Double Negatives - Adult ESL Resources

Two negative words, one clause

A double negative places two negative words in the same clause.

A double negative occurs when two negative words appear within the same clause, such as not and nothing together. In standard written English, one negative word is generally used per clause.

In the sentence I don’t know anything about it., only one negative word, don’t, appears. The word that would otherwise be negative, nothing, changes to anything instead.

This page explains how that shift works, and looks at a separate, deliberate use of two negative elements together to soften a statement.

Before you begin

Double negatives are one of three negative patterns.

This lesson focuses on double negatives specifically. Negatives as a whole include two other patterns, each covered in its own lesson.

If you would like an overview of how negation works in general, begin with the Negatives page.

Negatives

The central idea

A second negative word is replaced, not added.

Compare a sentence with two negative words to the standard version with one.

Two negative words

I don’t know nothing about it.

One negative word

I don’t know anything about it.

The useful question is: how many negative words appear in the clause?

Both sentences are intended to communicate the same single negative meaning. The standard version keeps only one negative word, don’t, and replaces the second one with a non-negative counterpart, anything.

How the second word shifts

Negative words pair with a non-negative counterpart.

Nothing becomes anything

He doesn’t want anything. (not nothing)

Nobody or no one becomes anybody or anyone

She didn’t tell anyone. (not no one)

Never becomes ever

I haven’t ever seen that film. (not never)

No becomes any

We don’t have any tickets left. (not no tickets)

A deliberate exception

Two negative elements can also combine to state a softened positive.

She is not unkind.

Here, the two negative elements, not and the prefix un-, are combined deliberately. Rather than cancelling into a plain, everyday clause, they produce a softened positive meaning: the speaker is suggesting she is kind, though perhaps with some reservation. This technique is called litotes, and it is treated as a standard, intentional structure rather than an error.

A note on other varieties of English

Not every variety of English follows the same convention.

Some varieties and dialects of English, along with many other languages, use more than one negative word within a clause to reinforce a single negative meaning, rather than to cancel it out. This pattern is sometimes called negative concord. It follows its own consistent rules within those varieties; it simply differs from the one-negative-per-clause convention used in standard written English, which is the convention this lesson focuses on.

A useful decision guide

Ask how many negative words the clause contains.

Does the clause already contain not, doesn’t, or a similar word?

If so, only one negative word is needed in standard written English.

Does a second negative word, such as nothing or never, also appear?

Replace it with its non-negative counterpart, such as anything or ever.

Is the combination being used deliberately, to soften a statement?

A pattern such as not unkind is a standard, intentional exception.

What kind of writing is this for?

Standard written English follows the one-negative-per-clause convention explained here.

Common mistakes

An unintended second negative can create ambiguity.

A second negative word is not added for emphasis in standard written English.

Not: She didn’t say nothing.

Correct: She didn’t say anything.

In standard English, this combination is generally read as cancelling to a positive meaning, which is usually not what is intended.

No and not are not combined in the same clause.

Not: We don’t have no time.

Correct: We don’t have any time.

Never and not are not combined in the same clause.

Not: I haven’t never been there.

Correct: I haven’t ever been there.

Check your understanding

Which sentence follows the standard one-negative-per-clause convention?

Choose the correct answer for each pair.

Which sentence uses one negative word?

He doesn’t want nothing. He doesn’t want anything.

“She is not unkind.” combines two negative elements. What is this technique called?

Negative concord Litotes

Which sentence is written in standard English?

We don’t have no tickets. We don’t have any tickets.

Choose the best explanation

Select the sentence that explains the double negative correctly.

Why is “I haven’t never been there.” not standard English?

a) It combines two negative words, “haven’t” and “never”, in the same clause. b) It is missing a subject. c) “Been” is the wrong verb form.

Why is “She is not unkind.” treated differently from “She didn’t say nothing.”?

a) It uses fewer words. b) It deliberately combines two negative elements to soften a statement, rather than accidentally repeating a negative meaning. c) It uses a question mark instead of a period.

Try it another way

Rewrite each sentence in standard English.

Replace the second negative word.

She didn’t tell no one about the surprise.

We don’t have no bread left.

Quick review

Standard written English keeps one negative word per clause.

A double negative is two negative words appearing in the same clause.

In standard written English, one negative word is used, and words such as nothing, no one and never shift to anything, anyone and ever.

Litotes, as in not unkind, deliberately combines two negative elements to state a softened positive, and is treated as a standard, intentional structure.

Other varieties of English follow different, internally consistent conventions around multiple negative words, sometimes called negative concord.

Remember

Count the negative words, then check the purpose behind them.

In standard written English, look for a single negative word per clause, and replace a second one with its non-negative counterpart, unless the combination is a deliberate choice like litotes.