CBSE Class 5 English Avoiding Double Negatives Worksheet

Negative words express the idea of not or no. The adverb not often appears in the form of a contraction.

Negative words are the opposite of affirmative words. Affirmative words show the idea of yes. Each negative will have several opposite affirmatives.

Using two negatives in a sentence creates a double negative. Avoid using more than one negative in a sentence. Correct a double negative by using an affirmative word in place of one of the negative words.

Incorrect: The teacher didn’t grade no papers.

Correct: The teacher graded no papers. The teacher didn’t grade any papers.

• Exercise 1 Underline the word in parentheses that best completes each sentence.

We didn’t see (none, any).

1. My father doesn’t (never, ever) want to vacation in Florida.

2. Bill doesn’t think (nothing, anything) is as much fun as mountain climbing.

3. My mother says she isn’t (no, a) swimmer.

4. There weren’t (no, any) apples on the tree.

5. There isn’t (no, any) easy way to decide where to go.

6. Aaron wasn’t (never, ever) able to keep up with the older boys.

7. We didn’t see (nothing, anything) interesting at the flea market.

8. The book can’t be kept (no, any) longer.

9. My brother didn’t break (no, any) windows.

10. The band didn’t play (nowhere, anywhere) last week.

11. Did you say you don’t (never, ever) make a mistake?

12. Marcy hasn’t (no, any) money for the book.

13. We looked for the treasure, but we didn’t find (nothing, anything).

14. The pirates didn’t intend for (no one, anyone) to find it.

15. Mr. Allen didn’t mean (nothing, anything) by his comment.

16. After the picnic there weren’t (no, any) potato chips left.

17. The broken glass wasn’t (no one’s, anyone’s) fault.

18. We won’t (never, ever) visit that theater again.

19. The police officer yelled, “Don’t (nobody, anybody) move!”

20. There wasn’t (no, any) popcorn for the movie.
 

• Exercise 2 Write a negative in the blank for each of the following affirmative words.

Use contractions when possible.

ever never

1. will won’t

2. one none, no one

3. anywhere nowhere

4. did didn’t

5. have haven’t

6. should shouldn’t

7. any none

8. is isn’t

9. do don’t

10. always never

11. can can’t

12. some none

13. could couldn’t

14. was wasn’t

15. someone no one

16. would wouldn’t

17. were weren’t

18. anything nothing

19. has hasn’t

20. does doesn’t