Double Negatives

Grade 3

A double negative contains two negative

words:He doesn't even know no one My sister used to play.. um

basketball.. but she doesn't no more

They don’t ave nothin But no-one didn’t answered

Correcting Double Negatives

The clause I don't have none contains two negative words—the contraction don't and the adjective none. If you don't have none, then you do have some. To express a negative idea, you should use only one negative word.

Remember: In addition to such negative

words as never, no, none, and not, the words scarcely, hardly, and barely function as negatives and should not be used with other negative words in the same clause

Incorrect He never cooks nothing exciting

for dinner.

Correct He never cooks anything exciting

for dinner.

Incorrect We can't hardly wait for a change

in the menu.

Correct We can hardly wait for a change

in the menu.

Correct We can't wait for a change in the

menu.

Incorrect You haven't been reading no

books on how to cook bugs, have you?

correct You haven't been reading any

books on how to cook bugs, have you?

Correct You haven't been reading books

on how to cook bugs, have you?

Words combined with n't and the word not are negative words.

Incorrect Lisa did not feel nothing.

Correct Lisa felt nothing.

Give yourself a test. . They didn't have tickets.

(any, no)

. Our team hasn't won the league title. (never, ever)

Try these. He didn't bring of the food.

(any, none)

Haven't you been to a football game? (ever, never)

Now, try these. I have not seen on the

field yet. (anybody, nobody)

She didn't see the coach . (nowhere, anywhere)

Let’s see how you do on these.

Their team doesn't have poor players. (any, no)

We can't find the basketball . (nowhere, anywhere)

Always remember:

Don't use no double negatives. . .

Or maybe we should say,

Don’t use any double negatives!

Resources http://www.ecu.

edu.au/ses/research/CALLR/AENG/what/rules/negative.htm

205.126.22.50/language/lessons/doublene g.html

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