Unknowing, unaware

English as a Second Language English Teacher Explanations (ESL Tests)
1

Test No. [color=blue]incompl/advan-3 “Credit Card Holders”, question 4

I was totally … of the increased taxes.

(a) unknowing
(b) unclear
(c) incredulous
(d) unaware

Test No. [color=blue]incompl/advan-3 “Credit Card Holders”, answer 4

I was totally unaware of the increased taxes.

Correct answer: (d) unaware

Dear Alan! Why can I not use “unknowing” instead of “unaware”?
Thanks

Spiderman

2

Hi,

Can you give me the full sentence please?

Alan

3

I was totally unaware of the increased taxes.
Spiderman

4

Hi,

Unknowing is not used with a preposition usually and is very often used in the sense of ‘innocent’ or ‘ignorant’ in a predicative sense. More commonly it is used in the adverb form ‘unknowingly’ as in ‘do something unknowingly’ means ‘do it without realising that you are doing it.’

Alan

5

Thank you Alan
Spiderman