Double Negatives: 3 Things You Should Know

Have you ever heard of double negative sentences in your IELTS training? If you have, then you must have been warned that it is wrong to use it in sentences. However, do you know why? Apart from the sentence being confusing for the readers, there are more reasons why double negatives should not be present in your essays.

Double negatives happen when you use two negative words within a single sentence or clause. In English, you should only have one negative each sentence because as two negatives cancel each other out turning a supposedly negative sentence positive.

It may sound confusing, but after knowing how it is done, it is quite straightforward. For a better understanding, let us take a look at these.

REASONS WHY SHOULD KNOW DOUBLE NEGATIVES 

1.    Negative nouns and verbs

Sometimes if you use negative forms of nouns such as nowhere, nothing, and no one, remember not to negate the verb of the sentence.

           RIGHT: The plan of the squad to go to the beach is going nowhere.

WRONG: The plan of the squad to go to the beach is not going nowhere.

2.    Double negatives are a non-standard sentence construction

If you are using contracted verbs such as isn’t, can’t, don’t, and others, remember not to use negative objects and modifiers after it. 

RIGHT: Mary can’t go anywhere at night.

WRONG: Mary can’t go nowhere at night.

In this example, “can’t” is a contraction of a negative word, cannot. 

3.    Double negatives provide subtleness 

There are times when you can use double negative construction, like taking a step back from the utterly positive version of the term. That is why you can use double negatives when a touch of subtlety is required.

           RIGHT: Tony says Jake is not unattractive

In this example, “not unattractive” is a subtler way of saying “attractive.”  

Indeed, learning English Grammar is difficult most especially when learning about double negatives. It is because some English dialects use double negatives. That is why thinking that all double negatives are wrong is an incorrect notion. 

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REFERENCES:

“Double Negative Trouble.” Your Dictionary. Accessed on November 19, 2019. Accessed from https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/grammar-rules-and-tips/double-negative-trouble.html

“Double Negatives: 3 Rules You Must Know about Double Negatives.” Grammarly Blog. Accessed on November 19, 2019. Accessed from https://www.grammarly.com/blog/3-things-you-must-know-about-double-negatives/

“Double Negatives?” Grammar Monster. Accessed on November 19, 2019. Accessed from https://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/double_negative.htm