否定转移是指否定形式在谓语动词,而否定的信息焦点却在状语和表语,或否定形式在主句,而否定的信息焦点却在从句.这是英语的一种习惯思维方法,与汉语不同,应予注意.现分类归纳如下：1．not＋think,believe,suppose,imagine…＋that－clause 在这种句式中,not从宾语从句的谓语动词的前面转移到了主句谓语动词think,believe,suppose等的前面.例如：I'm sorry,but I don't think I know you．对不起,我想我并不认识你.I don't believe he'll come．我想他是不会来的.这类句子后面的反意疑问句更能准确地说明not的否定范围.如：I don't think you've met Xiao Wang,have you?我想你没碰见过小王,对吗?2．not…because（of） 这种结构中的 not否定的是后面 because引导的从句或 because of引起的介词短语.也就是说,not从because（of）的前面转移到了主句或整个句子的谓语动词的前面.例如：He was not ready to believe something just because Aristotle said so．他并不只是因为亚里士多德说过某事如何如何,就轻易相信它.I didn't take a raincoat because it was raining．我不是因为下着雨才带雨衣的.3．not…＋动词不定式或介词短语 在这类结构中,我们实际上是将否定后面不定式的not转移到了谓语动词上.如：Jack doens't seem to like you．（＝ Jack seems not to like you．）杰克看来不喜欢你.He didn't take the boy from the tracks to safety to win his own fame．but tobenefit the boy's parents．他把男孩从铁轨上抱到安全地带,不是为了获得个人的名誉,而是为了孩子的父母.He didn't come here by train．他不是乘火车来的.