Question

Choose the word or phrase that best completes the sentence:

_______ real work was done in the office while the boss was away.

• A. Not a
• B. Not any
• C. No
• D. None

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

No

Options B and C: 'Not any' and 'no' both refer to negation. We use 'no' before a noun phrase 'real work'.

We use 'not any' before any other phrase or clause.

Here, the phrase is a noun phrase 'real work', and 'no' makes the negative stronger. It is stressed on: no real work was done.

Hence 'no' is preferred over 'not any' and option C is correct, B is incorrect.

Option A: 'Not a' comes before countable nouns.

Option D: 'None' is a pronoun and does not come before a noun phrase. 'None' wouldn't modify that phrase, or negate it.

Hence options A and D are wrong.