Which one of the contructions is...
Which one of the contructions is more acceptable to say?
They're NOT there
or
They AREN'T there
Which one of the examples is more prevalent in english everydays speech?* Which one of the REDUCTIONS is more acceptable to say?
Search from various English teachers...
Answers · 10
3
Hmm... neither is less acceptable to say, but in my opinion "They aren't..." is a little more common. It's really just personal preference.
2
I think its more natural to say "They're ...." because you can use it as is or negate with "not" without changing it.
2
Hmm, if I'm answering a question, like "Are they there?" I'll probably answer "No, they aren't."
If I'm just saying a sentence, like I called on the phone and no one answered, I would say "They're not there."
But, yes, I think both are very common and acceptable.
1
By "reduction" I assume you mean "contraction." Both of these forms are fine in informal speech or writing. In formal writing or speech, you should not use contractions: "They are not there." There's only the one form if you stay formal. Wasn't that easy? ;)
1
Both
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