Mr. Jeseph for helping us to satisfy our English improvement longing.
Always prayful for you!
Sincerly yours,
Aslam
11th August 2010 at 6:28 am
Your exlanation’s very help to teachers like us. Thank you very much,Mr Jeseph.
11th August 2010 at 2:07 pm
Thank you very much, This kind of information is clear and we need it as teachers.
11th August 2010 at 2:08 pm
Thank you very much. I understood and now I can use it clearly and teach it to my students.
11th August 2010 at 2:12 pm
Thank u very much Mr Jeseph for ur explanation that nice and helpfull for me and I will be clued to ur explantion have a great day
11th August 2010 at 3:11 pm
Thank you very much. Now I understand
11th August 2010 at 4:09 pm
Very clear explanation. Thanks
12th August 2010 at 2:03 am
Interesting how #33 can “be clued to ur …”
12th August 2010 at 5:01 am
A new information on the use of can’t
12th August 2010 at 7:22 pm
hi everybody
thanks sir for this new information about cant cannot or can not……..
hassan
12th August 2010 at 7:38 pm
Thank you very much dear Sir! I got it.
12th August 2010 at 8:52 pm
Clear explanation. i didn’t know that ca not was also correct.
13th August 2010 at 5:49 am
thank you very much! I have understood what your explaining about using cannot and can not
13th August 2010 at 10:49 pm
Joe,
Thank you for unselfishly sharing
your expertise in English language
15th August 2010 at 5:58 am
thanks a lot dear sir,
18th August 2010 at 10:31 am
thanks a lot, Joe.
I know it but I mistake again and again. I hope I will not do it from now
23rd August 2010 at 6:41 pm
Thanks a lot Joe.I did not know it.
26th August 2010 at 3:07 am
V.benefit I like this lesson that make our language is imroiving morer and more
Thanks very much sir
26th August 2010 at 3:40 am
Yes,I am better from day to day. Thank you ,Professor Essberger.
26th August 2010 at 7:24 am
Thank you.
I often use “can not” instead of “cannot”.
Now, i was knew “cannot” is common used, so i decided to use “cannot”.
once again thank you very much.
27th August 2010 at 5:45 pm
Thanks Mr. josef for your contribution to English Learning and Teaching fraternity.
28th August 2010 at 12:34 am
Thank you, now I am sure when I can use that important grammar,
3rd September 2010 at 3:03 am
thanks, clear explaination
3rd September 2010 at 5:32 pm
It is very, very helpful. Many thanks.
7th September 2010 at 1:50 pm
Thanks for your helpful explanation.
7th September 2010 at 1:55 pm
Thanks for your helpful explanation
8th September 2010 at 4:19 am
Thank you so much ^_^
8th September 2010 at 7:37 am
It is very helpful.thank you sir!
14th September 2010 at 4:42 pm
Thanks for this good information,have good job,i will follow your good advises next more..
all best
18th September 2010 at 2:34 am
I have got it,Thank you !
20th September 2010 at 4:59 pm
HI,Joe ,how about your movie about English learner?
1st October 2010 at 10:15 pm
Thanks,its really nice of you to have revealed the difference
2nd December 2010 at 12:21 pm
Thanks!
Thanks Joe, your explanation is indeed very useful especially that I’m teaching English (ESL) : )
12th December 2010 at 1:21 pm
thanks alot!
14th December 2010 at 8:35 pm
See it transcriptions, too: [kə’nät; ‘kanˌät]
19th December 2010 at 12:01 pm
very satisfactory explanation.but there is something about rude that i do not understand.they sometimes use it like `more rude` and sometimes `ruder`.i will really be thankful if you explain that too.
3rd February 2011 at 3:49 pm
i get it! thanks a lot, joe.
23rd February 2011 at 5:02 pm
good going
11th November 2011 at 12:22 pm
thanks ever much, Actually I was asked the question but I’d always answered that can not is not correct! I was mistaking now I see clearer thanks I will straightly go and tell the truth to my friends
11th April 2012 at 9:53 am
Thank you so much for sending/posting the idea regarding ‘cannot (a single word)’ or ‘can not (two words)’. And what about the tag-question when it is to be written in the negative? Don’t you think that it must be contracted?