which adverbs can't have a 'not' after them?

[dihen]

Is it incorrect to say "all not" like in this? :
`
"They're all not coming." (meaning "None of them are coming.")
`
If it is, do native speakers ever say it?
`
And do native speakers ever say "[subject] often don't", "[subject] often haven't", or "[subject] are often not"?

[Hayseed]

Originally Posted by dihen

Is it incorrect to say "all not" like in this? :
`
"They're all not coming." (meaning "None of them are coming.")
`
If it is, do native speakers ever say it?
`
And do native speakers ever say "[subject] often don't", "[subject] often haven't", or "[subject] are often not"?

Hi dihen.
I`d say "None of them are coming." But that does not mean that a native speaker wouldn`t say it the other way, and I`m not absolutely sure if "They're all not coming" is correct or not.
I`m assuming that speakers of your native language (including you ) often say things that aren`t technically correct, the same as us English speakers do. Keep in mind that it`s OK to make "mistakes", sometimes it makes your English sound more natural...at least to a certain point. Of course, non-native speakers make mistakes that a native speaker would NEVER make, and there lies the challenge of the whole thing.
I don`t envy the non-native speakers who visit this site, English must be frustrating to learn.

[dihen]

I noticed that in English, it often sounds strange to place adverbs of frequency, time, or degree, before negation; why?
`
consider these:
"not recently/currently/lately/formerly/originally/usually/generally/normally/typically/at first/before/in fact/previously"
is more common than
"recently/currently/lately/formerly/originally/usually/generally/typically/normally/at first/before/in fact/previously not"

[dihen]

Do native speakers ever use "almost can't"?

[RonBee]

Originally Posted by dihen

Do native speakers ever use "almost can't"?

Not this one. I have never heard it either.

[dihen]

Originally Posted by RonBee

Not this one. I have never heard it either.

But is it ungrammatical, or just awkward?

[Philly]

.
Why not "almost can't"? I agree it wouldn't be terribly usual, but I almost can't believe I've never uttered the words "almost can't".
.

[RonBee]

Originally Posted by dihen

But is it ungrammatical, or just awkward?

Well, it wouldn't make much sense to say you "almost can't" do something. It would mean you can do it.

[dihen]

Originally Posted by RonBee

Well, it wouldn't make much sense to say you "almost can't" do something. It would mean you can do it.

Why do you say that?

[RonBee]

Well, "almost can" would mean, presumably, than you can almost, but not quite, do something. What would "almost can't" mean but the opposite? (Admittedly, there might be some people who use that phrase.)