VOA慢速英语2021--Anymore, Any Longer, No Longer

Hello! This week on Ask a Teacher we answer a question from Yoo Yoo in Somalia.

Question:

What are the differences between "any longer," "anymore" and "no longer?"

Yoo Yoo, Somalia.

Answer:

Dear Yoo Yoo,

Thank you for writing to us. These three expressions are similar. So, they may cause some misunderstandings among learners. Although the three expressions have the same meaning, you should be careful how you use them. They must be used in different kinds of statements² or questions. Let us look at them more closely³.

Any longer

"Any longer" is an adverb, that is, it gives us more information about the action in a statement¹ or question. It means⁴ that something that was once true or possible is not now true or possible. Here is an example:

Because of the coronavirus, we can't sit close together in the movies any longer.

Note that the sentence has a negative (can't). You will only find this expression in questions or statements with a negative. Here is a question using "any longer." "Don't" is the negative.

Don't you go to that store any longer?

Anymore

"Anymore" is an adverb when written as one word, meaning that something that was once true is not true. For example,

Chris and Sandy are not dating anymore.

When people write "any more" as two words, it describes an amount of something. Here is an example:

Do we have any more ice cream?

If you are unsure, look for the negative and for the location⁵ of "any more" – is it at the end? Here is the same question with the adverb "anymore:"

Don't we have ice cream anymore?

This question has a negative, "not" and "anymore" is at the end.

No longer

Finally, the expression "no longer" appears in statements or questions without other negative words. The word "no" is a negative already. Here is one example:

I will no longer eat pizza before going to bed – it gives me bad dreams!

Note that "no longer" can appear in the middle of a sentence.

I hope this answers your question, Yoo Yoo, so you will no longer have problems with these three expressions.

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Words in This Story

negative – n. a word or statement that means "no" or that expresses a denial⁶ or refusal⁷

sentence – n. group of words that expresses a statement, question, command, or wish

1 statement   

n.陈述；声明；综述

参考例句：

• The government will put out a new statement tomorrow.政府将于明天发布一项新声明。
• Put down your statement in black and white.把你的话用白纸黑字写下来。

2 statements   

n.声明( statement的名词复数 )；（思想、观点、文章主题等的）表现；（文字）陈述；结算单

参考例句：

• We are faced with two apparently contradictory statements. 我们面前这两种说法显然是矛盾的。
• The report is inconsistent with the financial statements. 这个报告与财务报表内容不一致。

3 closely   

adv.紧密地；严密地，密切地

参考例句：

• We shall follow closely the development of the situation.我们将密切注意形势的发展。
• The two companies are closely tied up with each other.这两家公司之间有密切联系。

4 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

5 location   

n.地点，位置，定位

参考例句：

• It is a suitable location for a new school.那是建一所新学校的合适地点。
• I have to find a convenient location for the shelves.我得找一合适的地方放这些书架。

6 denial   

n.否认；拒绝，拒绝给予

参考例句：

• The newspaper printed a denial of the untrue story.报社刊登了否认不实消息的声明。
• Her denial of my advice hurts me.她拒绝我的忠告伤害了我。

7 refusal   

n.拒绝

参考例句：

• He persisted in his refusal to pay the money.他坚持拒绝付钱。
• Our offer was met with a firm refusal.我们的报价被坚决拒绝。