有一读者问：有这样一段对话：
(1)— Will he come?
— Not he.
问 Not he 是什么结构？
Not he 在此是一种省略结构，其原本结构是 No, he won't。但其语气较强，可以意谓“他才不来哩”。再如：not 可用于许多省略结构。另如：
(2)— Will he come?
— I think not . （= I think he won't）
或答以：
(3)I hope not . （= I hope he won't）
(4)I'm afraid not . （= I'm afraid he won't）
也可以答以：
(5)Perhaps not . （= Perhaps he won't）
或答以：
(6)Certainly not . （= Certainly he won't）
(7)Absolutely not . （= Absolutely he won't）
(8)Of course not . （= Of course he won't）
再如常见的 “not + 状语”结构：
(9)— Would you mind shutting the door?
— Not at all . （= I don't mind at all）
(10)— Will you go for a swim?
— Not today. （= No, I won't go for a swim today）
(11)I don't want her to come here. Not with me like this. （= I don't want her to come here with me like this）
以 not that 开头的省略结构也是比较常见的。这种结构相当于 I don't mean that...或 I don't say that...，常译作“我并不是说……”或“这并不是说……”，如：
(12)Where were you last night? Not that I care, of course.
(13)She ignored the common forms of behaviour. Not that she was rude.
not that 结构并不一定是一独立句，它也可位于一破折号之后或夹在两个破折号之间，如：
(14)If you don't pay us, we could take you to court — not that I would do such a thing, of course.
(15)If he stole the money — not that I think he did — it was a terrible crime.
not that 有时可意谓“虽然……不……”，如：
(16)She hasn't written to me yet — not that she ever said she would.
(17)Not that it matters, but how did you spend the money?
但也有人说 Not that...是 It is not that...的省略结构，如：
(18)Not that I want it. （= It is not that I want it）
(19)Not that I care. （= It is not that I care）
这里的 that 就有 because 的意味了。这种 not that 常与 but that 连用，最有名的例句就是引自莎士比亚著的《恺撒大将》中的名句：
(20)Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.
再如：
(21)Not that I dislike the task, but that I am unequal to it.
但请注意下面一常用句中的 that 却意谓 as far as：
(22)Not that I know of. （其意为：就我所知不是这样）
