# What contraction would you use for the phrase "I have not"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 29, 2009, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204 "2009-08-29T22:12:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/278dde/32.png) [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Runs_With_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/21 "2009-08-30T06:08:10Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > You know what really wrinkles my skin? When someone uses the contraction “I’ve” in a simple possessive statement. E.g. “I’ve a little dog” or “I’ve a nasty cold.” I would never use a contraction at all in that case, and neither should you, dammit. The word “have” is the whole point of the sentence. ☹ I say that, but it’s halfway between “I’ve” and “I have.” Same when I say “I’ven’t.” I rush it, so it sounds like “I’ve,” but, really, that’s what it is. Why’s it bug ya? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/22 "2009-08-30T07:14:09Z")
“I haven’t.” My ESL teachers didn’t even teach us “I’ve,” much less “I’ve not.” That doesn’t mean it’s incorrect, but it is a dialectal variation that doesn’t get taught to us furriners; I don’t know whether it would be one of those things that native speakers do but ESL teachers cross off in the exam, or a case where mileage will vary. ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/23 "2009-08-30T07:39:16Z")
I use “I’ve not”. I grew up in Nevada, but spent the last 7 years overseas and about 75% of my friends are UK or Aussie natives. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/24 "2009-08-30T08:51:48Z")
Ooh, now you’re asking. Either seems perfectly fine and natural to me, and I’m sure I use both; though I suspect I tend to say “I haven’t” more often than “I’ve not”. I have an idea that “I’ve not” may be more typical of Scottish English than English English, but I could well be mistaken. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/25 "2009-08-30T09:04:07Z")
I’m an Aussie and I have only heard the contraction “I’ve not” used by Brits because, I presume, in every other circumstance it can’t be used really. “Haven’t we met before?” “I haven’t got any idea where that quote is from.” “We haven’t got them in that size.” “I haven’t even started yet.” etc. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/26 "2009-08-30T09:16:15Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > I’m an Aussie and I have only heard the contraction “I’ve not” used by Brits because, I presume, in every other circumstance it can’t be used really. > > “Haven’t we met before?” > > “I haven’t got any idea where that quote is from.” > > “We haven’t got them in that size.” > > “I haven’t even started yet.” > > etc. “We’ve met before, haven’t we?” “I’ve no idea where that quote is from.” “We’ve not got them in that size.” “I’ve not even started yet.” ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/27 "2009-08-30T10:22:40Z")
British, and I would say “I haven’t”. To me “I’ve not” sounds like a northern English dialectal thing. Also “do you not?” instead of contracting it to “don’t you?” ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/28 "2009-08-30T11:25:36Z")
Northern England, and I use both, but probably “I’ve not” more often than “I haven’t”. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/29 "2009-08-30T15:09:16Z")
“I haven’t.” “I’ve not” sounds all wrong in American English, although “I’ve never seen a Harry Potter movie” sounds fine. ---
**Author:** ![LeeshaJoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LeeshaJoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LeeshaJoy)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/30 "2009-08-30T15:27:45Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > “I haven’t.” “I’ve not” sounds all wrong in American English, although “I’ve never seen a Harry Potter movie” sounds fine. But “I have _never_ seen a Harry Potter movie” and “I have _not_ seen this particular Harry Potter movie” clearly have two different meanings, don’t they? ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/31 "2009-08-30T16:03:20Z")
> [@LeeshaJoy](#): > > But “I have _never_ seen a Harry Potter movie” and “I have _not_ seen this particular Harry Potter movie” clearly have two different meanings, don’t they? Yes, of course they do, but my point is that “I’ve never…” is a common phrase in American English, whereas “I’ve not…” isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Brainiac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8797f3/32.png) [@Brainiac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brainiac)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/32 "2009-08-30T16:55:44Z")
Nor. That one: “Seen Harry Potter?” Myself: “Nor.” ---
**Author:** ![Maia\_s\_Well](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Maia\_s\_Well](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maia_s_Well)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/33 "2009-08-30T17:23:36Z")
> [@Brainiac](#): > > Nor. > > That one: “Seen Harry Potter?” > Myself: “Nor.” This is interesting. Is it a choice you’ve adopted, something you you grew up hearing, or what? And, if you heard it growing up, where was that? Or, is this my first whoooshie thingie? ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2009, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204/34 "2009-08-30T18:33:53Z")
I think it has to do with emphasizing “I” after others have commented. Joe: Have you been to Thailand? Mary: Yes, it is beautiful. Paul: Oh yes, I love it. Al: I have been there many times. Me: **I’ve not** been there yet, but would love to go. Just my gut feeling, as both are grammatically correct, but I think I use it mostly when differentiating myself from others who have chimed in before me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-contraction-would-you-use-for-the-phrase-i-have-not/508204.md?page=1)