Negative Adverbs

What are Negative Adverbs?

Negative Adverbs are used to describe or modify the meaning of a verb, adjective, another adverb, or an entire clause in a negative way.

Two of the most common negative adverbs are no and not.

Many scholars argue that “no” and “not” should not be classed as adverbs, but most grammarians maintain that they should be considered adverbs because they modify verbs negatively.

Example:

Someone says,

"We should tolerate bullying."

This sentence indicates that bullying can and should be tolerated.

To oppose this, no or not is used to modify the main verb negatively. The main verb here is “tolerate”.

It becomes:

"We should not tolerate bullying."

The word “not” acts as an adverb modifying the verb “tolerate” negatively. Therefore, grammarians who classify no and not as adverbs are correct.

Other adverbs can also negate statements, similar to no and not, including:

hardly, barely, scarcely (expressing almost no)

no longer, barely ever, hardly ever, never (expressing complete negation)

Examples:

Positive: "I can read the words."

Partial negation with hardly, barely, or scarcely placed before the main verb “read” means “I can almost not read the words.”

"I can hardly read the words."

Complete negation can be expressed with:

"I cannot read the words."

"I can never read the words."

"I can hardly ever read the words."