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Exercise 2
Rewrite the following paragraph by correcting the errors in the past-tense negative
sentences.
Celeste no did call me when she reached North Carolina. I was worried because she not
drove alone before. She was going to meet her friend, Terry, who lived in a town called
Asheville, North Carolina. I did never want to worry, but she said she was going to call
when she reached there. Finally, four hours later, she called and said, “Mom, I’m sorry I
did not call. I lost track of time because I was so happy to see Terry!” I was relieved.
Collaboration
Once you have found all the errors you can, please share with a classmate and compare
your answers. Did your partner find an error you missed? Did you find an error your
partner missed? Compare with your instructor’s answers.
Double negatives are two negatives used in the same phrase or sentence. They are
considered incorrect in Standard English. You should avoid using double negatives in all
formal writing. If you want to say something negative, use only one negative word in the
sentence. Return to the beginning of this section for a list of negative words, and then
study the following examples.
Tip
Ain’t is considered a contraction of am not. Although some may use it in everyday
speech, it is considered incorrect in Standard English. Avoid using it when speaking and
writing in formal contexts.
Exercise 3
On your own sheet of paper, correct the double negatives and rewrite the following
sentences.