Navigating Double Negatives in English

This video tutorial covers the concept of double negatives in English grammar. It explains what negative words are and how using more than one in a sentence creates a double negative, which is incorrect. The video provides examples of incorrect sentences and demonstrates how to correct them by removing one of the negative words. It also highlights that some negative words do not contain 'no' but are still considered negative. The tutorial includes practice exercises to identify and correct double negatives, emphasizing the importance of understanding contractions as negative words. The video concludes with a call to action to engage with more content.

What is a double negative?

• Using two negative words in a sentence, which is incorrect

• Using two affirmative words to make a positive statement

• A literary technique to emphasize a positive statement

• A mathematical term for multiplying two negative numbers

Why are double negatives considered incorrect in standard English?

• They are a newer grammatical structure

• They are only used in informal English

• They can confuse the meaning of the sentence

• They make sentences too long

How can you correct a sentence with a double negative?

• By replacing one of the negative words to make the sentence correct

• By removing all negative words

• By rewriting the sentence in passive voice

• By adding another negative word

What should you do if you encounter a double negative in a sentence?

• Change the subject of the sentence

• Add more details to clarify the meaning

• Eliminate one of the negatives to correct the sentence

• Leave it as it is for emphasis

Which of the following words is considered a negative word but does not contain 'no'?

• Nowhere

• No one

• Hardly

• Nobody

Which of the following is NOT a negative word?

• Never

• Scarcely

• Always

• Hardly

Identify the sentence with a double negative.

• We didn't buy any light bulbs.

• No one saw anything.

• I haven't seen Mary lately.

• I didn't see nothing but hail.

Which sentence is correct?

• I have hardly seen Mary lately.

• I will not never break the record.

• I haven't received no answer to my request.

• Not neither of my scores was high enough.

What is the correct way to fix the sentence 'I haven't received no answer to my request'?

• I haven't not received no answer to my request.

• I have no received answer to my request.

• I haven't received any answer to my request.

• I have received no answer to my request.

Which sentence correctly avoids a double negative?

• I can't find my keys nowhere.

• She didn't go to no concert.

• I don't need no help.

• I hardly ever see them.