I'm not sure! sorry

English Teacher
Please, people, I don't know what is the right case that I should use
"ain't". Actualy, what is the meaning of it?
Thank you everyone!
I'm not sure! sorry
Last edited by EducadorZero; 23-Dec-2010 at 18:35.
From my dictionary
Ain't is a short form of either am not, is not, are not, has not, or have not.
For English learners, the rule about when to use "ain't" is "never."
It's considered non-standard by most current dialects in English and there is never a time you cannot use a form of "am not" or "is not" (etc.) that is considered standard.
Having said that, native speakers do use it frequently, some because this non-standard use is common in their dialect and others because they are making a deliberate choice to use a non-standard for for some reason, such as for comic effect, to show stubbornness, or to feign ignorance about a subject.
When you have mastered English to such a degree that you can make the deliberate choice to use it, then you can make your decisions as you go. Is this an audience who will understand my use of it, or will they think I just don't "know better."
I use it in speech from time to time, but never in writing unless it's in a joking way in an e-mail to a friend. If I tried to use it as a proper substitution for "is not" in a piece of business writing, they would wonder why they hired me.
I'm not a teacher, but I write for a living. Please don't ask me about 2nd conditionals, but I'm a safe bet for what reads well in (American) English.
Now, I think, we all learners are frustrated with your "never" Barb.
Ain't I gonna listen to you, am I?
I'll tell you what!,I'll ain't listened to you by the year 2012. Then I'll see what to do with the pile of hasnotisnotamnothavenothasnot compresed in a form called "ain't".
Last edited by e2e4; 23-Dec-2010 at 23:15. Reason: My last sentence could have hurt someone so that I deleted it.
I'll ain't listened to you by the year 2012.
I will have not listened to you by the year 2012.
Let me know what could be wrong here.
Thanks
I thought you were being facetious when you misused it so badly.
Ain't is for is not, are not, am not. It's not for "have not."
You've proven my point beautifully.
Among other reasons English learners should not use it is because words that are not part of your organically grown vocabulary are more likely to be misused it, as is largely the case with any type of slang.
I'm not a teacher, but I write for a living. Please don't ask me about 2nd conditionals, but I'm a safe bet for what reads well in (American) English.
/A learner/
Barb, this time, I am afraid I ain't proven your any point actually.
Definition of ain't short form from Cambridge Dictionary Online: Free English Dictionary and Thesaurus
ain't short form
/eɪnt/ short form not standard
am not, is not, are not, has not, or have not
He ain't going.
"Can I have a fag?" "I ain't got none left."
Let me focus on "I ain't got none left."
This is probably one of the double negations and the dictionary wanted to be authentic. I'd rather say "I ain't got any left."
Last edited by e2e4; 23-Dec-2010 at 22:23.