tr11_u2_henr.

fm Page 84 Monday, September 26, 2005 9:0 PM

!ame
"ate 10#10#1$
%Spee&h 'n the
('rg'n'a
)on*ent'on+ by
Patr'&, -enry
%Spee&h 'n the
)on*ent'on+ by
.en/am'n
0ran,1'n
Grammar
and Style:
Double
Negatives
2t ta,e3 on1y one negat'*e 4ord or
&ontra&t'on to &ommun'&ate a negat'*e
'dea. 2f you u3e t4o
negat'*e3, they 1og'&a11y &an&e1 ea&h other
out, re3u1t'ng 'n a po3't'*e 3tatement.
Double Negative: 2 4ont
never appro*e 't.
logically
means
2 may at
3ome t'me
appro*e 't.
2f your 'ntent'on '3 to ma,e a negative
3tatement, you 3hou1d not u3e a
doub1e negat'*e.
2n3tead, u3e on1y one negat'*e 4ord or
&ontra&t'on.
Correct Negative Form: 2 4'11
never appro*e 't.
or
2
4on
t
ever
appr
o*e
't.
Mo3t negat'*e 4ord3 3tart 4'th nno,
not 5often &ontra&ted to nt6, never,
none, no one,
nothing, nobody, and nowhere, for e7amp1e. 8 fe4 other 4ord3, 3u&h a3
hardly, barely, and
scarcely, are a13o negat'*e3.
A. PRACTC!: Read the following conversation. Underline any double negatives.
1. 2911 ne*er go to no .adger3
game3 aga'n.
2. :hy 4on9t you go to none of
tho3e .ad;
ger3 game3<
$. =he .adger3 don9t ,no4
noth'ng about
footba11>
4. =hat 3tar p1ayer a11o43 hard1y
no one to
get 'n h'3 4ay.
5. =hey p1ay a3 'f they ha*en9t got no
3en3e.
6. !o one e*en tr'ed to b1o&, that
f'e1d goa1.
. :e11, maybe 't /u3t 4ou1dn9t ha*e
done
no good.
". #riting A$$lication: On the lines below, Rewrite the sentences in part A that contain
double negatives. Correct all the double negatives to mae them acceptable usage. !f a
sentence is correct, write correct.
1. 2911 ne*er go to .adger3 game3 aga'n.
2. :hy 4ou1d you go to none of tho3e .adger3 game3<
$. =he .adger3 don9t ,no4 anyth'ng about footba11>
4. =hat 3tar p1ayer a11o43 e*eryone to get 'n h'3 4ay.
5. =hey p1ay a3 'f they got no 3en3e.
6. )orre&t
. :e11, maybe 't /u3t 4ou1dn9t ha*e done good.
?n't 2 @e3our&e3: 8 !at'on 23 .orn
A Pear3on Bdu&at'on, 2n&., pub1'3h'ng a3 Pear3on Prent'&e -a11. 811 r'ght3 re3er*ed.
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