How to use double negative sentences properly?
The story is; yesterday during a talk with my friend, I spoke up a sentence like this:
"You don't like U2 are you ?"
But just when I was about to spoke up, I started to realize that there is another problem to me: I don't know what would it means if I restate it into below:
"You don't like U2 aren't you?"
[Context] In that period just before I spoke up the sentence, I had already recognized that he might not like U2, so what I truly wanted to express here is much like to double check if he really doesn't like U2.
BTW: Please tell me whether should I use mean or means in the line right after "another problem:" and "But just when I was about to [speak or spoke?] up.
Really appreciate your help=)
[I will choose the most helpful one and select it as a best answer to this question.][Crucial modification] Please compare, "you don't like U2 ,do you?" and " You don't like U2, don't you?"
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Answers · 9
1
mean...speak..
1
Both statements are wrong
You don't like U2, do you?
This is correct.
There are no double negatives in English.
1
In Shakespeare's day, double negatives were used, but now they are regarded as grammar mistakes. For more explanations go to
http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/grammar/doubneg.html
0
For yourself, please avoid ever using double negatives. You've made so many careless grammar mistakes in your question that trying to use double negatives will make your English look even worse. Learn to walk before you run.
Here's the basic rule: one negative per statement.
For your example, "You don't like U2, don't you?" is simply nonsensical. This has to do with how tag questions work.
0
You don't "speak up" a sentence. This phrasal verb is intransitive. Simply use, "I was about to say something like this:"
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