Double negatives are grammatical constructions where two negative words are used in the same clause, often unintentionally creating a positive meaning or simply making the statement grammatically incorrect in standard English. They are typically formed by adding a negation to the verb and to a modifier of the noun (such as adjectives or adverbs) or to the object of the verb.
While widely considered a grammatical error in formal English, double negatives are common in some informal speech patterns and dialects. The core issue is redundancy: two negatives effectively cancel each other out, making the intended meaning unclear.
How Double Negatives Are Formed
A double negative occurs when two words that convey negation appear in the same sentence or clause. Common negative words include:
- Verbs with negative contractions: can't, won't, couldn't, wouldn't, didn't, isn't, aren't
- Negative adverbs: never, hardly, scarcely, barely
- Negative pronouns: nothing, nobody, no one, nowhere
- Negative determiners: no
When one of these is paired with another negative, a double negative is created.
Common Samples of Double Negatives
Here are common examples of double negatives, along with their corrected single-negative or affirmative counterparts:
| Incorrect Double Negative | Explanation | Correct Single Negative / Affirmative |
|---|---|---|
| I won't bake no cake. | Negation on verb ("won't") and object ("no cake"). | I won't bake any cake. or I will bake no cake. |
| I can't go nowhere tonight. | Negation on verb ("can't") and adverb ("nowhere"). | I can't go anywhere tonight. or I can go nowhere tonight. |
| She doesn't know nothing. | Negation on verb ("doesn't") and object ("nothing"). | She doesn't know anything. or She knows nothing. |
| He didn't say nothing to me. | Negation on verb ("didn't") and object ("nothing"). | He didn't say anything to me. or He said nothing to me. |
| We haven't got no money. | Negation on verb ("haven't") and determiner ("no"). | We haven't got any money. or We have got no money. |
| You shouldn't never do that. | Negation on verb ("shouldn't") and adverb ("never"). | You should never do that. or You shouldn't ever do that. |
| I hardly ever go nowhere. | Negation implied by "hardly" and explicit "nowhere." | I hardly ever go anywhere. or I hardly ever go. |
| There isn't nobody home. | Negation on verb ("isn't") and pronoun ("nobody"). | There isn't anybody home. or There is nobody home. |
| I couldn't barely hear him. | Negation on verb ("couldn't") and implied by "barely." | I could barely hear him. or I couldn't quite hear him. |
Why Avoid Double Negatives in Formal Writing
In standard English, particularly in formal writing and speech, double negatives are typically avoided because they can lead to:
- Confusion: The meaning can be ambiguous. "I don't know nothing" could literally mean "I know something," which is often the opposite of the speaker's intent.
- Redundancy: Using two negative words to express one negative idea is inefficient.
- Lack of Clarity: They make sentences less clear and direct.
For more information on English grammar, you can consult reputable sources like the Purdue OWL.
