I told him _____ play cricket.
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Answer: C. not to
Explanation
Negative infinitives require the particle not to precede the infinitive marker to directly. Placing the negative word before the infinitive ensures the instruction is grammatically correct. This structural rule applies across various command and reporting contexts in standard English grammar. An infinitive is the base form of a verb usually preceded by the particle to. Making an infinitive negative involves putting the adverb not immediately before the word to. Incorrectly splitting the infinitive marker creates awkward phrasing that native speakers avoid entirely.
Reporting what someone instructed another person to do frequently requires using negative infinitives. Teachers and coaches use these structures when telling students what actions to avoid doing. Mastering negative infinitives prevents common errors in written and spoken indirect speech constructions. Option A provides a present tense auxiliary contraction which does not fit after reporting verbs. Option B places the negative particle after the infinitive marker violating standard grammar rules. Option D introduces a past tense auxiliary verb rather than forming a proper negative infinitive.
- Subject
- English
- Category
- English Grammar and Vocabulary
- Topic
- —
- Difficulty
- medium
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