negative question

[Anonymous]

Hello

I'd like to ask about negative question using "can."

#1 Can't Jane ski well?
#2 Cannot Jane ski well?

I think you usually use #1, but do you use "cannot" like #2? I wonder if you use "cannot" at the beginning of a sentence.

Thank you.
Lina

 

[MikeNewYork]

Hello

I'd like to ask about negative question using "can."

#1 Can't Jane ski well?
#2 Cannot Jane ski well?

I think you usually use #1, but do you use "cannot" like #2? I wonder if you use "cannot" at the beginning of a sentence.

Thank you.
Lina

The first sentence with "can't" is correct, but technically "not" should be closer to "ski". One can't separate the contraction.

In the second sentence, one must separate "can" from "not": Can Jane not ski well? :wink: