What is a double negative?

Two negative words sharing one idea: don't have no time. In many dialects that still means one negative (no time at all), and people understand it. Standard written English uses one negative and hands the second slot to the any- family: don't have any time.

How do the sheets practice it?

Every sentence contains one negative already; your child chooses the any- word that keeps it single, writing the choice on the line.

4th grade negatives and double negatives

4th grade negatives and double negatives worksheets

Fourth graders complete negative sentences with the any- family, keeping one negative per idea: don't have any, can't find anyone, isn't anywhere.

Free printable PDF worksheet, aligned to Common Core L.5.1.

Each print is a different sheet with its own answer key. You don't need to sign up.

The kind of sentences you'll fix

Choose the word that keeps the sentence to one negative, and write it on the line.

There isn’t (anything / nothing) better than Sunday pancakes.
Fixed: There isn’t anything better than Sunday pancakes.
The keeper didn’t allow (any / no) goals in the second half.
The turtle hasn’t gone (anywhere / nowhere) in an hour, and seems pleased.

Every print pulls a new set of sentences at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling gets a different mix.

What's on a 4th grade sheet

4th grade sheets draw from 40 sentences, 8 to a page. All 40 are on 5th grade sheets too, along with 4 more.

A few of the sentences:

I couldn’t remember anything after the second verse.
Grandpa can’t hear anything over the lawn mower.
There aren’t any rules in calvinball, which is the rule.

Fix it. Choose the word that keeps the sentence to one negative, and write it on the line. 8 sentences to fix per page.

Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.

How to teach this

Teach the counting habit: find the first negative in the sentence and circle it. One circle means every later slot goes to the any- family. Zero circles means no- words are available.

Watch for: 'We don't have no time' does not mean we have time. Speakers of many English dialects say it to mean 'we have no time,' and everyone listening understands. Standard written English, the kind these sheets practice, spends one negative per idea: we don't have any time. The any- family is the negative's partner: not...anything, never...anyone, without...any. Choosing any- after a negative is the whole move.

Common questions about 4th grade negatives and double negatives

What is a double negative?: Two negative words sharing one idea: don't have no time. In many dialects that still means one negative (no time at all), and people understand it. Standard written English uses one negative and hands the second slot to the any- family: don't have any time.
How do the sheets practice it?: Every sentence contains one negative already; your child chooses the any- word that keeps it single, writing the choice on the line.

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Aligned to Common Core L.5.1. Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 241, updated October 2026.

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