一、在英语写作中,no、not这些表达都是比较刺眼的,要尽量避免。当需要表达否定的时候尽量用fail to,即用肯定的句式表达否定,这样语气平和优雅。例如:
Researchers failed to discover the phenomenon in 1920s due to lack of adequate data. (研究者们在1920年代由于缺乏足够数据没有发现该现象。)
这是不是比Researchers didn't discover the phenomenon in 1920s due to lack of adequate data更好。
The authors failed to address/ consider the problem of single point failure.(论文作者没有解决(考虑)单点失效问题。)
In ancient times, people failed to realize the connection between electricity and magnetism.(古时候人们没有意识到电与磁的联系。)
二、fail to有两个意思,一是简单否定do not,二是"未成功"(tried but failed ),在句子中究竟是什么意思要看上下文(context)理解。在上面的三个例子中,第三个显然是简单否定,第一和第二例子就不一定。下面的例子就是"未成功":
If the sender fails to receive an acknowledgment in a period of time, it will send the message once again.(如果发送者在一定时间内没收到回执,它就再发一次。)
这句用doesn't 也可以,但一是不优雅,二是体现不出来tried but failed 的意思来。
三、在"不认为"等表达中不能用fail to替代否定,例如
We/They don't/ wouldn't think/suppose ......
句中不能用fail to.
(例句原创)