有这样一个句子I dont think he is a good doctor.大家对这个句子有不同的翻译：
1. 我不认为他是个好医生。2. 我认为他不是个好医生。哪个正确呢?2是正确的。那么1的错误在哪儿呢?这就是否定转移在作怪。这一语法现象在英语中特别常见，它是将语义上属于从句（一般为that clause）的否定词转移到主句中去。允许否定转移的主句动词在语义上可分为两类：
一、表示看法的动词：be supposed to, believe, expect, imagine, suppose, think等。如：
1. I ____ I_____ you before.
A. think; havent seen
B. didnt think; have seen
C. didnt think; didnt see
D. thought; not see
2. She _____ that we ____ anything.
A. didnt imagine；would say
B. dont imagine; say
C. doesnt imagine; would say
D. would imagine; would say（Keys: 1. B 2. A）
二、表示感觉的动词：appear, seem, look like, feel as if, look as if, sound as if等。如：
1. The baby ____ appear to be awake.
A. dont B. didnt
C. doesnt D. could
2. It ______（看起来） like ______（天不会）going to rain.
（Keys: 1. C 2. doesnt look；its）
在以下特殊情况中，即使有允许否定转移的动词，也不能将其否定转移到主句中。
1. I think是插入语，可看作与其他部分无关时。如：
I wish you were here, then, I think, I should not feel like this.
2. 主句中有情态动词cant, mustnt, wouldnt等时。如：
I cant believe that they are married.
You mustnt think hes stupid.
3.由于cannot help doing, ought not, need not, not at all等短语的关系而把I think隔离时。如：
I think you ought not to walk at night alone, Mrs. Moore.
I think the angel is not at all in heaven. Redmond said.
4.由于受not justbut, just notenough, not much, not quite等以not为核心的副词短语的影响，也不便把其否定转移到主句中。如：
I think Im just not smart enough to make any sense out of for you.
But I think that Elizabeth was not quite so certain of it as I.
5. 句中含有no, never, nothing, nobody等否定词时。如：
I should think you never have seen many.
I thought it explained nothing.