An adverb is a word that modifies an adjective, adverb, preposition, phrase, or sentence, expressing some relation of place, time, circumstance, causality, manner, or degree.
5
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4answers
274 views
Indian English use of “only”
I am from Bangalore and people here tend use the word only to emphasise something in a sentence. For example:
We are getting that only printed.
What is the proper way to put it?
7
votes
2answers
498 views
Are the words “sillily”, “uglily”, “friendlily”, “livelily”, etc., valid English?
I have wondered about how to make the words silly, ugly, friendly, lively, etc. into adverbs, so I researched in the Internet. I found many different answers, so I tried checking Oxford Dictionaries.
...
1
vote
1answer
476 views
“Yet” at the beginning of a sentence
Can one use "Yet" at the beginning of a sentence as follows?
Yet, he came late.
Is this grammatical?
1
vote
2answers
129 views
Is there any difference between “stoop down” and “stoop”?
According to Longman, they are the same, but I wonder if this is correct or if so, which one is more common.
For example:
Dave stooped down to tie his shoes.
Dave stooped to tie his shoes.
...
0
votes
3answers
342 views
Use of “yet another” in the middle of a sentence
Is the usage of yet another correct in the following sentence?
This sentence might need yet another piece of work for you!
Where can I place yet another in a sentence?
-1
votes
7answers
149 views
Confusing adverbs, “still” and “yet”
Which of these sentences is correct, and why?
It's yet stopped raining. We will be able to leave soon.
It's still stopped raining. We will be able to leave soon.
0
votes
2answers
159 views
Adverb placement
Are the sentences below grammatically correct?
1- I didn't support Gheddafi and I WILL NEVER support him.
2- I didn't support Gheddafi and WILL NEVER support him.
3- I didn't support Gheddafi ...
-1
votes
3answers
72 views
“Move slower” vs. “move less”
What is the proper word to fill the blank?
The more cars there are on a given road, the __ the traffic will move.
The answer is slower. But I wonder whether less is incorrect.
0
votes
1answer
261 views
What's it called when you switch the order of two words around?
What's it called when you switch the order of two words around, completely changing their meaning?
For example, simply childish becomes childishly simple.
Or wonderfully sarcastic becomes ...
-1
votes
1answer
90 views
What does “is there any book around …” mean?
Is there any book around which I can read?
What does the above sentence mean?
"Is there any book available in the market which I can read?"
"Is there any book in this room/or nearby which I can ...
2
votes
1answer
121 views
When would I use “once” versus “nonce”?
Looking at the definitions for once and nonce. they appear very similar to me.
Under what circumstances would one or the other be a more appropriate word choice?
1
vote
1answer
90 views
Is this usage of “however” with an adjective correct?
Is the word "however" correctly used in this sentence? If not, how could it be rephrased?
This program, however comprehensive, hasn't been updated for a long time.
Is there a better construct to ...
1
vote
2answers
658 views
Use of a semicolon before and comma after “however”
Several years ago, a previous boss told me to use a semicolon and comma with the word "however". I've always questioned this and would like to know if the following random sentences are using the ...
-3
votes
1answer
48 views
“Match manual” or “match manually”? [closed]
I am not sure about whether to use "match manual" or "match manually". I am not native but I know that the latter is grammatically correct as the word "manual" has to be used as an adverb in this ...
-2
votes
1answer
133 views
Is “regardless” a word I shouldn't use? [closed]
Is it true that "regardless" is a word I shouldn't use because it is obsolete? If it is, what shall I use instead?
2
votes
3answers
331 views
Four-word phrase stress
I'm interested to learn why the following four-word phrases have stress on different words.
"Little Red Riding Hood" (stress is on little and riding)
"Infamous National Rifle Association" ...
4
votes
4answers
185 views
“Most” vs. “most of”
During most of history, humans were too busy to think about thought.
Why is "most of history" correct in the above sentence?
I could understand the difference between "Most of the people" and ...
1
vote
1answer
78 views
With + adverb structure
The strange example makes me confused - with + adverb : "Red items need dealing with immediately after the process..."
How correct and common of this structure?
0
votes
1answer
141 views
Adverbs right after the subject [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Should an adverb go before or after a verb?
Is it correct to write a sentence this way?
Now we can speak about the steps that I’ve previously listed.
Or it would ...
0
votes
2answers
181 views
What is the difference between “so much” and “quite so much”?
I was told that "so much" is more emphatic than "quite so much", but I am not sure. Could you explain the difference between the following pairs of sentences?
Don't put so much emphasis on that ...
1
vote
4answers
194 views
“First off” vs “first”
First off we need to write down a word; second we need...
First we need to write down a word; second we need...
What's the subtle difference between "first off" and "first"?
Moreover, ...
0
votes
3answers
145 views
“I went to bed hungry” vs. “I went to bed hungrily” [closed]
What is the exact difference between "I went to bed hungry" and "I went to bed hungrily"?
0
votes
1answer
291 views
Word to describe things that run after each other [closed]
Is there a word to describe tasks that need to "run one after the other"? My current choice is sequentially, but feel there is a better word.
13
votes
3answers
10k views
Is it “peek”, “peak” or “pique”?
I have always thought the phrase was "pique my interest" as in: "Her mysterious background piqued my interest".
However, of late, on blogs and social networks, I have seen people using "peek my ...
0
votes
3answers
230 views
Do adverbs only describe verbs?
Egypt and Tunisia have both taken steps to form a new government after the overthrow of Mubarak and Ben Ali respectively.
In this context, does respectively describe the steps that have been ...
2
votes
1answer
231 views
Correct usage of “yet” in the middle of the sentence [closed]
Is the following sentence a correct usage of yet?
I'm someone like you, and yet like no one.
I think it matches the last definition of OAAD, more importantly. But I also think the comma and and ...
0
votes
2answers
191 views
Grammaticality of “I have a car, neither does Sara” [closed]
Can we say "I have a red car. Neither does Sara." or must we say "I have a red car but Sara doesn't."?
I have read this on a website and they said that the first sentence is incorrect but I don't ...
-2
votes
1answer
68 views
“In avoiding failure” vs. “For avoiding failure”?
1: In avoiding failure, we must be careful.
2: For avoiding failure, we must be careful.
What are the subtle differences between the two sentences?
0
votes
0answers
27 views
Difference between the two sentences? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Correct position of “only”
I got confused between these two centences:
I answered only four questions in my exam.
I only answered four questions in my exam.
...
1
vote
3answers
148 views
“I was really thinking” vs. “I really was thinking”
Which one of the following is correct?
I was really thinking to do that.
I really was thinking to do that.
2
votes
1answer
202 views
Is there a name for misusing a word (e.g., saying “Provincially, yes”)? [closed]
I read a mail in which someone replied to the question "Will he be attending the party?" by saying "Provincially, yes".
Provincial means "of or concerning the regions outside the capital city of a ...
0
votes
2answers
407 views
“I did it by myself” vs “I did it myself” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Myself vs by myself
"I did it by myself" and "I did it myself"; what's the exact and subtle difference between the two?
0
votes
6answers
165 views
Looking for a formal equivalent phrase for the adverb “personally”
Which one is correct: "personal basis" or "individual basis"? I want to use it in a formal letter. I want to say: "I don't know Mr. X on a personal basis (or individual basis) and I have not had an ...
0
votes
1answer
187 views
Why does the word “inadvertently” mean “not knowingly”?
The root is advertently. That means “knowingly”. Fair enough. The root of advertently is advertent. That means “attention”. Hmmm … quite close. The root of advertent is advert, which means ...
0
votes
1answer
167 views
“Enables you to quickly and easily identify” vs. “enables you to identify quickly and easily” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Are split infinitives grammatically incorrect, or are they valid constructs?
I'm currently having a bit of a dispute and would appreciate your help please. Which one is ...
3
votes
5answers
186 views
“Will shortly appear automatically” — what is the correct order of words in this fragment?
I want to say that an answer will appear shortly, and automatically, on the screen. I'm not sure whether the correct sentence is:
The answer will shortly appear automatically.
or maybe:
The ...
4
votes
2answers
78 views
“The Cry of Jousts of King Richard II” — a problem with translation
I'm trying to translate this text to Polish and everything seems pretty clear to me, apart from the usage of the words "within" and "without". I presume it's some kind of technical vocabulary ...
-2
votes
1answer
332 views
Most is adjective or adverb, comparative or superlative in the following phrase?
In the following phrase, from the 1971 film "The Devils" by Ken Russell, what is "most"? An adjective or an adverb? And in what form, comparative or superlative?
I conjure thee, most frightful ...
1
vote
2answers
131 views
Is it possible to say ' your choice *for* something' when you mean 'your choice *of* something'?
I'm correcting a document and several people that co-wrote it seem to agree that 'my choice for' seems to be synonymous to 'my choice of', in the signification of me having chosen something and ...
0
votes
1answer
100 views
Exact meaning of “You are brand new”? [closed]
I run across a phrase of "You are brand new to GitHub" on the web.
What makes me confused is the word "brand"; is it a noun, an adjective or an adverb?
-2
votes
2answers
108 views
“I need to wash my hands bad[ly]” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“I feel bad for you” versus “I feel badly for you”
I'm terrible at the usage of bad vs. badly. Given the sentence:
I need to wash my hands bad[ly].
Should the ...
15
votes
3answers
456 views
You don't want to answer this word-placement question, now do you?
Prompted by this question I got to thinking about the placement of the word now.
If it's placed before the comma, it refers to an immediate condition:
You don't want to answer this word-placement ...
3
votes
1answer
137 views
Positioning “only” in “I have worked with X” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Correct position of “only”
Which of the following sentences are correct?
I have worked with only Mr. X.
I have worked only with Mr. X.
I have only worked with ...
0
votes
2answers
689 views
Place of an adverb in the passive present perfect progressive
I was wondering where an adverb should (or could) be placed in the passive present perfect progressive in English.
I have been being carefully tickled.
OR
I have been carefully being ...
1
vote
4answers
9k views
Is it correct to say “I kindly request you to…”?
Isn't kindness already implied when you say "I request you to..."?
When I say "I humbly request you to...", the word humbly helps me to label the state of my behavior during the request.
On the ...
10
votes
4answers
357 views
Can a preposition have the form of superlative?
They had almost reached the door when a voice spoke from the chair
nearest them, "I can't believe you're going to do this.”
I guess nearest is at the place of preposition. Can a preposition ...
3
votes
3answers
279 views
What does the title “Whose line is it anyway?” mean?
Whose line is it anyway? is a comedy show in which participants are given a theme and they are supposed to come up with an act according to the theme given to them.
According to Oxford Dictionary, ...
0
votes
1answer
60 views
Is this adjective or adverbial?
When are you getting the train back to Adelaide?
Is the phrase back to Adelaide an adjective phrase that modifies the train or adverbial to are getting?
2
votes
2answers
235 views
In the sentence “My house is down the street”, which word does the adverb “down” modify?
My house is down the street.
Does the adverb down modify is, or street?
4
votes
5answers
246 views
“How best to handle” vs. “how to best handle”
Are there rules on the placement of 'best'?
They are deciding how to best handle the matter.
They are deciding how best to handle the matter.
Is one of them wrong?
