English Grammar

Double Negatives

The words nobody, nothing, never etc., are enough to give a negative meaning, and not is unnecessary.

• They never visit us. (NOT They don’t never visit us.)
• I opened the door, but I could see nobody. (NOT … I couldn’t see nobody.)

Nobody and not anybody

Nobody, nothing, never etc., are more emphatic than not anybody, not anything, not ever etc. Note that anybody, anything, ever etc., are not negative words – they have to be used with not to give a negative meaning.

• I opened the door, but I couldn’t see anybody. (NOT … but I could see anybody.)
• I haven’t bought anything. (NOT I have bought anything.)

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