Grammar – Maybe No or Maybe Not: Correct Usage in Sentences

grammarphrase-choiceword-choice

Didn't he realize she was unqualified for this job? Maybe no/maybe
not.

Should it be maybe no or maybe not? And why?

Best Answer

Although many other languages would use "no/yes" in these situations where the answer omits words and relies on the question to fill them in, English doesn't tend to. You could be understood with "Maybe no," but only intuitively, the way the construction "because science" can.

In English, you can answer a simple yes/no question with a simple "yes" or "no":

"Do you want ice cream?"
"Yes." (or) "No."

... and you can add additional phrases after the yes or no...

"Yes, please." / "No, thank you."

... but if you modify the "yes" or "no," you lose them.

"Maybe so." (or even just) "Maybe." / "Probably not."

As to why... I'm not confident in this analysis, but I guess it's because "yes" or "no" as answers are not things that can be modifed. Once you introduce adverbs, you're relying on the verb from the question:

"Do you want ice cream?" "[I] probably [do] not."

Of course, then I'm at a loss to explain why other languages can do things like

"¿Quieres helado?" "Pienso que no."

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