Negatives

A similarity between Spanish and English is the existence of negative elements which provide a negative context when they are used in a sentence. A difference is the importance in Spanish of element position relative to the verbal nucleus, and the different role these negative elements play dependent on their location. Follow the 'Grammatical Notes' for a more detailed explanation.

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Grammatical Notes

Question #1 - El . . . . . (1| . . . (2| tampoco es nada pretencioso . . . . . |a) ni |b) o pedante. (1|a) (1|b) (2|a) (2|b) . . . . . . tampoco tampoco ni o ni o 1 valid answer Question #2 - . . . . . (1| Una vez (2| Nunca escuché tampoco . . . . . |a) ninguna |b) alguna conferencia interesante. (1|a) (1|b) (2|a) (2|b) Una vez Una vez Nunca Nunca ninguna alguna ninguna alguna 1 valid answer Question #3 - Juan . . . . . (1| también (2| no nos ayuda . . . . . |a) siempre |b) nunca con ninguna de las tareas. (1|a) (1|b) (2|a) (2|b) también también no no siempre nunca siempre nunca 1 valid answer Question #4 - Con esa actitud . . . . . (1| alguna vez (2| nunca va a resolver . . . . . |a) nada |b) algo o contribuir al progreso de la comunidad. (1|a) (1|b) (2|a) (2|b) alguna vez alguna vez nunca nunca nada algo nada algo 1 valid answer Question #5 - . . . . . (1| No (2| También se lo he dicho a veces . . . . . |a) todo |b) nada a alguien. (1|a) (1|b) (2|a) (2|b) No No También También todo nada todo nada 1 valid answer Question #6 - Ahora . . . . . (1| . . . (2| no canta mejor que . . . . . |a) ninguno |b) alguien que yo conozca en el conservatorio. (1|a) (1|b) (2|a) (2|b) . . . . . . no no ninguno alguien ninguno alguien 1 valid answer Question #7 - Esos alumnos . . . . . (1| . . . (2| no están incapacitados de leer . . . . . |a) nada |b) algún texto avanzado. (1|a) (1|b) (2|a) (2|b) . . . . . . no no nada algún texto nada algún texto 2 valid answers. Can you find them all? Question #8 - Te aseguro que . . . . . (1| también (2| ni siquiera vi a . . . . . |a) nadie |b) alguno que fuese sospechoso. (1|a) (1|b) (2|a) (2|b) también también ni siquiera ni siquiera nadie alguno nadie alguno 2 valid answers. Can you find them all? Question #9 - Felizmente . . . . . (1| siempre (2| nunca entramos sin que . . . . . |a) nadie |b) alguien nos viera. (1|a) (1|b) (2|a) (2|b) siempre siempre nunca nunca nadie alguien nadie alguien 2 valid answers. Can you find them all? Question #10 - Seguramente . . . . . (1| . . . (2| no (1| también (2| tampoco era mejor que . . . . . |a) ninguno |b) algunos de sus amigos. (1|a) (1|b) (2|a) (2|b) 2 valid answers

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Not a valid choice.

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Improper use of positive-negative elements in a normal negative context.

Hints?

Back to question 1

Not a valid choice.

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Improper use of positive-negative elements in a normal negative context.

Hints?

Back to question 1

Not a valid choice.

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Improper use of positive-negative elements in a normal negative context.

Hints?

Back to question 1

Correct!

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Proper use of positive-negative elements in a normal negative context.

A negative context pertains if a 'negative element' appears before the verbal nucleus. In this case, only 'negative elements' are allowed after the verbal nucleus, but they should not be interpreted as 'double negatives'.

Hints?

Back to question 1

Not a valid choice.

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Improper use of positive-negative elements in a normal positive context.

Hints?

Back to question 1

Not a valid choice.

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Improper use of positive-negative elements in a normal negative context.

Hints?

Back to question 2

Not a valid choice.

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Improper use of positive-negative elements in a normal positive context.

Hints?

Back to question 2

Correct!

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Proper use of positive-negative elements in a normal negative context.

A negative context pertains if a 'negative element' appears before the verbal nucleus. In this case, only 'negative elements' are allowed after the verbal nucleus, but they should not be interpreted as 'double negatives'.

Hints?

Back to question 2

Not a valid choice.

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Improper use of positive-negative elements in a normal positive context.

Hints?

Back to question 2

Not a valid choice.

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Improper use of positive-negative elements in a normal positive context.

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Back to question 3

Not a valid choice.

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Improper use of positive-negative elements in a normal negative context.

Hints?

Back to question 3

Not a valid choice.

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Improper use of positive-negative elements in a normal positive context.

Hints?

Back to question 3

Correct!

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Proper use of positive-negative elements in a normal negative context.

A negative context pertains if a 'negative element' appears before the verbal nucleus. In this case, only 'negative elements' are allowed after the verbal nucleus, but they should not be interpreted as 'double negatives'.

Hints?

Back to question 3

Not a valid choice.

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Improper use of positive-negative elements in a normal negative context.

Hints?

Back to question 4

Correct!

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Proper use of positive-negative elements in a normal positive context.

A positive context pertains if no 'negative element' appears before the verbal nucleus. In this case, 'negative elements' are not allowed after it either. If the sense of what you what to convey requires a 'negative element' you should insert a no or another negative before the verbal nucleus.

Hints?

Back to question 4

Not a valid choice.

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Improper use of positive-negative elements in a normal negative context.

Hints?

Back to question 4

Not a valid choice.

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Improper use of positive-negative elements in a normal positive context.

Hints?

Back to question 4

Not a valid choice.

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Improper use of positive-negative elements in a normal positive context.

Hints?

Back to question 5

Not a valid choice.

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Improper use of positive-negative elements in a normal negative context.

Hints?

Back to question 5

Correct!

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Proper use of positive-negative elements in a normal positive context.

A positive context pertains if no 'negative element' appears before the verbal nucleus. In this case, 'negative elements' are not allowed after it either. If the sense of what you what to convey requires a 'negative element' you should insert a no or another negative before the verbal nucleus.

Hints?

Back to question 5

Not a valid choice.

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Improper use of positive-negative elements in a normal negative context.

Hints?

Back to question 5

Not a valid choice.

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Improper use of positive-negative elements in a non-standard negative context.

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Back to question 6

Not a valid choice.

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Improper use of positive-negative elements in a non-standard positive context.

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Back to question 6

Not a valid choice.

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Improper use of positive-negative elements in a non-standard negative context.

Hints?

Back to question 6

Correct!

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Proper use of positive-negative elements in a non-standard positive context.

We call sin, most 'comparative expressions', and the prefix in- 'non-standard' because they behave differently as negative elements establishing a negative context. They may come after the verbal nucleus and they may be cancelled by another negative element in the area before the verbal nucleus, an exception to the rule to avoid double negatives.

Hints?

Back to question 6

Correct!

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Proper use of positive-negative elements in a normal negative context.

A negative context pertains if a 'negative element' appears before the verbal nucleus. In this case, only 'negative elements' are allowed after the verbal nucleus, but they should not be interpreted as 'double negatives'.

Hints?

Back to question 7

Not a valid choice.

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Improper use of positive-negative elements in a normal positive context.

Hints?

Back to question 7

Not a valid choice.

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Improper use of positive-negative elements in a normal negative context.

Hints?

Back to question 7

Correct!

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Proper use of positive-negative elements in a normal positive context.

A positive context pertains if no 'negative element' appears before the verbal nucleus. In this case, 'negative elements' are not allowed after it either. If the sense of what you what to convey requires a 'negative element' you should insert a no or another negative before the verbal nucleus.

Hints?

Back to question 7

Not a valid choice.

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Improper use of positive-negative elements in a normal negative context.

Hints?

Back to question 8

Correct!

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Proper use of positive-negative elements in a normal positive context.

A positive context pertains if no 'negative element' appears before the verbal nucleus. In this case, 'negative elements' are not allowed after it either. If the sense of what you what to convey requires a 'negative element' you should insert a no or another negative before the verbal nucleus.

Hints?

Back to question 8

Correct!

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Proper use of positive-negative elements in a normal negative context.

A negative context pertains if a 'negative element' appears before the verbal nucleus. In this case, only 'negative elements' are allowed after the verbal nucleus, but they should not be interpreted as 'double negatives'.

Hints?

Back to question 8

Not a valid choice.

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Improper use of positive-negative elements in a normal positive context.

Hints?

Back to question 8

Correct!

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Proper use of positive-negative elements in a non-standard negative context.

We call sin, most 'comparative expressions', and the prefix in- 'non-standard' because they behave differently as negative elements establishing a negative context. They may come after the verbal nucleus and they may be cancelled by another negative element in the area before the verbal nucleus, an exception to the rule to avoid double negatives.

Hints?

Back to question 9

Not a valid choice.

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Improper use of positive-negative elements in a non-standard positive context.

Hints?

Back to question 9

Not a valid choice.

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Improper use of positive-negative elements in a non-standard negative context.

Hints?

Back to question 9

Correct!

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Proper use of positive-negative elements in a non-standard positive context.

We call sin, most 'comparative expressions', and the prefix in- 'non-standard' because they behave differently as negative elements establishing a negative context. They may come after the verbal nucleus and they may be cancelled by another negative element in the area before the verbal nucleus, an exception to the rule to avoid double negatives.

Hints?

Back to question 9

Correct!

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Proper use of positive-negative elements in a non-standard negative context.

We call sin, most 'comparative expressions', and the prefix in- 'non-standard' because they behave differently as negative elements establishing a negative context. They may come after the verbal nucleus and they may be cancelled by another negative element in the area before the verbal nucleus, an exception to the rule to avoid double negatives.

Hints?

Back to question 10

Not a valid choice.

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Improper use of positive-negative elements in a non-standard positive context.

Hints?

Back to question 10

Not a valid choice.

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Improper use of positive-negative elements in a non-standard negative context.

Hints?

Back to question 10

Correct!

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Proper use of positive-negative elements in a non-standard positive context.

We call sin, most 'comparative expressions', and the prefix in- 'non-standard' because they behave differently as negative elements establishing a negative context. They may come after the verbal nucleus and they may be cancelled by another negative element in the area before the verbal nucleus, an exception to the rule to avoid double negatives.

Hints?

Back to question 10

Grammatical notes for the drills in this page.

A similarity between Spanish and English is the existence of negative elements which provide a negative context when they are used in a sentence. A difference is the importance in Spanish of element position relative to the verbal nucleus, and the different role these negative elements play dependent on their location. Follow the 'Grammatical Notes' for a more detailed explanation.

This is a list of the most important pairs of 'negative --- positive' standard elements:

• no --- si
• nada --- algo
• nadie --- alguien
• ningún/o/a/os/as --- algún/o/a/os/as
• nunca, jamás --- siempre, a veces
• tampoco --- también
• ni --- o
• ni....ni --- o....o

The items covered are:

1) The use of positive-negative elements in the language.

In English the appearance of one 'negative element' anywhere in the sentence is enough to establish that it is enunciated in a negative context and more of these elements are forbidden to avoid a 'double negative'. In Spanish the context has to be established before the verbal nucleus, and likewise, double negatives are avoided within this area. A major difference is that negative insted of positive elements are mandatory in the area after the verbal nucleus, where they do not count as double negations, since they do not establish context there. An exception are what we call 'non-standard elements' (see below).

Examples:

2) The use of positive-negative elements in a normal positive context.

A positive context pertains if no 'negative element' appears before the verbal nucleus. In this case, 'negative elements' are not allowed after it either. If the sense of what you what to convey requires a 'negative element' you should insert a no or another negative before the verbal nucleus.

Examples: Quest. 1 Quest. 2 Quest. 3 Quest. 4 Quest. 5 Quest. 7 Quest. 8

3) The use of positive-negative elements in a normal negative context.

A negative context pertains if a 'negative element' appears before the verbal nucleus. In this case, only 'negative elements' are allowed after the verbal nucleus, but they should not be interpreted as 'double negatives'.

Examples: Quest. 1 Quest. 2 Quest. 3 Quest. 4 Quest. 5 Quest. 7 Quest. 8

4) The use of positive-negative elements in a non-standard positive context.

We call sin, most 'comparative expressions', and the prefix in- 'non-standard' because they behave differently as negative elements establishing a negative context. They may come after the verbal nucleus and they may be cancelled by another negative element in the area before the verbal nucleus, an exception to the rule to avoid double negatives.

Examples: Quest. 6 Quest. 9 Quest. 10

5) The use of positive-negative elements in a non-standard negative context.

We call sin, most 'comparative expressions', and the prefix in- 'non-standard' because they behave differently as negative elements establishing a negative context. They may come after the verbal nucleus and they may be cancelled by another negative element in the area before the verbal nucleus, an exception to the rule to avoid double negatives.

Examples: Quest. 6 Quest. 9 Quest. 10

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