Affirmative, Negative, and Double Negative sentences

Which of these sentences is an affirmative statement, meaning it states something is true?

• My dog loves to play fetch in the park.

• My dog does not like getting a bath.

• Isn't my dog the cutest?

• My dog never barks at the mail carrier.

Answer explanation

This is an affirmative sentence because it makes a positive statement without any negative words like 'not' or 'never'. The other options are negative or a question.

True or False: A sentence must contain the word 'not' to be considered a negative sentence.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

A sentence can be negative by using other negative words like 'never', 'nobody', 'nothing', or 'nowhere'. The word 'not' is just one of several ways to make a sentence negative.

Complete the sentence: My friends _____ at the skate park yesterday because it was raining.

• weren't

• wasn't

• not were

• be not

Answer explanation

The correct negative form for the plural subject 'friends' in the past tense is 'were not' or the contraction 'weren't'. 'Wasn't' is for singular subjects.

Complete the sentence: My older brother has a driver's license, but he _____ like driving in the city.

• doesn't

• don't

• is not

• has not

Answer explanation

For a singular subject like 'he', you use 'does not' or the contraction 'doesn't' to make a verb negative. 'Don't' is used for 'I', 'you', 'we', and 'they'.

Which sentence contains a double negative and is considered nonstandard English?

• I haven't ever been to Canada.

• She doesn't know the answer.

• We don't have no more pizza left.

• There is nothing in the box.

Answer explanation

This sentence uses two negative words, 'don't' and 'no', in the same clause, which is a double negative. A correct version would be 'We don't have any more pizza left.'

In the sentence, 'He couldn't believe he won the video game tournament,' what two words does the contraction 'couldn't' stand for?

• could not

• can not

• could never

• can't not

Answer explanation

The contraction 'couldn't' is the standard short form of 'could not'. It combines the modal verb 'could' and the negative word 'not'.

What does the sentence 'I can't find my backpack anywhere' mean?

• My backpack is somewhere.

• My backpack is nowhere to be found.

• I found my backpack.

• My backpack is in some places, but not others.

Answer explanation

The negative 'can't' combined with 'anywhere' means that in all possible places, the backpack is not there. This is the correct way to express this idea, unlike a double negative.

True or False: The sentences 'I have no idea' and 'I don't have any idea' basically mean the same thing.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Both sentences correctly express a lack of knowledge. 'I have no idea' uses 'no' before the noun, while 'I don't have any idea' uses 'not' with the verb and 'any' before the noun.

Complete the sentence to make it grammatically correct: The librarian said we can't have _____ food in the computer lab.

• any

• no

• none of

• nothing

Answer explanation

When a sentence already has a negative word like 'can't', you should use 'any' instead of another negative like 'no' or 'nothing' to avoid a double negative.

Complete the sentence to give a clear negative command: _____ on the freshly painted bench!

• Don't sit

• Not sit

• No sitting on

• You not sit

Answer explanation

A negative command, or negative imperative, is formed by using 'Do not' or 'Don't' before the base form of the verb. The other options are not standard command forms.