Certain sets of words in the English language tend to confuse people. I have found the following to be among them:
HARDLY / NOT HARDLY / NEVER HARDLY
The adverb hardly can be considered a negative since it means barely, almost not, or almost never. Therefore, the expressions not hardly and never hardly are technically double negatives and generally considered to be improper English.
Incorrect: I never hardly go to the movies anymore.
Correct: I hardly ever go to the movies anymore.
Also Correct: I hardly go to the movies anymore.
Also Correct: I almost never go to the movies anymore.
Incorrect: I don’t hardly remember anything I learned in history class.
Correct: I hardly remember anything I learned in history class.
Also Correct: I remember almost nothing that I learned in history class.
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