Cannot and can not

Jessica · #1 January 21, 2009, 06:05 AM

Which would be the correct spelling? I think it's cannot.

**Rusty** · #2 January 21, 2009, 07:43 AM

They are both accepted spellings. You can also spell it can't.
They all mean the same thing:
am, is, are unable

In other tenses, the word not is separated from the conjugated form, but if the contraction of not is used, it remains suffixed:
past: could not - couldn't
future: will not be able - won't be able
conditional: would not be able - wouldn't be able
present perfect: have not been able - haven't been able

Jessica · #3 January 22, 2009, 05:24 AM

thanks

ZeroTX · #4 February 08, 2009, 11:50 AM

The majority of the time, it is written as cannot.

lee ying · #5 February 08, 2009, 04:04 PM

I now all this is called contractions.
*_*

Jessica · #6 February 08, 2009, 05:14 PM

can't is a contraction, yes

ElDanés · #7 February 08, 2009, 10:39 PM

Normally it's said that there's a small difference in the meanings. I found some good examples here, but I'm sure you can find some examples elsewhere as well.

CrOtALiTo · #8 February 08, 2009, 11:36 PM

Yes, I think that the words cannot and can't would use most for the people in U.S.A, I don't know I feel that this is more for the comfortable, I prefer use the contraction (Can't) than cannot.

Jessica · #9 February 14, 2009, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrOtALiTo

Yes, I think that the words cannot and can't would use most for the people in U.S.A,

I don't know I feel that this is more for the comfortable

, I prefer use the contraction (Can't) than cannot.

Yes, I think that the words cannot and can't would be used by most people in the US. I prefer to use the contraction "can't" than cannot.

Correction made above. ;-) good job, Crotalito. Keep up your good work of English :-D

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