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.
7
votes
5answers
4k views
When to use words quite, rather, pretty, fairly etc
Is there any logic to this or just decision?
I would use the following combinations:
quite amazing
rather large
pretty good
I would not use the following combinations:
pretty amazing
quite large
...
5
votes
1answer
526 views
“In 15 minutes” or “15 minutes later”?
Several years ago, when I was watching a show, it was 15:45 and the show started at 16:00. A foreigner asked me: "When will this show start?"
My English is not good, and I never talked to foreigners. ...
4
votes
1answer
1k views
“I finally was able” or “I was finally able”?
Is one form wrong or more correct than the other? Or do they have different meanings?
I'm a non-native speaker trying to figure it out.
2
votes
3answers
1k views
“Goes good with” or “goes well with”
Let's say that A and B are two different kinds of foods. Which is grammatically correct?
A goes good with B.
A goes well with B.
If they're both correct, then which is better?
6
votes
3answers
2k views
Is “very less” correct English?
Is using very less correct English? My friend suggests it should be very little. Are they both correct, or is there a difference?
2
votes
2answers
243 views
“While” as a non-temporal adverb
Is it correct in formal writing to use while as a non-temporal adverb?
For instance
Phenomenon A is generated by XXX, while phenomenon B is generated by YYY
Should I rather use :
Phenomenon ...
1
vote
3answers
115 views
Meaning of “around”
In New York Times,
Still, rooms were large by the city’s pint-size standards, service was sharp, and for the moment, they offer some of the best values around.
What's your understanding of ...
1
vote
1answer
389 views
“Done soon” vs. “soon done”
There are a number of colloquial expressions common to my area (see here, for example). I'm relatively recent to the area, so there are a number of expressions that just sound unnatural to me. ...
2
votes
2answers
3k views
“Consequently” versus “consequentially”
What is the difference between consequently and consequentially?
My usage being what it is, and also according to the dictionary sample sentences I've found so far (thank you for the helpful comment ...
5
votes
2answers
2k views
Difference between “partly” and “partially”
What is the difference between partly and partially? An example of usage for each word would be great.
1
vote
5answers
1k views
What is the opposite of “Could you talk a little louder”?
In a conversation, when I don't hear someone, I usually say:
Could you talk a little louder please?
However, what should I say if:
Someone is being very loud in the other room when talking on ...
5
votes
1answer
347 views
Is there a word for a verb which requires an adverb or prep. phrase in order to make sense?
Put is the one I'm thinking of. It is always transitive, but even with a direct object, it still makes no sense without an adverb or prepositional phrase.
I put it somewhere.
I put it on the ...
3
votes
1answer
2k views
Usage of phrase “revert back” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Can 'revert' be used as a synonym of 'reply'?
Is it correct English to refer to replying to someone or giving feedback as "reverting back"? People in my ...
15
votes
3answers
3k views
Explanation of “must needs”
Recently I ran across the sentence:
"Just why the law prescribed thirty-nine lashes instead of forty or forty-one and so on, must needs remain unanswered."
How did a plural verb like "needs" ...
0
votes
4answers
347 views
Is it acceptable to say something is “apropros” of a person?
The sentence I'm crafting is as follows:
That's some sage-like advice apropros of Mister Miyagi
Is that proper usage of the word?
0
votes
1answer
428 views
You are in Jonathan's circles “too” or “as well” or “also”
I just read on Google+ that:
You are in Jonathan's circles too
But I always thought that you couldn't use too there. Am I wrong? (because Google can't be wrong, right?)
5
votes
2answers
1k views
Correct placing and usage of “yet”
Sometimes I see the sentence
Have you done something, yet?
Is it correct to write it that way? If not, what would be correct? If it is correct, why is it?
5
votes
4answers
1k views
Why is “fastly” not a word?
As well as being an adjective, fast is an adverb. We use it all the time as such:
He ran fast.
However, though slow is definitely an adjective, it sounds wrong when used as an adverb, because ...
5
votes
2answers
3k views
Difference between “recently” and “lately”
I have posted a topic using this sentence:
I have picked some fictions to read lately.
RegDwight edited this sentence to:
I have recently picked up several works of fiction and begun to read ...
0
votes
2answers
675 views
Synonyms and antonyms for “lacking” or “missing” when something is mandatory
I am searching for the correct term usage in my Java code, although you don't need to know anything about programming to answer my question.
My "something" can be "required" (mandatory) or not ...
3
votes
2answers
3k views
Is there a difference between “quicker” and “more quickly”
This is a follow up to this question: What is the difference between "quicker" and "faster"?
"Quicker" is an adverb, as are "more" (in this context) and "quickly".
So is there a ...
19
votes
9answers
1k views
Referring to past times with “hence”
From Tor.com, an interesting use of the word hence:
Minutes ago, J.K. Rowling finally announced her plans behind Pottermore, the mysterious website that appeared a week hence with only a “Coming ...
5
votes
2answers
221 views
Is there a reference book that lists words by usage or theme?
Similar to how a Thesaurus lists synonyms, is there a book that groups words (or phrases) together by conceptual usage?
For example, this question is looking for words that describe a person's ...
3
votes
2answers
438 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 ...
12
votes
3answers
12k views
“Can hardly wait” versus “can't hardly wait”
This has been bothering me for a while and I'm finally at a forum where I feel like I might get an answer. I have heard people say "I can hardly wait for summer to get here" and I've also heard "I ...
1
vote
1answer
172 views
Usage of 'yesterday' for future [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
I need <something> yesterday?
For couple of times, mostly in movies, I realized that yesterday is commonly used for future. Here is an example sentence:
I want ...
3
votes
3answers
177 views
What sentence parts needs to be repeated here?
What of the following is right?
"We need to find out..."
"...how to lower the costs or how to produce more."
"...how to lower the costs or to produce more."
"...how to lower the costs or produce ...
2
votes
4answers
309 views
“Please explain” or “explain please”
Which one is correct in this context?
Person A: I think Apple will displace Google.
Person B: Please explain.
Should he say/write "Explain please"?
4
votes
1answer
443 views
“Experimentally determined” vs. “determined experimentally”
Which of the following sentences is correct?
The numbers are experimentally determined.
The numbers are determined experimentally.
Are both (not) correct and if only one of them is ...
1
vote
3answers
120 views
“The team is moving around really effectively.” Is this a correct use of “effectively”?
Something about this sounds wrong to me. The speaker intends the statement to mean that the team is moving around a lot and it is causing them to succeed.
"The team is moving around really ...
4
votes
4answers
5k views
“Too serious” vs “too seriously”
I know the vast majority of people say "Don't take yourself too seriously", as found correct by basically every native speaker I've asked about this (often accompanied by incredulous looks).
What ...
6
votes
6answers
331 views
Alternative to “lossily compressed”
Is there a better way to say "lossily compressed"?
The adverb lossily can not be found in Merriam-Webster, but the adjective lossy can. It also feels a bit unnatural.
4
votes
3answers
208 views
Was I correct to use the word “establish” in my tweet? Should I have included adverbial “as”?
English is not my native language, but I'm a willing pupil and in most cases I'm pretty confident in my knowledge, but sometimes I hesitate to use particular words. I wrote this tweet recently:
I ...
4
votes
2answers
410 views
Why is it, “It seems different”, but “It comes across differently”?
Both phrases describe the manner, appearance, air, etc, of a subject. Why does the former use an adjective to modify the subject, while the latter uses an adverb to modify the verb phrase?
1
vote
3answers
5k views
What is the precise meaning of “Pretty Good”?
Once I used "pretty good" as a reply to one of my friends' question "How are you today?", I was under the impression that the "pretty good" will weigh much more than just "good", means "very good" or ...
2
votes
4answers
1k views
Alternative to “separately from”?
I want to say something like:
The system stores the crazygonuts data separately from the data feed.
I think this is wrong (maybe I am wrong in that), but I'm not sure exactly why. One ...
4
votes
3answers
13k views
Part of speech of “very,” “extremely,” “really,” and “quite”
While working on developing the lexicon in one of my constructed languages, I encountered a slight difficulty in using standard classifications for words like very, extremely, really, and quite.
To ...
8
votes
1answer
188 views
Is this usage of 'curiously' correct?
I recently used a sentence similar to the following:
Curiously, do you prefer black?
Some people found it grammatically incorrect. That was a surprise, for I thought it was perfectly okay. ...
2
votes
5answers
265 views
“Sounds almost like” vs. “almost sounds like”
Which sentence structure is more accurate?
... that sounds almost like a command.
... that almost sounds like a command.
1
vote
1answer
323 views
“Remain a cool kid” vs. “remain as a cool kid”
Which of the following is grammatical?
He wants to remain a cool kid for the rest of his life.
He wants to remain as a cool kid for the rest of his life.
5
votes
4answers
918 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 ...
5
votes
2answers
1k views
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" ...
1
vote
1answer
310 views
How “Barely better-than-even-odd” success is better as compared with 50:50 success?
According to Washington Post’s Breaking News Alert (May 8), President Obama faced sharply divided counsel and, in his mind, barely better-than-even odds of success when he ordered the daring May 1 ...
4
votes
2answers
212 views
Why is “hopefully” treated so mercilessly?
Is the word "hopefully" unjustly treated? We don't like the sentence:
"Hopefully, my ship is just over the horizon and due in real soon now."
But we don't mind saying:
"Happily, the tree fell on ...
7
votes
2answers
2k views
Where should adverbs be placed?
There are two sentences:
I completely understand.
I understand completely.
Which one is correct and why?
Another example:
I slowly opened the door.
I opened the door slowly.
6
votes
3answers
431 views
Is “still” being used correctly in “I love you still”?
I've heard this sentence in a song ('Build me up buttercup'):
When you say you will,
but I love you still
I'm used to seeing still in front of the verb or auxiliary verb as in "I still love ...
2
votes
1answer
579 views
“for about one year” or “for around one year”
Which of the following sentences is correct or better?
I have been using this software for about one year.
I have been using this software for around one year.
Searching in Google gives 14 ...
6
votes
1answer
467 views
Which is correct here: “arbitrary” or “arbitrarily”?
Do you say "an arbitrarily small constant epsilon" or "an arbitrary small constant epsilon"? Or are both correct?
4
votes
2answers
158 views
Is “case-sensitively” a word?
A colleague just asked about comparing values "case sensitively". I see those words together on technical sites, but nowhere else. I myself see no problem with the phrase, though it sounds a bit ...
4
votes
3answers
860 views
What words typically collocate with “quite”?
The word quite is often confusing to non-native speakers. Can you give me a list of words that typically collocate with quite when the meaning is 'extreme'?
