I'm a new English learner, I've found that while expressing negative ideas, sometimes "don't" and "doesn't" are used; but at other times "not to" is used. For example:
Your question doesn't specify exactly.
Can I use the following?
Your question not to specify exactly.
I wonder whenever we should use either of them?
Can somebody explain this grammar?
Best Answer
First, write the sentence in the positive, and see whether the verb that you want to negate is the main verb in the sentence. Consider talk in these three sentences:
Main verbs
If you want to negate the main verb and there is already an auxiliary verb (be, have, will, should could, must) in front of it, you insert not between the auxiliary and main verbs.
If the verb that you want to negate is be, just add not after it.
The main verbs need and dare are special cases: in the positive, it is followed by to, and in the negative to is replaced by not.
For all other main verbs that don't have an auxiliary verb, you add the auxiliary verb do and then negate the auxiliary verb. The auxiliary verb has two cases: does for third person singular (he/she/it) and do for everything else. When negated, this can be written out in full do not, does not, or contracted don't, doesn't.
non-main verbs
If the verb that you want to negate is not the main verb and it's preceded by to, it's an infinitive: you negate it by putting not before the to
Likewise, if the verb you want to negate is not the main verb and it's got an '-ing' ending, then you negate it by putting not before the verb.