Page 166 - Basic English Usage

222 — 223 168

We can use none alone, without a noun.
‘How many of the books have you read?’ ‘None.’
When we are talking about two people or things, we use neither, not
none (see 216).
Neither of my parents could be there.
(NOT Nene-of ...)
For no and not a/not any, see 223.

222 no and not

\f we want to make a word, expression or clause negative, we use not.
Not surprisingly, we missed the train.
(NOT Ne-sufprsingiy .
The students went on strike, but not the teachers.
(NOT ... butnetheteachers-)
loan see you tomorrow, but not on Thursday.
| have not received his answer.
We can use no with a noun to mean ‘not a’ or ‘not any’ (see 223).
No teachers went on strike. (= There were not any teachers on
strike.)
/'ve got no Thursdays free this term.(= ... not any Thursdays ...)
! telephoned, but there was no answer.( = ... not an answer.)
Sometimes verb + not and no + noun can give a similar meaning.
There wasn’t an answer./ There was no answer.
We can use no with an -ing form.
NO SMOKING

223 no and not a/not any

No is a determiner (see 96). We use no before singular (countable and
uncountable) nouns and plural nouns.
No means the same as not a or not any, but we use no:
(a) at the beginning of a sentence
(b) when we want to make the negative idea emphatic.
a No cigarette is completely harmless.
(NOT Netanycigarette ...)
No beer? How do you expect me to sing without beer?
No tourists ever come to our village.
b | can't get there. There's no bus.
a
(More emphatic than There isn’t bus.)
Sorry | can't stop. I've got no time.
There were no letters for you this morning, |'m afraid.