A double negative is a construction in which two ore more negative words are used where one is sufficient.

NONSTANDARD: Herbert never has no time to relax no more.
STANDARD: Herbert never has any time to relax any more.
OR
Herbert has no time to relax any more.


The contraction “n’t” is a shortened way of saying not. Do not use the contraction “n’t” with another negative
word.

NONSTANDARD: There isn’t no tread on those tires.
STANDARD: There isn’t any tread on those tires.


Other negative words that a writer should not pair up with additional negative words include: no, not,
nothing, barely, scarcely, and hardly.
NONSTANDARD: They scarcely had no tickets left for the concert.
STANDARD: They scarcely had any tickets left for the concert.

Directions: Now you try it. Rewrite each of the sentences below correcting it so there are no double negatives.
Remember that there is often more than one way to correct each error.

1. I couldn’t barely hear my baby brother crying for his bottle.
i could barely.

2. Giorgio didn’t have no papers on his desk during the exam.
giorgio didn't have any
3. I heard her say that she didn’t do nothing wrong.
she didn't do anything
4. Doris doesn’t have no more time to practice her trumpet.
Doris doesn't have anymore
5. We hadn’t scarcely enough orange juice for the family at breakfast.
we had scarcely enough
6. I looked for clues concerning his disappearances but didn’t find nothing for several weeks.

didn't find anything
7. “I don’t want no more trouble,” the frustrated shopkeeper exclaimed at the meeting.
i don't want anymore trouble


8. I haven’t never seen no marsupials, even on television.
____________________________________________________________________________
9. My grandmother Sanchez hasn’t never left her beautiful homeland of Puerto Rico.
____________________________________________________________________________
10. Soon-Yi doesn’t have no easy answers to that complicated problem.
____________________________________________________________________________
11. We don’t need no education.
____________________________________________________________________________
12. I can’t get no satisfaction.
____________________________________________________________________________
13. They can’t hardly run the required distance.
____________________________________________________________________________
14. Harry doesn’t have no reason to complain.
____________________________________________________________________________
15. The seagulls do not ever resist the waste receptacles at the beach.
____________________________________________________________________________
16. Our choir members can’t scarcely hear the director’s cue.
____________________________________________________________________________
17. It really does not make no difference to them.
____________________________________________________________________________
18. When we looked for disposable razors on the shelf in the drugstore, we found that there
wasn’t none.
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
19. Unfortunately, the search party hasn’t found none of the missing airplane parts.
____________________________________________________________________________
20. My mother couldn’t locate none of the other web sites.
____________________________________________________________________________

Respuesta :

Answer:

1. I could barely hear my baby brother crying for his bottle.

2. Giorgio didn't have any papers on his desk during the exam.

3. I heard her say that didn't do anything wrong.

4. Doris doesn't have anymore time to practice on her trumpet.

5. We had scarcely enough orange juice for the family at breakfast.

6. I looked for clues concerning his disappearance but didn't find any for several weeks.

7. "I don't want anymore trouble," the frustrated shopkeeper said at the meeting.

8. I haven't seen any marsupials, even on television.

9. My grandmother Sanchez hasn't left her beautiful homeland of Puerto Rico.

10. Soon-Yi doesn't have any easy answers to that complicated problem.

11. We don't need any education.

12. I can't get any satisfaction.

13. They can't run the required distance.

14. Harry doesn't have any reason to complain.

15. The seagulls do not resist the waste receptacles at the beach.

16. Our choir members can't hear the director's cue.

17. It really does not make any difference to them.

18. When we looked for disposable razors on the shelf in the drugstore, we found that there wasn't any.

19. Unfortunately, the search party hasn't found any of the missing airplane parts.

20. My mother couldn't locate any of the other web sites.

Explanation:

As was explained in the question, the usage of two negative words in the same sentence is a nonstandard form of writing or speaking the English Language. It is only allowed to use just one negative word at a time.

In the first sentence, for example, it was wrong for the speaker to use couldn't and barely in the same sentence. Only one of the two can be used at the same time. Therefore, the correct form eliminates couldn't with the positive could.

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