Contaction of can't: cannot or can not?Which is correct?Thx

[Helped Wanted]

1.With contaction of can't, which is correct?
cannot or can not?

2.PLUS, if I want to make polite response as to:

I am sorry. I cannot. OR

I am sorry I cannot.

3. One last Q: Is it correct to write:

I would rather like tomato soup than onion soup.

Many thanks for helping again, teachers! ^o^

[RonBee]

1.With contaction of can't, which is correct?
cannot or can not?

I think you can use either, but some would say that cannot is preferred.

2.PLUS, if I want to make polite response as to:

I am sorry. I cannot. OR

I am sorry I cannot.

Prefer the first one. The second one does not mean the same thing.

3. One last Q: Is it correct to write:

I would rather like tomato soup than onion soup.

No, it is not. Try:

• I would rather have tomato soup than onion soup.

:)

[Helped Wanted]

Many, many thanks for advising again, teacher Ronbee! ^o^

[RonBee]

You're welcome, as always.

:D

[MikeNewYork]

1.With contaction of can't, which is correct?
cannot or can not?

2.PLUS, if I want to make polite response as to:

I am sorry. I cannot. OR

I am sorry I cannot.

3. One last Q: Is it correct to write:

I would rather like tomato soup than onion soup.

Many thanks for helping again, teachers! ^o^

In my opinion, "cannot" is preferred over "can not" in most cases. :wink:

[RonBee]

It's a curious thing. I wasn't sure which was whether I wrote "cannot" or "can not" until these threads about the subject got me thinking about it. Then I "observed" myself writing "cannot". Interesting, huh?

:)

[MikeNewYork]

It's a curious thing. I wasn't sure which was whether I wrote "cannot" or "can not" until these threads about the subject got me thinking about it. Then I "observed" myself writing "cannot". Interesting, huh?

:)

Habits can be powerful things. :o