student asking question

Is it okay to use "not" right after the "can’t "?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

You can use it. Keep in mind, saying "can't not" is considered grammatically incorrect, but you will hear English speakers use it occasionally. Using can't and not in the same sentence is considered a double negative in English. A double negative is when two negative words are used in the same sentence. When using a double negative, you are saying the complete opposite of what you are trying to say. Chloe saying "I can't not say the terms in an accent," she means that she inevitably will say the Georgian terms in a southern accent. Here are some examples of double negative sentences: Ex: I didn't not want to be with him. (This means that you want to be with him) Ex: I will never not want ice cream. (This means that you always want ice cream)

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