Is the sentence structure correct? "I think he doesn't like it"?

Question

Back in high school, my English teacher told me that we should always use "I don't think" than "I think...not..."For example, the sentence "I think he doesn't like it" is wrong - we should use "I don't think he likes it".But over the years, I have found many native speakers also use "I think...not...", so I am wondering if it is grammatically correct to say a sentence like "I think he doesn't like it".Many thanksLee

Answer 1

Both sentences are technically fine. Your teacher is correct in that "I don't think he likes it" is the preferable construction in writing; it is more direct.

In speech, people might use "I think he doesn't like it" because of regional speech variations, or for other reasons. But, in writing, it requires readers to shift, which is not ideal. The phrase "I think" is "positive," but "he doesn't like it" is negative. Shifting in a written sentence, like that, is awkward.

"I don't think" sets your readers expectation right off, and is a more direct way of making the point. I hope that helps!

Answer 2

Hi Lee,

Both forms are grammatically correct. There is nothing wrong with them; they mean the same thing.

How well does that answer your question? If it does, then please check out my profile to see if I can help you with anything else.

Thanks,

Patrick