Aug 20, 2012 · When is it best to write "can't" versus writing "cannot"? Are they interchangeable in every situation?

Oct 29, 2010 · Why is “cannot” spelled as one word whereas other similar constructions such as “do not,” “will not,” “shall not,” “may not” and “must not” are spelled as two words (unless they …

Apr 20, 2021 · This isn't really a duplicate, as both the question and answer are different, and include the form "can not" with valuable info as to when not to use it. This was exactly what I …

9 "cannot not say" would only rarely be used in English, and only in very specific circumstances. In particular, this is not a simple double negative. "cannot not" does not mean the same as …

8 Both are acceptable, but cannot is now more common. OED has this much to say about cannot: (ˈkænət) the ordinary modern way of writing can not: see CAN v. Notwithstanding, in some …

Dec 2, 2011 · Cannot is the only negative form that contains not rather than -n't. Theoretically, since it is a single word, you can say why cannot you... without a problem. My theory is that …

Sep 18, 2014 · If you suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder, then you cannot control your impulses. You can't help it, but you exhibit undesirable behavior. There are other explanations …

Dec 26, 2018 · It has frequently been remarked by students of language how often people get these around the wrong way, or use 'understate' when they mean 'overstate', for example here …

Dec 29, 2017 · Is the following wording okay? He can not only do this, but also do that. In this case, it seems that the writer is dividing 'cannot' into two words. Is that acceptable?

The use of seem to is usually a hedge, or a softener. The examples above are suggesting that the person feels they should be able to do something but cannot find the right way to do it …