Instead of and not, you use not with a comma in front of it.
I prefer romantic comedies, not action movies.
If both people or things are the object of the verb in a negative sentence, you use or.
We didn’t play cricket or football.
alternatives
8.173 When you are giving alternatives, you use or.
Serve fruit or cheese afterwards.
Do you have any brothers or sisters?
omitting determiners
8.174 When you refer to two people or things using and or or, you usually repeat the determiner.
He was holding a suitcase and a birdcage.
However, if the people or things are closely associated in some way, you do not need to repeat the determiner.
My mother and father worked hard.
The jacket and skirt were skilfully designed.
…a man in a suit and tie.
Sometimes both determiners are omitted.
Mother and baby are doing well.
All this had of course been discussed between husband and wife.
referring to one person or thing
8.175 You can sometimes use noun phrases linked by and to refer to just one person or thing.
He’s a racist and a sexist.
…the novelist and playwright, Somerset Maugham.
omitting adjectives
8.176 When you are linking two nouns, an adjective in front of the first noun usually applies to both nouns.
…the young men and women of America.
…a house crammed with beautiful furniture and china.
verb agreement
8.177 When the subject of a clause consists of two or more nouns linked by and, you use a plural verb.
My mother and father are ill.
Time, money and effort were needed.
However, you do not use a plural verb if the nouns refer to the same person or thing.
The writer and filmmaker Michael Hey disagrees.
You also do not use a plural verb with uncountable nouns preceded by all, or with singular countable nouns preceded by each or every.
All this effort and sacrifice has not helped to alleviate poverty.
It became necessary to involve every man, woman and child who was willing to help.
When you link two or more nouns with or, you use a plural verb after plural nouns, and a singular verb after singular nouns or uncountable nouns.
One generation’s problems or successes are passed to the next.
Can you say No to a friend or relative who wants to insist?
When you link two or more nouns with or, and the nouns would take different verb forms if they were used alone, a plural verb is generally used.
It’s fine if your parents or brother want to come.
linking pronouns together
8.178 You can put and, or, or not between a pronoun and a noun, or between two pronouns.
Howard and I are planning a party.
She and I have a very good relationship.
Do you or your partner speak German?
I’m talking to you, not her.
When you say something about yourself and someone else, you usually put the pronoun or noun referring to the other person first, and the pronoun referring to yourself second.
My sister and I lived totally different kinds of lives.
You and I must have a talk together.
…a difference of opinion between John and me.
The first people to hear were the Foreign Secretary and myself.
8.179 For information on how to coordinate more than two noun phrases, see paragraph 8.200.
Linking adjectives and adverbs
8.180 When you use two adjectives to describe someone or something, you sometimes put a conjunction between them. This is explained in the following paragraphs 8.181 to 8.187. Conjunctions are also sometimes placed between adverbs. This is explained in paragraph 8.188.
qualitative adjectives
8.181 When you put two qualitative adjectives in front of a noun, you put and or a comma between the adjectives.
…an intelligent and ambitious woman.
…an intelligent, generous man.
colour adjectives
8.182 When you put two colour adjectives in front of a noun, you put and between them.
…a black and white swimming suit.
classifying adjectives
8.183 When you put two classifying adjectives in front of a noun, you have to decide whether the adjectives relate to the same system of classification or to different systems.
For example, geographical and geological relate to the same system; British and industrial relate to different systems.
When you put two classifying adjectives in front of a noun, and the adjectives relate to the same classifying system, you put and between them.
…a social and educational dilemma.
When the adjectives relate to different classifying systems, you do not put and between them, or use a comma.
…the French classical pianists Katia and Marielle Labeque.
…medieval Muslim philosophers.
…a square wooden table.
…American agricultural exports.
different types of adjective
8.184 When you put two adjectives of different types in front of a noun, for example a qualitative adjective and a classifying adjective, you do not put and between them or use a comma.
…a large circular pool of water.
…a beautiful pink suit.
…rapid technological advance.
adjectives with plural nouns
8.185 When you put two adjectives in front of a plural noun in order to talk about two groups of things that have different or opposite qualities, you put and between the adjectives.