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.
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939 views
Adverb to describe one's career?
I am writing a document where I need to describe a decision I'm making that is beneficial both to my finances and to furthering my career. I'm more partial to using two -ly adverbs to match the rhythm ...
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?
8
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3answers
1k views
The Royal Order of Adverbs
I know that the pattern manner-place-time shouldn't be taken too seriously if one wants to speak natural English.
In real life, people rarely use a string of adverbs. Speakers will easily break the ...
0
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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
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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 ...
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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, ...
3
votes
2answers
1k views
What is the difference between “owing to” and “due to”?
"Due to" seems more common than "owing to" in modern English. Is "owing to" simply an old-fashioned way of saying the same thing, or is there a rule to using it?
7
votes
3answers
796 views
“Backward” versus “backwards” — is there any difference?
The dictionaries I've looked in don't distinguish between these two words, backward and backwards (at least when used as adverbs). Is there some real historical, grammatical or regional difference ...
0
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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
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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
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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
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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 ...
33
votes
6answers
1k views
What exactly is an “adverb”?
From comments to “Weekdays” used as an adverb", I learn that The Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary says "open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.", shows the word weekdays is an adverb.
It seems to me ...
2
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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
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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.
...
0
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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 ...
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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.
1
vote
3answers
1k views
Are 'effectually' and 'effectively' completely interchangable?
In the OED:
effectively, (adverb)—in such a manner as to achieve a desired result:
make sure that resources are used effectively.
effectual, (adjective)—successful in producing ...
2
votes
1answer
203 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 ...
4
votes
2answers
326 views
Comparative adverbs
"Officially" (or so I believe) English doesn't have comparative adverbs (a single word rather than "more" + an adverb), but faster is in common usage as one, for example:
Do it faster
When ...
1
vote
2answers
74 views
“Far enough removed” vs. “far removed enough” vs. “removed far enough”
Which of the following word orders is grammatical?
Games based on real life are sometimes not far enough removed.
Games based on real life are sometimes not far removed enough.
Games based ...
5
votes
3answers
449 views
“He was playing when he fell” or “he fell when he was playing”?
Which one is correct?
He fell down when he was playing in the field.
He was playing in the field when he fell down.
Why?
0
votes
2answers
409 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?
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 ...
9
votes
3answers
2k views
“Often” and “oftentimes”
Is there any difference between the two terms 'often' and 'oftentimes'? They seem to be used interchangeably but is one more appropriate in certain situations than others? Is 'oftentimes' an older ...
2
votes
6answers
351 views
“Sure I am not” — is that valid English?
Consider this conversation:
— Iceland has more than 200 rainy days per year.
— Are you sure?
— No, I am not sure.
Is it valid or wrong English to say,
— No, sure I am not.
...in the ...
0
votes
1answer
188 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 ...
1
vote
2answers
2k views
“Feel like at home”
Feel like at home.
Is it correct or must it be "feel at home"?
It is in a Euro 2012 commercial, however some experts say it's not correct.
1
vote
2answers
206 views
Should I say “domesticable” or “domesticatable”?
What should I say better, "domesticable" or "domesticatable"?
7
votes
3answers
553 views
Why has Southern US English all but abandoned adverb forms?
In Southern US English, adverb forms are almost always replaced by their adjective forms. For example:
The journey was awful long.
He's running real fast.
He ran to the store quick.
He ...
0
votes
1answer
168 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 ...
0
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4answers
334 views
Which of these sentences use proper grammar?
Unfortunately, there currently is not a way to make it default to a lower resolution.
Unfortunately, there is currently not a way to make it default to a lower resolution.
Unfortunately, ...
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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 ...
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 ...
4
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1answer
5k views
“By now” vs “now”
The case is closed by now.
The case is closed now.
What exactly is the difference between the two?
14
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3answers
636 views
“You just can't” vs. “you can't just ”
I'm a bit confused about this. Which expression is correct?
You can't just do that.
or
You just can't do that.
I'm trying to say:
You can't just bash an ideology because of what ...
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 ...
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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 ...
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?
5
votes
4answers
18k views
Should there be a comma before “though” when it occurs at the end of a sentence?
Consider
I don't know how outdated it is though.
Should there be a comma before though, as in the following?
I don't know how outdated it is, though.
15
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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 ...
9
votes
3answers
379 views
Does the word “apparently” imply that I personally do or don't believe the statement following it?
When I say "Apparently, xyz", does that imply one of the following, and if so, which one?
From observation, I believe xyz to be true, but I leave open the possibility that I might be wrong.
I ...
0
votes
2answers
691 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 ...
3
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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
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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
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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?
21
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5answers
1k views
How common is “thrice”?
Our proofreader, a native speaker of American English, just won't let me use this word. Every single time I try to sneak it onto one of our sites, she replaces it with three times. Now, I do realize ...
