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Question He doesn't live in this apartment any longer

hirashin

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Dear native English speakers,
I have a question about the usage of "anymore", "no longer" and "any longer".

(a) He no longer lives in this apartment.
I asked if (a) sounds natural. A British person answered,
"It is correct but a more natural way to say it is:
He doesn't live in this apartment anymore."

I asked again,
It is correct but a more natural way to say it is:
He doesn't live in this apartment anymore.

He answered,
It is correct but it's probably the least natural out of the 3.

What do you think? Do you agree with his views?

Hirashin
 
All of these are perfectly fine and natural. I would probably use the first one so I guess I would agree that that is the most natural.

He doesn't live in this apartment anymore.
He no longer lives in this apartment.
He doesn't live in this apartment any longer.
 
Thank you for the help, mdchachi.
 
A. He doesn't live in this apartment any longer.
B. He doesn't live in this apartment anymore.
C. He no longer lives in this apartment.

A is the best choice.

B is an example of "conversational English" rather than "correct English". For this reason, it is better your students use A.

C is an example of a phrase that is out of order in order to emphasize the phrase. The phrase "no longer" is out of order and is emphasized.

-Muntaro
 
I don't see anything about "anymore" being conversational English.
E.g, "I don't live in Japan anymore," or "She doesn't work here anymore," is perfectly accurate English, and I have never heard "any longer" used in preference to "anymore", or at all really. "Anymore" is what everyone uses by default.
 
Also, "no longer" is not in the wrong position. That sentence would be used for emphasis, I agree, but "no longer" is in the normal, correct position for adverbs.
 
Hmm...that may be a US/UK difference. It seems that British people don't say "any longer" while Americans do.
Thanks for the help, Buntaro and Michael2.
 
Hirashin,

Many times I have told my students they were wrong, only to learn later that they were using correct British English. I feel your pain! (For example, I just learned that the meaning of "biscuit" is surprisingly different in British English and American English.)

I will check with some British people and see what they say.
 
I don't think it has anything to do with British/American English. I have never heard American friends of mine use "any longer" when "anymore" would do, which is 99% of the time.
And the position of "no longer" is simply the way it is.
 
Also we should be careful about using "conversational" English as a contrast to "correct" English. They are different matters. Conversational English can be correct or incorrect, just as formal English can be.
 
In a case like this I always like to see what the boffins have to say about it.
 
I'm not familiar with the term "boffin". Does it mean a scientist?
 
hirashin said:
I'm not familiar with the term "boffin". Does it mean a scientist?
Click to expand...
Yes. Very foreign word from an American perspective. If you read UK news it comes up often.
 
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