LISTENING COMPREHENSION

SKILL 9: LISTEN FOR "ALMOST NEGATIVE" EXPRESSIONS

TYPES OF NEGATIVE EXPRESSIONS

Expression
Regular negative: not or nt Other negatives: nobody, none, nothing, never

Example
Imma flunk Tom is not sad yall! youll see about the results

Correct Answer
Not sad = happy
Fix your own damn sandwich!

Nobody arrived on time. Sal never works hard.

Nobody...on time = late Never works hard = lazy

Negative prefixes: un-, in-, dis-

The patient was insane.

Insane = not sane = crazy

EXAMPLE

On the recording, you hear: (man) How did they get to their grandmothers house in Maine in only five hours? What does the woman say about the trip?

(woman) They didnt drive slowly on the trip to Maine (narrator)

In your test book, you read: (a) theres no possibility that the concert will take place. (b) the concert will definitely not take place (c) the concert might take place (d) the concert cant take place

The correct answer to this question is answer (C). If it isnt impossible for the concert to take place, then it is possible, and the modal might indicates possibility.

ALMOST NEGATIVE EXPRESSIONS

Meaning Expressions Example

Almost none

Hardly, There is hardly barely, any food in the scarcely, only refrigerator

Almost never

Rarely, seldom

He rarely drives to work

EXAMPLE

On the recording you will hear: (woman) Were you able to pay the electric bill? (man) I had barely enough money. (narrator) What does the man imply?

In your test book, you read: (a) He had plenty of money for the bill (b) He did not have enough money for the bill. (c) He paid the bill but has no money left. (d) he was unable to pay the bill
In the mans statement, the word enough indicates that there was sufficient, so he did pay the bill. However, it was barely enough, so he almost did not have enough and certainly has no money left. The correct answer is therefore answer c.

(man) I hear tha Monas been offered the managers job. (woman) But she has hardly any work experience! (narrator) What does the woman mean?
a)
b) c) d)

Mona hasnt worked hard.

Monas experience has been hard. Monas job as manager is hard. Mona hasnt worked for very long.

(woman) How much time did Sam spend on his paper for economics class?
(man) Sam has seldom taken so much time on a research paper. (narrator) What does the man mean?
a) b) c)

Sam usually spends this much time on his schoolwork. Sam has rarely worked so hard. Sam took too much time on this paper.

d)

Sam shouldve worked harder on this paper.

(woman) here?

Does Steve usually park his car

(man) Only once has he parked his car in that lot. (narrator) What does the man mean?
a) b) c)

He parks his car there once in a while. Hes parked his car there a lot. He only leaves his car there for short periods of time.

d)

He left his car there on just one occasion.

INVERSION AFTER 'NEGATIVE ADVERBS'

In English, the subject and verb can also be inverted. But there should be in a certain condition to invert this subject and verb. The condition is after certain negatives and related expressions. The subject and verb are inverted when negative expressions (no, not, or never) come at the beginning of a sentence 1. 2. Not once did Freddy make a problem. Never has Mrs. Allen made a problem.

3.

At no time can the kid talk on the phone.

INVERSION AFTER 'NEGATIVE ADVERBS'

There are some words that act like negatives in English like hardly, barely, scarcely, and only. (ALMOST NEGATIVE) If one of these words comes at the beginning of a sentence, the subject and verb are also inverted. Hardly ever does my girlfriend take time off. (This means that my girlfriend almost never takes time off.) Only once did Jones issue overtime paychecks. (This means that Jones almost never issued overtime paychecks.)

INVERSION AFTER 'NEGATIVE ADVERBS'

The subject and verb are also can be inverted when a negative expression appears in front of a subject and verb in the middle of a sentence. Sometimes, this happens with the negative words neither and nor. Look at the example below: Sally does not want to go, and neither does Jack. My wife is not joining the party, nor is my step sister.

Bob rarely speaks to himself.

Here are some examples with other phrases used in the same way. Seldom does Bob get invited to parties. (seldom = rarely) Never have we seen such a breathtaking view. At no time did the prisoner look as if he might confess. Not only is she a great dancer but she is also an amazing mathematician. Not until she took up rock climbing did she overcome her fear of heights. Under no circumstances* will prisoners be allowed to give interviews to the media. Little** did she realize that her grandmother was really a wolf.

EXAMPLES

Rarely does Bob speak himself. Rarely Bob speak toto himself. Auxiliary verb Here are some examples with other phrases used in the same way. Seldom does Bob get invited to parties. (seldom = rarely) Never have we seen such a breathtaking view. At no time did the prisoner look as if he might confess. Not only is she a great dancer but she is also an amazing mathematician. Not until she took up rock climbing did she overcome her fear of heights. Under no circumstances* will prisoners be allowed to give interviews to the media. Little** did she realize that her grandmother was really a wolf.

EXAMPLES

Reptiles seldom hunt at temperatures of 12C or below. People can rarely learn during their sleep by listening to tape recordings.

The continental crust is nowhere older than 200 million years.

A turtle no sooner lays its eggs in the sand on the beach than it goes back to the sea.

Computers in medicine not only relieve distress but they also prevent and cure illness. Human behavior is not only studied in the field of psychology but animal behavior is examined as well.

EXERCISE 1

DIRECTIONS: REWRITE THE SENTENCES USING ITS INVERSION FORM.

EXERCISE 2

DIRECTIONS: FROM THE FOUR UNDERLINED WORDS OR PHRASES, IDENTIFY THE ONE THAT IS NOT CORRECT.

EXERCISE 3 WORK IN PAIRS. WRITE YOUR OWN SENTENCES USING ALMOST NEGATIVES AND THEIR INVERTION. Expressions
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Hardly, barely, scarcely, only Rarely, seldom

9.
10.

TOEFL

EXERCISE 9

SUMMARY!

gOOd Luck