for professional writing, school assignments, or formal situations to avoid sounding ungrammatical. more examples of how to fix other common double negative errors?
In both cases, "can't hardly" seems to convey the same meaning as "can hardly." However, some argue that it's a less formal or even ungrammatical expression.
The phrase you're asking about involves a common point of confusion between and "can't hardly." is it can hardly or cant hardly free
This is the grammatically correct formulation. Since "hardly" is already negative, adding "can" (a positive verb) creates a logical sentence meaning "I am almost not able to..." Example: "I can hardly believe it." (Correct) Example: "We can hardly wait for the weekend." (Correct)
The grammatically correct phrase is Using "can't hardly" creates a grammatically incorrect double negative because both "not" and "hardly" carry negative meanings. The phrase you're asking about involves a common
On the other hand, supporters of "can't hardly" argue that it's a common expression that's been used in informal language for centuries. They claim that it's a valid colloquialism that's widely accepted in spoken English.
is a negative adverb. It means "barely," "scarcely," or "almost not." They claim that it's a valid colloquialism that's
If you use "can't hardly" in a professional setting, it is often viewed as a sign of poor grammar or a lack of attention to detail. Common Examples and Corrections
Example: After running the marathon, my legs were so sore I walk. 2. Expressing Strong Emotion or Anticipation