2. + - © 2005 www.teachit.co.uk37231 Double negatives A maths starter in English?

3. + - © 2005 www.teachit.co.uk37232 What are double negatives? Have you ever said or heard….? “I ain’t done nothing” “He don’t want no food” "I don't want nothing!" These sentences have two negative words in them: We can understand what the sentences mean but they are not correct standard English and in reality they mean the complete opposite! Ain’t + nothing Don’t + no Don’t + nothing

4. + - © 2005 www.teachit.co.uk37233 Double negatives: a possible translation “I ain’t done nothing” “He don’t want no food” ‘I haven’t done anything’ ‘He doesn’t want any food’ ‘I have done something’ ‘He does want some food?’

5. + - © 2005 www.teachit.co.uk37234 Negative words no, not, none no-one, nothing, nowhere neither, nobody, never doesn't, isn't, wasn't wouldn't, couldn't, shouldn't won't, can't, don't If you use any two negative words in the same idea, your sentence will be positive - the opposite to what you intended.

6. + - © 2005 www.teachit.co.uk37235 Remember your sums !  Pete doesn't like to do no hopping Pete doesn’t like to hop Only use one negative word in a sentence when you want to say something that is negative.

7. + - © 2005 www.teachit.co.uk37236 What are double negatives? Double negatives can be confusing and they are inappropriate in a formal situation Double negatives can also cause miscommunication – can you think of an example?

8. + - © 2005 www.teachit.co.uk37237 Sally doesn't have no interest in netball Sally isn’t interested in netball I have never not been late for school I have never been late for school Nobody's never given me a bad report Nobody has ever given me a bad report Spot the problem and solve it!

9. + - © 2005 www.teachit.co.uk37238 Someone spilt some acid but it wasn’t nobody's fault Someone spilt some acid but it was nobody's fault The student could not find no book to use The student couldn’t find a book to use The experiment did not have none of the results expected The experiment did not have any of the results expected Spot the problem and solve it!

10. + - © 2005 www.teachit.co.uk37239 Negative Positive += Only use one negative word in a sentence when you want to say that something is negative

11. + - © 2005 www.teachit.co.uk372310 And finally… Write down a definition of what double negatives are Explain what the problem might be with double negatives