Avoiding Double Avoiding Double Negatives: A Quick LessonNegatives: A Quick Lesson

Adjectives and Adverb UnitAdjectives and Adverb Unit

88thth Grade English Grade English

"You ain’t heard nothin’ yet, folks,“-Al Jolson, The Jazz Singer

What is Wrong?What is Wrong?

What is wrong What is wrong with this movie with this movie title? title?

It has a …It has a …

Can’t is a contraction for can not.Can’t is a contraction for can not. Hardly is a negative adverb…Hardly is a negative adverb…

So, basically, you have a dreaded….So, basically, you have a dreaded….

DOUBLE NEGATIVE…DOUBLE NEGATIVE…

You have made Bob, the Angry Flower, angry!

Today’s Notes: Jan. 20, Today’s Notes: Jan. 20, 20102010

VIII. Avoiding Double NegativesVIII. Avoiding Double Negatives

Here is the idea…Here is the idea…

The adverb The adverb notnot is is a a negativenegative word. word.

It expresses the It expresses the idea of no. idea of no.

It can be part of a It can be part of a contraction. contraction.

But Be Careful…But Be Careful… Be careful to avoid using Be careful to avoid using twotwo

negative words in the same negative words in the same sentence. sentence.

This is called a double negative. This is called a double negative.

There are TWO…There are TWO…

Reasons not to use a Reasons not to use a double negative. double negative.

First of all, listen to First of all, listen to how it sounds....how it sounds....

It is a mouthful…it It is a mouthful…it sounds wrong, too! sounds wrong, too!

I haven’t seen I haven’t seen nobody in the hallway nobody in the hallway for hours! for hours!

It Just Sounds…Odd…It Just Sounds…Odd…

I haven’t seen nobody I haven’t seen nobody in the hallway for in the hallway for hours! hours!

We are so trained, we We are so trained, we actually LIKE hearing actually LIKE hearing the correct grammar….the correct grammar….

I haven’t seen anybody I haven’t seen anybody in the hallway for in the hallway for hours! hours!

Plus…Plus…

There is always There is always the DREADED the DREADED MATH MATH CONNECTION…CONNECTION…

As with mathAs with math

What happens What happens when you when you multiply a multiply a negative and negative and another another negative? negative?

They cancel each other out! They cancel each other out!

Multiply two negatives and you get a Multiply two negatives and you get a positivepositive. .

The same can be said in English…The same can be said in English…

I couldn’t hardly wait. I couldn’t hardly wait.

Wait! Does that mean you could wait or Wait! Does that mean you could wait or you couldn’t wait…I am confused…you couldn’t wait…I am confused…

Did he or didn’t he?

Did he just confess?

So what? So what?

If we want to keep a sentence in the If we want to keep a sentence in the negative, we need to keep it balanced negative, we need to keep it balanced with affirmative words. with affirmative words.

Just like two negatives = a positiveJust like two negatives = a positive A negative and a positive = a negativeA negative and a positive = a negative

I can hardly wait! I can hardly wait!

Affirmative words!Affirmative words!

Affirmative words Affirmative words are the opposite are the opposite of negative words of negative words like no and not.like no and not.

Think of them as Think of them as “positive” words!“positive” words!

They show the They show the idea of “yes.” idea of “yes.”

A Simple ChartA Simple Chart

Negative and Affirmative WordsNegative and Affirmative Words

NegativeNegative Affirmative Affirmative

NeverNever

NobodyNobody

NoneNone

No oneNo one

NothingNothing

NowhereNowhere

Ever, alwaysEver, always

Anybody, somebodyAnybody, somebody

One, all, some, anyOne, all, some, any

Everyone, someone, Everyone, someone, anyoneanyone

Something, anythingSomething, anything

Somewhere, anywhereSomewhere, anywhere

Correct it! Correct it!

You can correct a double negative by You can correct a double negative by removing one of the negative words or by removing one of the negative words or by replacing it with an affirmative word. replacing it with an affirmative word.

IncorrectIncorrect: The clarinet : The clarinet isn’t noisn’t no new new instrument. instrument.

CorrectCorrect: The clarinet : The clarinet isn’tisn’t a new instrument. a new instrument. CorrectCorrect: The clarinet : The clarinet is nois no new instrument. new instrument.

Now You Try…Now You Try… In the following slide, correct the In the following slide, correct the

double negative. double negative.

ExerciseExercise

Remember…Remember…

Be careful to avoid using Be careful to avoid using two negative words in the two negative words in the same sentence. same sentence.

This is called a double This is called a double negative. negative.

You can correct a double You can correct a double negative by removing one negative by removing one of the negative words or of the negative words or by replacing it with an by replacing it with an affirmative word. affirmative word.

FAIL!FAIL!

Just for fun…Just for fun…