Double Negatives, Involving Negative Words and Adverbs

Certain adverbs which infer little, few or not often shouldn’t be used in the same clause as a negative word, as this creates a double negative. Such adverbs include: scarcely, hardly, barely, rarely, and seldom

The employees never scarcely had personal time, as the project deadline loomed.

The employees scarcely had personal time, as the project deadline loomed.

My professor doesn’t rarely look at the work we hand in, but he doesn’t send it to his assistant, either.

My professor rarely looks at the work we hand in, but he doesn’t send it to his assistant, either.

The vocalist barely achieved the proper note.