Study materials
This sentence means two opposite things.
All the students did not pass.
Did nobody pass, or did not everyone pass?
Not all the students passed.
Only one reading. Some passed.
This is ambiguity of scope, that is it is unclear what exactly the negative covers. This article explains how to say not all and none without ambiguity, not every, none and neither, the position of only, and negation with modal verbs.
Negatives and quantity words
When all, every or both comes together with not, the sentence can mean none or not all. To keep one reading, choose a different word.
| Meaning | Unambiguous |
|---|---|
| not all | Not all the students passed. Not every student passed. |
| none | None of the students passed. No student passed. |
| not both | They didn't both come. |
| neither of two | Neither of them came. |
None, neither and no already contain a negative, so no second not follows: None of the students passed, not didn't pass. After not every and no the noun is singular.
After not all the noun comes with the or with no article: Not all the students passed, Not all students like maths. After all of, the is needed: not all of the students.
Only and modal verbs
Only applies to the word next to it. In speech it is often placed before the verb, and stress shows what is meant. In writing it is more precise to put only right before what it limits.
Only Olena ate two pies.
Nobody else.
Olena ate only two pies.
No more than two.
A negative with a modal verb also has scope. Mustn't means a ban, while don't have to means not necessary. You can't park here every day is ambiguous: banned daily, or allowed but not every day. Unambiguous versions are You can park here, but not every day, or You can never park here.
Common mistakes
The first mistake is a plural after not every.
Not every students passed. → Not every student passed.
Every needs the singular.
The second mistake is a double negative after none.
None of the students didn't pass. → None of the students passed.
None already contains a negative.
The third mistake is a missing the after not all of.
Not all of students passed. → Not all (of) the students passed. Or Not all students passed.
After of, the is needed.
The first mistake shows right after every. The noun there is singular. The second shows if you count the negatives. None, neither and no already negate, so not after them is extra. The third shows right after of. After all of, some of and most of the noun has the or another determiner.