Let’s go through each sentence one by one. Remember: we can only use
one negative word in a sentence to express a negative idea. If there are two, it’s a double negative — and that’s not correct in standard English.
We’ll pick the right word from the parentheses so the sentence makes sense and has only one negative.
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1. There aren’t ( any, no ) cookies left to eat.
→ “Aren’t” is already negative (“are not”). So we need “any” to keep it correct.
✔ Correct: There aren’t
any cookies left to eat.
2. I didn’t do ( nothing, anything ) over the weekend.
→ “Didn’t” is negative (“did not”). So we need “anything” to avoid double negative.
✔ Correct: I didn’t do
anything over the weekend.
3. My dad can’t find ( anywhere, nowhere ) to park the car.
→ “Can’t” is negative (“cannot”). So we need “anywhere”.
✔ Correct: My dad can’t find
anywhere to park the car.
4. There isn’t ( no, any ) time left to go to the supermarket before it closes.
→ “Isn’t” is negative (“is not”). So we need “any”.
✔ Correct: There isn’t
any time left...
5. Emma said she didn’t need ( either, neither ) of those ingredients to make cupcakes.
→ “Didn’t” is negative. “Neither” means “not one or the other” — but with “didn’t”, it becomes double negative. We want “either” here because “didn’t need either” = needed none.
✔ Correct: Emma said she didn’t need
either of those ingredients...
6. The mission was so top secret that even couldn’t tell ( nobody, anybody ) about it.
Wait — this sentence seems missing a subject? Probably meant: “even
he/she/they couldn’t tell...” But regardless, “couldn’t” is negative. So we need “anybody” to avoid double negative.
✔ Correct: ...couldn’t tell
anybody about it.
7. I can’t wait until Saturday because I haven’t ( ever, never ) been to a concert before.
→ “Haven’t” is negative (“have not”). So we need “ever” — “haven’t ever been” = have never been. Using “never” would be double negative.
✔ Correct: I haven’t
ever been to a concert before.
8. The store didn’t have ( none, any ) of the presents I was looking for.
→ “Didn’t” is negative. So we need “any”. “None” would make it double negative.
✔ Correct: The store didn’t have
any of the presents...
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Final Answer:
1. any
2. anything
3. anywhere
4. any
5. either
6. anybody
7. ever
8. any
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of double negatives worksheet.
