Double negatives

Don’t create double negatives by combining a negative adjective or adverb (no, not, hardly) with another negative word.

Standard English allows two negatives only if a positive meaning is intended:

Example sentence: The orchestra was not unhappy with its performance. Explanation: The orchestra was somewhat pleased with its performance.

Double negatives used to convey a negative meaning are nonstandard.

Negative modifiers such as never, no, and not should not be paired with other negative modifiers or with negative words such as neither, none, no one, nobody, and nothing.

Example sentence with editing. Original sentence: Management is not doing nothing to see that the trash is picked up. Revised sentence: Management is not doing anything to see that the trash is picked up.

The double negative not . . . nothing is nonstandard.

The modifiers hardly, barely, and scarcely are considered negatives in standard English, so they should not be used with other negatives such as not, no one, and never.

Example sentence with editing. Original sentence: Maxine is so weak from her surgery she can't hardly climb stairs. Revised sentence: Maxine is so weak from her surgery she can hardly climb stairs.

Exercises:

Adjectives and adverbs 1

Adjectives and adverbs 2

Adjectives and adverbs 3