WORDING: CANNOT

Do or do not, there is no CANNOT.

I don’t like the word CANNOT. Not because of its connotations of being unable to do something/anything/whatever. I just don’t like the look of the word.

I’ve always been more of a CAN’T kind of guy.

CAN’T is the contraction of CANNOT. It’s supposed to be informal, but maybe I just didn’t grow up all hoity toity. CANNOT has always looked like a rotten carrot to me.

I tend to use CANNOT when I have an angry character, someone being stern.

YOU CANNOT HAVE DESERT. HAVE A ROTTEN CARROT INSTEAD.

vs.

I’M SORRY YOU CAN’T HAVE DESSERT BECAUSE OF YOUR TOOTH ACHE.

But there are times where you should use CAN NOT, with the space between. It’s when it comes before a phrase that begins with NOT.

YOU CAN NOT ONLY HAVE DESSERT, BUT A BIG HUG, TOO.

(Sometimes you need a big hug).