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- Avoid no/not + negative adverbs such as hardly and scarcely. The main problem with combining no/not with negative adverbs is that the double negatives cancel each other out, leaving you with a positive meaning when you most likely intended a negative one. Delete the no/not or delete the negative adverb to preserve the intended negative meaning.
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A double negative is usually created by combining the negative form of a verb (e.g., did not) with a negative pronoun (e.g., nothing), a negative adverb (e.g., never), or a negative conjunction (e.g., neither/nor).
Sep 19, 2022 · Double negation is especially problematic for negative adverbs like hardly, seldom, barely, scarcely, and rarely. These words are often used incorrectly with negatives, which changes their meaning completely.
Jan 14, 2021 · Double negatives are created by adding a negation to the verb and to the modifier of the noun (adjectives, adverbs, etc.) or to the object of the verb. I won’t (will not) bake no cake. (verb negation + object negation)
However, we can use not + an adjective or adverb with a negative prefix (e.g. un-, in-) as a way of softening or downtoning the meaning of the adjective. The meaning becomes affirmative, but the double negation shows that the writer/speaker is cautious about it.
Mar 28, 2024 · Be cautious with negative adverbs: Negative adverbs, such as “hardly”, “scarcely”, and “barely”, can unexpectedly create double negatives when paired with words like “not” or “can’t”. Be aware of these combinations and rephrase them accordingly.
Sep 30, 2022 · The main problem with combining no/not with negative adverbs is that the double negatives cancel each other out, leaving you with a positive meaning when you most likely intended a negative one. Delete the no/not or delete the negative adverb to preserve the intended negative meaning.
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Jul 25, 2024 · A double negative occurs when two negative words are used in the same clause, leading to a construction that can either contradict itself or create an unintended positive meaning. This linguistic feature is common in some dialects and informal speech , but it is typically considered incorrect in standard English grammar.
