[Grammar] "Not once did I see a tiger in the jungle, although I heard many."

nininaz · Mar 27, 2017

I know this is an inversion form of a sentence:

"Not once did I see a tiger in the jungle, although I heard many."

Can the following be the normal version? I looked up "not once" in the dictionary and found that they used together, so:

"I saw not once a tiger in the jungle, although I heard many."

Or

"I did not once saw a tiger in the jungle, although I heard many."

Thanks.

Rover_KE · Mar 27, 2017

Your alternative versions are not acceptable. Stick to what you know to be correct.

nininaz · Mar 27, 2017

Rover_KE said:
Your alternative versions are not acceptable. Stick to what you know to be correct.

Thanks teacher. I got it. You meant every time I want to use 'not once', it have to be used in the way that it is always used. I can't change it, and I should use it in the 'inversion' version without trying to modify it.

teechar · Mar 27, 2017

No, Rover_KE was saying that your sentences were incorrect.

nininaz said:
I saw, not once, a tiger in the jungle, although I heard many.

Or

I did not once [STRIKE]saw[/STRIKE] see a tiger in the jungle, although I heard many.

See corrections. #1 would be unusual.
I agree with Rover_KE that the original is the best of that lot.

nininaz · Mar 27, 2017

teechar said:
No, Rover_KE was saying that your sentences were incorrect.

See corrections. #1 would be unusual.
I agree with Rover_KE that the original is the best of that lot.

I'd like to thank you for making corrections.
I did mistake by putting 'saw' instead of 'see'.I knew I should put 'saw'.
Anyway, I know that the original sentence is correct, but is the number #2 correct as well?
I did not once see a tiger in the jungle, although I heard many.

teechar · Mar 27, 2017

nininaz said:
I'd like to thank you for making those corrections.
I [STRIKE]did[/STRIKE] made a mistake by [STRIKE]putting[/STRIKE] using 'saw' instead of 'see'. I knew I should use "see". [STRIKE]put 'saw'.[/STRIKE]

Anyway, I know that the original sentence is correct, but is [STRIKE]the number[/STRIKE] #2 correct as well?

I did not once see a tiger in the jungle, although I heard many.

Note the italicized "once" in the above. You would emphasize it in that sentence.
Also, that would imply that you heard many tigers (roaring) while you were in the jungle.

nininaz · Mar 27, 2017

teechar said:
Note the italicized "once" in the above. You would emphasize it in that sentence.
Also, that would imply that you heard many tigers (roaring) while you were in the jungle.

great tip teacher. Wow! English is really crazy and complicated but so exciting.

[Grammar] "Not once did I see a tiger in the jungle, although I heard many."

nininaz

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