[Grammar] Negative questions

[svetik]

Hello,
Do we always have to put NOT after auxilary in questions?
For example, why isn't it working?
Can we also say- Why is it not working?
Thank you

 

[tedtmc]

not a teacher

'Isn't it' (short form) and 'is it not' are the same.

 

[svetik]

not a teacher

'Isn't it' (short form) and 'is it not' are the same.

I thought that non-contracted form of ISN'T IT is IS NOT IT and not IS IT NOT.
Am I wrong?

 

[tedtmc]

Why is not it working?

That's not correct obviously.

 

[svetik]

Why is not it working?

That's not correct obviously.

So, in this structure we can only use the short form- isn't it working, can't we?

 

[tedtmc]

You can use both but 'isn't' is used more often in spoken English rather than written English.

 

[bhaisahab]

I thought that non-contracted form of ISN'T IT is IS NOT IT and not IS IT NOT.
Am I wrong?

Yes, you are wrong. "isn't it" is the contraction of "is it not" likewise with "doesn't it" (does it not), "wasn't it" (was it not) etc.

 

[TheParser]

Hello,
Do we always have to put NOT after auxilary in questions?
For example, why isn't it working?
Can we also say- Why is it not working?
Thank you

***NOT A TEACHER***svetik, good morning. This is one of those interesting aspects of English. (1) You do not work. (2) Why do you not work? (3) Why don't you work? (3) *Why do not you work = "bad" English. (4) He is not here. (5) Is he not here? (6) Isn't he here? (7)*Is not he here? = "bad" English. If you study these examples, you will see a pattern that will guide you in understanding similar sentences. Thank you.

 

[orangutan]

I thought that non-contracted form of ISN'T IT is IS NOT IT and not IS IT NOT.
Am I wrong?

Well, we know that the word order for this type of question is Auxiliary + Subject, and the auxiliary should be one word. If we add the contracted form n't to the auxiliary, that makes a negative auxiliary, which also counts as a single word, so it can precede the subject. On the other hand Auxiliary + Not is two words, and cannot precede the subject; the "not" has to stay in its normal adverbial slot after the subject.

So:
isn't it = fine (Aux + Subj)
is not it = wrong (Aux + something else + Subj)
is it not = fine (Aux + Subj + something else)

I am not 100% sure, but I think this is right. Hope it helps.

 

[svetik]

Thank you very much!
I have aways used the correct variant but couldn't explain why and couldn't find the explanation in the books.
I appriciate your help

 

[orangutan]

Not at all - glad it was helpful.