Double Negatives

A double negatives is two negative words together in the same sentence. If these two negative words are talking about the same subject they cancel each other out and the sentence becomes positive:

"I am not going to pay no bills" = I am going to pay some bills.
"She can't make friends with nobody" = she can make friends with somebody

To make these sentences correct you should only use one negative:

"I'm not going to pay any bills."
"She can't make friends with anybody."

Task: Correct the following sentences:

1. I don't have no clothes.
2. I haven't got nothing.
3. I didn't buy no shoes.
4. George didn't say nothing.
5. They'll never make no money.

Show Correct SentencesHide Answers

Are the sentences below correct or incorrect?
Lesson by David Byrne, EC London English School

• 1 - I don't have no money.
  
  correct
  incorrect
  
  
• 2 - I don't have any money.
  
  incorrect
  correct
  
  
• 3 - Daniel doesn't have no interest in football.
  
  correct
  incorrect
  
  
• 4 - There aren't any ripe bananas in this bunch.
  
  incorrect
  correct
  
  
• 5 - The accident wasn't nobody's fault.
  
  incorrect
  correct
  
  
• 6 - Max hasn't never said thank you to nobody.
  
  correct
  incorrect
  
  
• 7 - Neither of my sisters aren't coming this weekend.
  
  incorrect
  correct