No more vs not more

[Natalie]

Can you please guide me? I'm looking for the rule how to use constructions 'no more than' and 'not more than' (if the last one is acceptable)...

 

[jameshiggott]

As far as I can gather there is no real distinction...just whichever sounds best. I tried both phrases in google and could find no example on the web that demanded using one rather than the other.

 

[Natalie]

Thank you very much, James. I looked through some books and on-line grammar manuals and didn't find anything.

 

[RonBee]

I don't see any real difference, but I think no more than is probably more common.

:hi:

 

[Natalie]

Hello RonBee,

Thank you for the input. And what if I have to use this construction in a command like

'Take no more than a teaspoon of...'
OR
'Take not more than a teaspoon of...'

Will this addition change anything? I'm sorry, English is not my native language, so I don't feel it...

Thank you again!

 

[Tdol]

You could say either, though I would probably use the first more often. ;-)

 

[RonBee]

What Tdol said.

:wink: