Avoiding Double Negatives

1. Avoiding Double Negatives Don’t say No!

2. A negative is any word that has ‘not’ or ‘no’ in it. Here are some examples: • No • Not • Never • Nothing • None • No one • Nowhere • A contraction with ‘not’ in it like didn’t, couldn’t, isn’t, etc.

3. Here’s the rule! • It ain’t never no good to use double negatives in one sentence!!! • A double negative is any sentence that has more than one negative word in it, like my rule above! • Here would be a better way to write the rule: You can’t use more than one negative in any sentence. • Double negatives are NEVER okay to use in writing because it confuses the reader. • To fix a double negative, take out one of them and rewrite the sentence so it is more clear for the reader.

4. Let’s Practice: Underline the negative words. Then, redo the following sentences, fixing the double negative. • They don’t have no reason to be angry. • She won’t never sing in front of an audience. • I would not go nowhere with you. • Nobody never volunteers to write on the board!

5. Let’s Practice: Underline the negative words. Then, redo the following sentences, fixing the double negative. • I don’t have no fear of skateboarding. • Didn’t nobody bring cookies for the party? • I never want to go skydiving!