What Are Negatives in Grammar?
Words and phrases that represent negation are called negatives in English grammar. Negative words and phrases are commonly used in everyday speech and writing. “Never,” “nobody,” “nowhere,” “none,” “cannot,” “will not,” “did not,” “shall not,” “would not,” etc., are some commonly used negative words.
It’s common to use contractions to convert a negative phrase into a word. For instance, phrases like “could not” and “would not” are written as “couldn’t” and “wouldn’t.”
Examples:
- I don’t think I will be able to come to the party.
- She is not as smart as she seems.
- He didn’t know how to drive.
- She doesn’t eat cake.
- I knocked, but there was no answer.
- I’m neither happy nor sad.
- There is nothing in the cupboard, it’s empty.
- Nobody’s going anywhere today.
Types of Negatives
There are three types of regularly used negatives in English.
Negative Adverbs
Adverbs that convey negation are known as negative adverbs.
Examples:
- There is hardly any food left in the fridge.
- Little did he know it was the last time they would meet.
- She seldom goes to see her parents.
- We scarcely ever meet.
- I will never forget you.
- They barely spoke to each other throughout the road trip.
- Neither he nor I heard them fight last night.
- Dan and Martha rarely talk about their children.
Negatives Formed by Adding Prefixes
Besides negative words and phrases, there are also negatives obtained by adding prefixes to positive words. Below are some common negative prefixes:
| Negative Prefixes | Examples |
| un- | unreasonable, unconscious |
| non- | nonsense, nonrefundable |
| ir-, il-, in-, im- | irresponsible, irregular, illogical, illegal, inactive, indefinite, impossible, impractical |
| de-, dis- | dehydrate, deregulate, disappoint, disbelief |
| a-, anti- | asexual, apolitical, antisocial, antibiotic |
What Are Double Negatives?
When two negative words are used together in a sentence or statement, they’re known as double negatives. Double negatives are formed by negating the verb or the modifiers like adjectives and adverbs.
While double negatives are considered as common grammar mistakes, it would be wrong to consider all double negatives as errors. This is because there are some words and phrases that not only make sense, but are also grammatically correct. One can also use a grammar checker to get more assistance, below are some examples of sentences containing double negatives.
- I didn’t know neither her name nor her address.
- He is not unattractive.
- What she said is not untrue.
- Their arrival was not unexpected.
- It is not an uncommon occurrence.
- She is not an infrequent visitor.
- He is not unafraid of dogs.
- My son wouldn’t fight with nobody.
- I ain’t got no money.
- He wasn’t irresponsible when he forgot to give her the money he owed her.
How to Avoid Double Negatives
- Rephrasing: Removing negative words that are redundant or altering sentences to make sure they’re grammatically accurate helps make sentences comprehensible.
- Using online tools: Use a grammar checker tool that will help identify and suggest corrections of errors related to sentence structure, punctuation, syntax, and parallelism. Using such tools can also help steer clear of double negatives.
While double negatives are commonly used colloquially, it would be best to avoid them in academic writing and other forms of formal communication.
