Why not gerund

Cardinal I have completed my answer. Please read it. If any confusion, reply me back. I didn't read it yet. I just want to thank you for your contributions to this question.

I really appreciate that. Now, I'm going to read the answer. So, using your techniques, one can distinguish between the correct usage of no and not. Especially, using an adverb and NP complement. It was really helpful. But, I think this answer can help many others Or probably me in near future. Many Thanks — Cardinal. Araucaria but most hybrid constructions are marginally accepted except the existential sentence with there.

Gerunds are nouns. Participles are modifiers. Modifiers can follow to be and a few other verbs because these are copular verbs. No walking was done today. I tried to find the girl not walking. I was not walking today. Not walking was done today wrong. Running, not walking, was done today. Not walking qualifies running No file cleaning but deleting was done today. LawrenceC LawrenceC Also, everyday and every day are two different things. In your example, every day is correct and everyday isn't.

ToddWilcox thanks for correcting me. In the sentence I mentioned in my previous comment, "walking" is not a modifier. Then it has to be a gerund according to the logic of this answer and if that's true it's a noun and it naturally should take no before it in that sentence also. Isn't it? ToddWilcox That's okay, but does it really help a learner whose native language is not English? Lawrence, that's not correct.

Gerunds are gerund-participle forms of verbs that are fulfilling the same function as noun phrases often do. So they are verb forms that are busy being Subjects or Objects or Complements of prepositions. They are still verbs. Show 12 more comments. The second "wrong" premise: A gerund acts as a noun. The "wrong" conclusion: Therefore, "no" should be used with a gerund. And here is a counterexample to the second premise that a gerund acts as a noun. JK2 JK2 1, 1 1 gold badge 12 12 silver badges 29 29 bronze badges.

I will down-vote this answer since it is more a protracted comment than an answer. All it does is make him more confused. You haven't explained anything. JK2 you're somewhat right. But if that was the case, "grammar" wouldn't have come into existence in the first place. Show 14 more comments. Featured on Meta. I considered going to the meeting. I considered not going to the meeting. Going seemed like a good idea. Not going seemed like a good idea.

Also, no not not is often used with gerunds in notices that say a particular activity is prohibited No Smoking, No talking. Thanks in advance! Give it a try! Do your homework now! Why not do your homework now? We can say "What about giving it a try? Thank you for reply but let me ask you an extra question.

I can't think of a situation in which I'd use "Why not X-ing? Can you give us an example of a sentence where you've seen it? There you are: "Why not doing it again? I'm sorry, senior: Why not doing it again? Examples One of his duties is attending meetings. The hardest thing about learning English is understanding the gerund. One of life's pleasures is having breakfast in bed.

Examples Can you sneeze without opening your mouth? She is good at painting. She avoided him by walking on the opposite side of the road. We arrived in Madrid after driving all night.

My father decided against postponing his trip to Hungary. There's no point in waiting. In spite of missing the train, we arrived on time.

Examples When will you give up smoking? She always puts off going to the dentist. He kept on asking for money.