Negative + nearly, almost and hardly

[crazyaboutenglish]

Hi, my friend told me that sentence 1, 2 and 3 are not correct and that it's better to say 3, 4 or 5 but he doesn't know why. Can anyone exaplain this to me? Or, is he wrong?

1. I couldn't understand hardly anything.
2. I couldn't understand almost anything.
3. I couldn't understand nearly anything.

4. I could understand hardly anything.
5. I could understand almost nothing.
6. I could understand nearly nothing.

Thanks!

 

[TheParser]

1. I couldn't understand hardly anything.


4. I could understand hardly anything.

***** NOT A TEACHER *****


1. The adverb "hardly" is considered a negative.

2. According to the rules, modern English does not accept so-called double negatives.

a. I could not understand hardly anything. (two negatives)

b. I could understand hardly anything. ("Good" English)

*****

I know hardly anything about your country. = "Good" English.

I don't know hardly anything about your country. = "Bad" English.

 

[SoothingDave]

"Barely" is also a "negative."

 

[crazyaboutenglish]

So, can you tell me if "

I couldn't understand almost anything." is correct?

Thank for your help.​

 

[5jj]

So, can you tell me if "

I couldn't understand almost anything." is correct?​

It's not natural. We would be more likely to say, 'I could understand hardly anything' or 'I could understand almost nothing'.
​

 

[crazyaboutenglish]

THANK YOU!