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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Difference between “less” and “lesser”? [closed]
These two seem very similar. What are the major differences between the two?
For example, in the following sentence,
Substitute the lesser punishment for the greater one.
Can one use "less" ...
4
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2answers
375 views
Compound adjectives functioning as adverbs modifying other adjectives; is it possible and grammatical?
Soul-crushingly bad; heartbreakingly sad; bone-crunchingly violent; etc. I swear I have seen it done, but I am not sure whether it's proper grammar or not. Thanks!
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4answers
184 views
Does adverb placement affect meaning?
He swam slowly to the island.
He slowly swam to the island.
Some experts say that there is a “slight difference” in meaning.
Would you please tell me that difference?
4
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3answers
81 views
“Really” modification problems
I can read a French newspaper with the aid of a dictionary, but I cannot speak the language or understand it when spoken. So I do not really know French.
Some people say that really modifies know; ...
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8answers
542 views
What is the opposite of using something judiciously?
I want to tell a colleague to use a particular file wherever possible. Basically the opposite of using it judiciously. I ended up saying "use the file at will" — but it got me wondering if there ...
3
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4answers
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Difference between “instantly” and “instantaneously”
Is there a case in which "instantaneously" can be used in which "instantly" cannot? If not, why does the former exist? If so, what are the circumstances dictating that usage?
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1answer
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What is “context specific”?
In the following sentence:
They neglected the fact that development necessarily is culture and context specific and that the specificity concerns the observer as well.
What does it mean that ...
2
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3answers
260 views
Is this usage of “inside” correct?
This text is taken from a children's reader. It's about some children who find a doll house that is an exact reproduction of their home.
Biff opened the little house. Everyone looked inside. "It ...
6
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3answers
276 views
“Are you sure sure” — is this repetition grammatically correct?
A typical conversation among members of my age demographic could go like this:
Person 1: Did you know that x > y?!?
Person 2: Are you sure?
Person 1: Yeah, I'm sure.
Person 2: Are ...
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2answers
396 views
-er rather than -lier as an adverbial comparative form
In modern German, one can make tief into the comparative tiefer, regardless of whether the word is used as adjective or adverb. In English, I now have a sentence in which I want to do the same thing ...
5
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3answers
204 views
What's the adjective for “by distance”?
If I had to describe a state that occurred only for a certain amount of time, I'd simply use the adjective "temporary" to describe the state (or the adverb "temporarily" to describe the verb). What ...
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4answers
991 views
Put the words in the correct order to make question [closed]
I am not a native speaker.
I am doing the exercise "Put the words in the correct order to make question" from my workbook.
I have this set of words:
your / best / see / did / friend / when / ...
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vote
2answers
422 views
Do 'already' and 'just' require the present perfect?
Compare:
'We already gave him a response'.
'We have already given him a response'.
Do 'already' and 'just' strictly require the present perfect?
2
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1answer
452 views
Adverb position in perfect tenses [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Are there any rules on the positioning adverbs should take in a sentence?
My question concerns the adverb position in perfect tenses. For example look at these ...
2
votes
2answers
108 views
Avoiding “time-controlledly” as an adverb
I'm currently translating a web site for scheduling software from German to English. So there are many things that this program can do "time-controlledly" (if I translate literally). But this sounds ...
5
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2answers
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“Hence” and “hence why”
My question is, is the use of the word "hence", used in it's most common sense as an alternative to "therefore", strictly acceptable in English usage in the following example:
I like bananas, ...
-5
votes
1answer
161 views
what is the difference between “ forever and always” and “ always and forever”? [closed]
Is there actually a difference?
like, I will love you forever and I'll always be there?
and I'll always be there and love you for eternity?
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vote
6answers
425 views
“Almost until 1900” or “until almost 1900”: which one is correct?
Although various eighteenth- and nineteenth-century American poets had professed an interest in Native American poetry and had pretended to imitate Native American forms in their own works, it was ...
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1answer
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Yes, no, adverbs, and interjections
There appears to be some disagreement over what function yes and no perform in the following sentences:
Yes, you are right.
No, you are mistaken.
According to ODO (yes, no), they are being used as ...
0
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3answers
545 views
Use “underway” or “under way” as an adverb?
Is it proper to use underway as an adverb? Or should under way be used?
Merriam-Webster defines underway as an adjective and under way as an adverb.
The Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & ...
4
votes
2answers
266 views
Is “ultimated” a word?
Is "ultimated" a valid word?
For example:
Range requests were originally proposed by Ari Luotonen and John Franks, using an extension to the URL syntax instead of a separate header field. ...
10
votes
2answers
1k views
Speak Slower or Speak Slowlier?
AFAIK the correct grammar for "speak slow" is "speak slowly" (slowly being an adverb). Please correct me if I am mistaken.
But in daily life I have not heard anyone saying "Speak slowlier".
I think ...
1
vote
2answers
283 views
Is the phrase “then too” incorrect?
I was told by a school teacher that it was incorrect. I've seen it in articles coming from reputable sources. The general meaning would be similar to the word 'yet', but I can't find any place to ...
4
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5answers
300 views
Which adverb implies supreme confidence, falling just shy of arrogance?
When he participated in debates and round table discussions, Christopher Hitchens spoke with supreme confidence.
I'd like to replace with supreme confidence with an adverb that implies supreme ...
3
votes
3answers
470 views
Usage of “already” and “yet”
I want to know the difference between already and yet in this example:
I was surprised that they had __ to decide what to do.
My answer on this question was already and my
teacher marked it as ...
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3answers
273 views
“Absolute” or “absolutely”?
This question is related to programming, but this seemed a better place to post it than Stack Overflow.
To style HTML pages, we frequently deal with positioning, and two common values for the CSS ...
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4answers
1k views
“Without success” vs. “unsuccessfully”
Is the phrase below correct?
I have tried to contact the customer without success.
Isn't it "I have tried to contact the customer unsuccessfully"?
5
votes
4answers
295 views
“Weekdays” used as an adverb
I found a sentence in Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary:
open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The bookstore opens weekdays from 9 p.m. to 6 p.m. .
How do we understand the structure of ...
8
votes
2answers
271 views
Why “buy things secondhand,“ not “buy secondhand things”?
I saw the word ‘secondhand’ come after ‘things’ in the lead copy of July 17 Time magazine’s article, titled “10 Things You Should Be Buying Used”, as follows.
Buying things secondhand can save a ...
19
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5answers
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Is there any other way you can “wax” as you do when you “wax philosophical”?
The wax in the phrase "wax philosophical" is a pretty strange bird. Its wax is obviously not the ordinary definition of wax, which my dictionary summarizes as an "oily, water-resistant substance", a ...
0
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3answers
489 views
Is “now” grammatical in “Have you now spoken to him?”?
Have you now spoken to him?
I really heard that from someone.
2
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3answers
203 views
“Mostest” vs. “most” [closed]
What is the difference between mostest and most?
Can they be used interchangeably?
3
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3answers
860 views
“I remember the day where” vs. “I remember the day when”
What is the difference between "I remember the day where..." and "I remember the day when..."?
I think both are used in both written and spoken English. Can we say that "when" makes more sense when ...
5
votes
1answer
140 views
“along” in “the wolf passed something along to me”
Here is a quote by Jack Nicolson from the movie "Wolf":
Since it happened I feel as though the wolf passed something along to me.
I wonder why is along needed in that sentence? What difference ...
5
votes
1answer
132 views
Placement of “just” in “we just need minified and concatenated files” [closed]
I was talking to my client. I wanted to convey that "we need the minified type of files and the concatenated type of files; nothing other than that". I quickly wrote this:
we just need minified ...
4
votes
4answers
208 views
Which is more common - 'the most' or 'most'?
A thing I have never had the time to look more closely into. But I find both variants:
What I love most is ...
or
What I love the most is ...
I think the more common form is 'the most', ...
14
votes
3answers
437 views
How do you tell if synonyms of “almost” default to meaning “less than”?
Having just had a chat with Em1, I noticed that some words or phrases that mean almost will mean less than when used alone, and other synonyms will mean greater than.
For example, nearly and close to ...
5
votes
3answers
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Can adverbs be also direct objects?
"The irate customer asked for the chef."
The irate customer asked something. (Noun phrase?)
Since you can fill in something in place of 'for the chef,' does that mean it is a direct object and an ...
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3answers
252 views
Anyone and everyone - correct usage?
I'm just wondering whether both sentences would be correct:
I look into the eyes of anyone who looks at me.
I look into the eyes of everyone who looks at me.
Would it be correct to ...
3
votes
2answers
437 views
Does this ‘twice’ mean two times, or double in quantity?
She caught sight of Mr. Diggory’s feet, and slowly, tremulously, raised her eyes to stare up into his face; then, more slowly still, she looked up into the sky. Harry could see the floating skull ...
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1answer
237 views
What's the difference between “technically” and “technologically”? [closed]
What's the difference between technically and technologically? Can you give example sentences which clearly show the difference?
3
votes
3answers
417 views
Is “leisurely” still acceptable as an adverb?
I am used to seeing "leisurely" as an adjective exclusively, as in "walking at a leisurely pace." But today I read it used as an adverb in a New York Times review of "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Killer." ...
2
votes
4answers
194 views
'too' vs. 'so' in the subjunctive?
A colleague of mine just asked me about the sentence:
If the book were not so expensive, I would buy it.
She wanted to know why too was not a worthy substitute. I explained to her about the ...
3
votes
3answers
170 views
A word that describes a core feature involved?
I have made an application which is mostly programmed in PHP, but have also used some other languages. Now I want to describe that I have made a program that is "corely" programmed in PHP, but still ...
0
votes
2answers
587 views
“Would rather [infinitive1] than [infinitive2]” vs. “would rather that [subjunctive]”"
I am aware of sentences like
Beth would rather study at the library than go to parties.
There is another type of using rather that:
She would rather that the plane leave early in the ...
4
votes
5answers
3k views
When to use “generally”, “usually”, or “normally”
Generally speaking what are the usually accepted usage scenarios for the above mentioned words in a normally occurring English vernacular?
In short, what are the rules/guidelines for using generally, ...
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3answers
329 views
“Still” versus “Yet”
In the following sentence, is using of yet correct?
Inserts settlement in a duty that needs it, in the most suitable yet available place.
It seems to me that I must use still instead of yet but ...
37
votes
9answers
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Is “rather” shifting to become a verb?
In colloquial English, I constantly run across sentences of the form:
I rather my [noun] [verb]
A quick Google search returns tons of examples:
I rather my opponents don't find out.
I ...
0
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1answer
121 views
“have to be moved” or “must be moved” or “must move”? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“I have to” vs. “I must”
Which of these is correct?
The camera have to be moved sideways instead of rotate to track the scene.
or
The ...
0
votes
4answers
375 views
Adverb form of “sustainable”
I'm translating a sentence to English, and want to use the phrase:
All material is produced sustainably.
But my spell-check doesn't like the word sustainably, so I looked it up, and have found ...
