4.54 with finite and non-finite verbs

When a clause contains a finite verb group and a non-finite verb group, you put 'not' either with the finite or non-finite group, depending on the meaning you want to express.

For example, you can say either 'Mary tried not to smile' or 'Mary did not try to smile', but they express different meanings. The first means that Mary tried to avoid smiling. The second means that Mary did not even try to smile.

However, with some verbs which are used with 'to'-infinitive clauses, the meaning is the same whether 'not' is placed with the main verb or with the 'to'-infinitive.

• She did not appear to have done anything.
• Henry appears not to appreciate my explanation.
• It didn't seem to bother them at all.
• They seemed not to notice me.

Here is a list of verbs which are used with 'to'-infinitives. With all of these, the meaning of the clause is the same, whether 'not' is put in front of the verb or in front of the 'to'-infinitive:

• appear, expect, happen, intend, plan, seem, tend, want, wish

The use of two verbs in a clause to talk about two actions or states is called phase. Phase is dealt with in paragraphs 3.183 to 3.213.

Note that with some reporting verbs the meaning is the same whether you put 'not' in front of the reporting verb or in front of the main verb. This is explained in paragraph 7.13.