Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

Question

The audience could ____ hear the speaker over the noise of the rain.

Accepted Answer

A. hardly. 'hardly' is already negative in meaning ('almost not'). Adding 'not' makes a double negative.

Answer

B. not hardly — 'could not hardly hear' is a double negative.

Answer

C. hardly not — 'hardly not' is a double negative in the other order.

Answer

D. not scarcely — 'not scarcely' is a double negative too; 'scarcely' works like 'hardly'.

Standard English Conventions practice question