Were no or were not

[diplomacy]

Which sentence is correct and why?

1/ There were no spectators at the match.
2/There were not spectators at the match.

 

[bhaisahab]

Which sentence is correct and why?

1/ There were no spectators at the match.
2/There were not spectators at the match.

1/ is the most natural.

 

[TheParser]

***** NOT A TEACHER *****




(1) As I understand it,

(a) "There were no spectators at the match" is considered stronger than " There were not any spectators at the match."

(2) For example, if you asked a friend for a loan, which answer do you think would be the ruder:

(i) I have no money. Go away!

(ii) Oh, I'm so sorry, but I do not have any money. (Notice the distance between the negative word "not" and the noun "money.")

 

[emsr2d2]

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


(1) As I understand it,

(a) "There were no spectators at the match" is considered stronger than " There were not any spectators at the match."

(2) For example, if you asked a friend for a loan, which answer do you think would be the ruder:

(i) I have no money. Go away!

(ii) Oh, I'm so sorry, but I do not have any money. (Notice the distance between the negative word "not" and the noun "money.")

The rudeness or otherwise of those statements has less to do with the distance of the negative word from the word money, and more to do with the fact that #1 is abrupt and says "Go away!" but #2 starts with "I'm sorry".

I'm sorry, I have no money = I'm sorry I haven't got any money = I'm sorry, I don't have any money.