ESEN
Which one to use?Beginnernoun / verbadverb
KnotvsNot
'Knot' is a fastening made by tying rope, or a unit of nautical speed; 'not' is used to make a sentence negative.
Side-by-side comparison
Knot
noun / verb"Knot" is the fastening made by tying rope or string together. Also the nautical unit of speed: 1 knot = 1.85 km/h. "Tie the knot" = to get married.
She tied the ribbon into a perfect bow knot.
The ship was travelling at eighteen knots when it encountered the storm.
He felt a knot in his stomach before the presentation.
Not
adverb"Not" is the negation adverb. Used to negate verbs, adjectives, or entire phrases. "I'm not sure" = I am unsure. It is one of the most common words in English.
This is not the correct version of the file.
She is not available until after lunch.
It's not what you know, it's who you know.
Common mistake
- •Spelling error from the silent K: writing "not" instead of "knot" for a tied rope.
- •Both sound identical, which is why the mix-up appears in writing but never in speech.
Trick to remember it
- •"Knot" starts with a silent K like "know", "knife", "knee": the K is tied up and silent, just like a knot.
- •"Not" without K is the plain negative.
Quick rule
- •Is it a tied fastening or nautical speed unit? "Knot" (silent K).
- •Is it the negative? "Not".
Did you know?
The "knot" as a unit of speed has a fascinating practical origin. In the 17th century, sailors measured their ship's speed by throwing a wooden board (the "log") into the water on a rope with knots tied at regular intervals of 47 feet and 3 inches. They counted how many knots passed through their hands in 28 seconds (half a nautical minute), and that number was the speed in "knots." One knot equals one nautical mile (1.852 km) per hour. Today all ships and aircraft use knots for speed. "Tied the knot" (to get married) is an idiom that literally refers to tying symbolic knots in wedding ceremonies, the literal and figurative meanings of "knot" intertwined.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
She tied a _____ in the rope to mark the halfway point.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
Please do _____ leave without telling me first.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
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AffectvsEffect
'Affect' is the verb meaning to influence something; 'effect' is the noun meaning result or consequence.
AislevsIsle
'Aisle' is the walkway between rows of seats or shelves; 'isle' is a small island.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy