A double negative is when two negatives come together and cancel each other out. ‘I did nothing’ and ‘I didn’t do anything’ both mean the same thing.
If we change this sentence to ‘I didn’t do nothing’, it becomes a double negative. Technically, if you ‘didn’t do nothing’, then you must have done something!
Generally, you should avoid using double negatives as they can be confusing. However, they are sometimes used in song lyrics or poetry to make a particular point.
I won’t not use double negatives.
Discuss 1. Identify a double negative in the poem ‘Travel’ on page 98.
2. Think of the famous song ‘We Don’t Need No Education’ by Pink Floyd. How is this a double negative? What does the sentence actually mean?
Understand
Rewrite the following sentences, correcting the double negatives. 1. I cannot find my keys nowhere. 2. You cannot see no one in this crowd. 3. We have not never seen a house that big. 4. That attitude will not get you nowhere. 5. There are not no presents left to unwrap.
