6.1.1.2 Negation with modal verbs

Also in case of the use of modal verbs in a sentence we come back to the first basic rule. Ne ... pas encloses the first conjugated verb. In the case of modal verbs it is the modal verb, that is conjugated (the other one is in infinitive) and therefore, it is enclosed by ne ... pas.

ne...pas encloses the modal verb
Je peux lire. Je ne peux pas lire.
  I can read. I cannot read.
Nous voulons manger. Nous ne voulons pas manger.
  We want to eat. We do not want to eat.





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