A double negative is the nonstandard usage of two negatives used in the same sentence so that they cancel each other and create a positive. In Shakespeare's day, double negatives were considered emphatic, but today, they are considered grammar mistakes.
Remembering that two negatives form a positive will help you to avoid the "double negative" grammar problem:
Negative + Positive = Negative |
Negative Words
The following list contains words that are regarded as negative. If you use them in your sentences once, your statements will be negative.
http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/grammar/doubneg.html
A double negative occurs when two forms of negation are used in the same sentence.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_negative
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