Double negatives may be grammatically correct in some languages, but in English, they are redundant and incorrect.
- Example 1: Ian doesn’t have no time to update the document. → Ian doesn’t have any time to update the document.
- Example 2: Michelle didn’t take none of the new manuals. → Michelle didn’t take any of the new manuals.
Generally, one negative word is enough to convey the message of negation correctly. Multiple negations would actually contradict the original intention of the sentence because the two negatives would cancel each other out. This does not mean, however, that if you have three negatives or any other odd number of negatives, you would be able to convey the negation correctly. A sentence typically does not need more than one negation at a time.
However, like many other aspects of English, there are exceptions. Two negative words in a sentence can be correct when used intentionally to convey a specific meaning.
- Oscar wasn’t displeased with his test scores.
The sentence above is trying to express that the Oscar was not displeased with his test scores, but it also implies he wasn’t necessarily pleased with them either. The writer of the sentence is trying to convey that Oscar did not have a particularly strong feeling regarding his scores.
- Angela was never unambitious in her life.
Another way to express the sentence above would be: Angela was always ambitious in her life. If the writer purposely wrote this sentence with two negations, it would imply that Angela was perhaps not necessarily ambitious throughout her life either.
Still having trouble? Engram can help point out double negatives in your sentences and give you suggestions on how to fix them.
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