英语中有很多句子，形式上是一定的，但其意思却是相反的，这是由于英语中有很多表示否定意思的词和词组。
第一一类是所谓“准否定词，包含few, little, hardly, rarely, scarcely, barely, seldom:
Few people have ever seen him get out of that house. 几乎没什么人看见他从那间屋子里出来过。
He has seen little of life.。 他不懂什么世故（没见过什么世面）。
I can hardly read the original without a dictionary. 不借用于词典我简直看不明白原著。
People rarely see this kind of plant in blossom. 大家极少见到过（几乎没见到过）这种植物开花。
We scarcely ever need it; take it away.大家极难得需要它（几乎用不着它）；把它拿走。应该注意的是，英语里一般都用这种“准否定词”表示“几乎不”的意思，而不说almost not.
第二，英语中有很多动词含有否定的意思。请看下列例句：
The door simply refused to open.门根本就打不开。
The error of calculation escaped the accountant. 会计没注意到这一计算错误。
He ignored the whole speech of the schoolmaster. 他根本就没听校长的讲话。
The boy tried by every means to avoid being caught by his father. 那孩子挖空心思不让爸爸逮住他。
He failed to come to the appointed place on time. 他未能按时到达约定的地址。
I am sorry I missed you at the station. 我非常遗憾，没在车站见到你。
They excluded children from getting in. 他们不让孩子们进来。
Such a chance was denied me. 我未能得到如此的机会。
The news media were barred from the conference.没让记者们采访这次会议。
I really hate to get personal, but I have to remind you that you are much older than Byron. 我真不想过问其他人的私事，不过我得提醒你，你可是比拜伦年长多了。
在以since 引出的时间状语从句中，表示状况的持续动词译成汉语时，总是要译成否定的意思，如：It is now six months since he smoked. 他有6个月没吸烟了。“他吸烟已有6个月了”应译作It is now six months since he started smoking.
It is four months since I lived in there.我已经有4个月没住在那儿了。（这一句等于It is four months since I left there.）
Nobody of us has ever heard from her since she was in London.她离开伦敦后大家哪个也没得到过她的消息。
另外，在would rather …than…, had rather …than…, prefer…rather than …, would as soon…as…, let alone…等结构中的后一个动语翻译时一般也译作否定的意思。如：
I would rather read than chat away my time. 我宁愿看书而不想费时聊天。
He would as soon die as surrender. 他宁死也不投降。
I prefer listening to the radio to watch TV. 我宁愿听收音机不想看电视。
He cannot speak French, let alone write a letter in it.他不会说法语，更谈不上使用方法语写信了。
第三类表示否定意思的是一些形容词和副词：
They are new to the work. 他们不熟知这一工作。
The lake is free of ice even is winter.就是冬季这个湖也不结冰。
That was a poor argument. 那个论点站不住脚。
Do you think he was really ignorant of his son’s crimes?你觉得他会真的不了解他儿子的罪行吗？
We all know he is strange to compliment of any kind. 大家都了解他任何恭维话都不喜欢听。
He thought he had got a mortal illness. 他曾以为自己得了不治之症。
The new teacher really had an open mind.新来的老师确实没偏见。
The road is now clear of snow.路上目前已经没积雪了。
There are faults from which none of us are free.有的错误大家哪个也无法避免。
The arrow fell short of the mark. 箭没射中靶子。
She apparently thought otherwise. 她显然有不一样的想法。
The news is obviously too good to be true. 这个消息太好了，显然不可能是真的。
The office is the last place to find him in.你绝不会在办公室找到他。
英语中的很多介词也总是有否定的意思：
Life is far from a bed of roses.生活远非所有都那样美好。
What I’m saying is off record.我讲的话请不要记录。
His conduct is above suspicion.他的行为无可怀疑。
The enemy’s accusation against us is beneath notice. 敌人对大家的指责不值一提。
His rude attitude drove us beyond our patience.他暴力的态度使大家忍无可忍。
This house is obviously past repair. 这间房屋显然没办法再修了。
What you said just now is beside the mark. 你刚刚讲的完全文不对题。
Most comets are extremely faint objects, far below the limit of the unaided eye. 大部分彗星都是非常黯淡的物体，远非肉眼可见。
But for these thick trees, the bitter wind would blow the house to pieces. 要不是这类大树，大风会把这所房屋刮得七零八落。
She is always trying to do what is out of her reach. 她一直想做一些力不可以及的事。
Before, but that, only that, other than等连接词也常用于表示否定的意思：
I’ll see you dead before I accept your terms. 见你的鬼去吧，我才不会同意你的条件呢！
She would have fallen but that I caught her in time.要不是我准时抓住她，她早就摔倒了。
only that you assured me it was so, I should not believe it.要不是你向我保证，我才不会相信呢。
The truth is quite other than what you thought.事实和你想象的非常不同。
除此之外，英语还常常以问句、if 条件句和带诅咒的句子表示否定的意思：
What do I care? 我才不在乎呢。
Strike me if I know.我真的不了解。
Like hell I will agree. 我绝对不会赞同。
I need is like a hole in the head. 我根本无需。
As if anybody would believe that theory!才无人会相信那个说法呢！
“I see why your mother picked this spot for camping.” “我目前了解了你母亲为何要选择这个地方露营。”
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