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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Inversion in “only [adverb] have they”
I have seen this construction quite often:
Online ads have been around since the dawn of the Web, but only in
recent years have they become the rapturous life dream of Silicon
Valley.
What ...
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 ...
18
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4answers
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Correct position of “only”
Which is grammatically correct?
I can only do so much in this time.
or
I can do only so much in this time.
-3
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2answers
356 views
Subject-auxiliary inversions not associated with questions [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Inversion in “only [adverb] have they”
Is there some rule governing the following, or similar, subject-auxiliary inversions (*"Rarely they do see the light of day", ...
15
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5answers
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Are the rules regarding absolute modifiers too absolute?
A common grammar lesson that was taught to me in the US and that I've had to teach abroad in EFL classrooms is that we're not to use adverbs of emphasis with absolute modifiers, just as we're not ...
5
votes
4answers
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Should an adverb go before or after a verb?
For example:
The word rarely turns up outside of those contexts.
The word turns up rarely outside of those contexts.
Which one is correct and why?
4
votes
6answers
2k views
“I feel bad for you” versus “I feel badly for you”
What is the correct usage? Apparently it is "I feel badly", but but wouldn't that mean you have an inadequate ability to feel?
7
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1answer
4k views
4
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2answers
339 views
Are there any rules on the positioning adverbs should take in a sentence?
For example:
Ever wish you could share information broadly
Could it be rewrite to:
Ever wish you could broadly share information
Are there any rules for the position of the adverbs.
12
votes
6answers
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“Like something more” or “like something better”
When people like something more than something else, it's common for me to hear them say they like it better than something else. Is this proper English? I've always thought the word more fits better, ...
7
votes
3answers
768 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 ...
8
votes
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 ...
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 ...
3
votes
5answers
19k views
Which is correct: “drive safe” or “drive safely”?
Which one is correct? Similarly, is "do good" correct?
19
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5answers
3k views
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 ...
5
votes
2answers
844 views
Position of the adverb “of course”
...which is of course zero.
...which of course is zero.
Which one is preferred?
8
votes
3answers
527 views
“Hard” vs. “hardly”
I have always found the pronounced distinction in meaning between "studying hard" and "hardly studying" a bit amusing.
What is the origin of the word hardly?
How is it etymologically connected to ...
4
votes
2answers
263 views
“I have been keeping ignoring you.”
Does this make any sense?
I have been keeping ignoring you.
Besides that it sounds awkward, my Chinese buddy who knows more grammar rules than I care to list said that the phrase is ...
21
votes
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 ...
15
votes
3answers
422 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 ...
11
votes
4answers
728 views
Can “real” be used as an adverb to describe an adjective?
Is this correct?
That is a real cool answer.
I learned that that was incorrect, since "real" is an adjective which can describe a noun, e.g. "real answer" but it is not an adverb which can ...
8
votes
7answers
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When did the word “so” begin to be used to start a sentence?
In the last few years, I've noticed a growing usage of the word "so" to begin a sentence, especially in the context of higher education.
For example:
Interviewer: "What is the nature of your ...
8
votes
4answers
1k views
“Well” and “good” as applied to the quality of photographs
These photos came out well.
or
These photos came out good.
According to the proper usage of well and good, the former would be describing the quality of the taking and developing of the ...
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 ...
3
votes
1answer
358 views
I need <something> yesterday?
Is it correct to say:
I need those reports, and I need them
yesterday.
Shouldn't it be:
I needed those reports yesterday.
Or is this aberrant usage style simply a colloquialism?
12
votes
3answers
11k 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 ...
9
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2answers
27k views
How do I properly hyphenate “well thought out”?
Is it spelled well thought-out, or well-thought out, or well thought out?
5
votes
2answers
735 views
“Above”/“below” before/after a noun
I have seen sentences similar to the following:
(1) See the reference above.
(2) See the reference below.
And,
(3) See the above reference.
But not,
(4) See the below reference.
...
4
votes
4answers
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What's the deal with “thank you kindly”?
Other questions on this site have established that kindly can be used as a sort of please. This usage was in my mind when someone said "Thank you kindly" to me, but "thank you please" doesn't make ...
3
votes
3answers
408 views
About using “only” with present perfect
I have seen this sentence in a status from one of my facebook friends. It doesn't sound right to me.
We have only left the city for the day.
I think that it should be something like:
We have ...
2
votes
2answers
267 views
“Fairly quick” vs. “fairly quickly” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Which is correct: “drive safe” or “drive safely”?
If I were to write a sentence like:
I completed the task fairly quickly.
Is it correct, or would fairly quick be ...
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?
1
vote
4answers
2k views
Real quick question [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Can “real” be used as an adverb to describe an adjective?
Let me just ask you something real quick. Is my previous sentence wrong? Must the real part be "really"?
Some ...
22
votes
1answer
689 views
When should “farther” and “further” be used?
I know I learned the difference between the usage of farther and further in school, but I can never remember where each one should be used. Can someone help me out here?
17
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6answers
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Why do you say “so do I”?
Why is the order of the words in "so do I" or "nor do I" different from the normal order?
9
votes
4answers
7k views
“Can easily be” vs. “can be easily” — what's the difference?
I'm wondering what the difference is between:
It can easily be obtained.
It can be easily obtained.
Also, what's the preferred way to write it? If there is any...
I googled for both ...
5
votes
7answers
3k views
What is the difference between “probably” and “possibly”?
Recently I saw the movie "Pursuit of Happyness", which is actually quite good, and I noticed the actor (Will Smith) asking the difference between probably and possibly to his son. So I would like to ...
37
votes
9answers
2k views
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 ...
20
votes
10answers
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Is “fastly” a correct word?
Slow has the adverb slowly. I tend to use fastly as the adverb for fast.
However, it is underlined in most spell checkers I use, which makes me wonder about the existence of this word.
Is fastly a ...
7
votes
3answers
872 views
Increasingly + positive or increasingly + comparative?
For instance, would you rather say "It became increasingly hard" or "It became increasingly harder"?
From my understanding, both are possible, but their meaning is slightly different. The first ...
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votes
5answers
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Using the word 'Only'
I am confused about using the word only. I often hear it being used in many contexts that sound wrong to me - but I'm not sure if it's me or them.
Let me give some examples:
A: Where were you ...
25
votes
2answers
4k views
What is the difference between “maybe” and “may be”?
What is the difference in meaning and usage between maybe and may be? Are they synonymous?
7
votes
3answers
914 views
“Just” versus “simply”
To which extent is just interchangeable with simply, as in the example?
It's becoming more than just annoying.
It's becoming more than simply annoying.
Is just synonym of simply in just any ...
6
votes
2answers
500 views
“Now I am” vs. “I am now”
Which is more correct?
Now I am the main stakeholder...
or
I am now the main stakeholder...
Do the intonations imply different meanings?
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?
6
votes
3answers
2k views
Why do we use 'up' as adverbs for verbs?
Why do we use up as adverbs for verbs? For example, 'wake up', 'throw up', etc.
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 ...
5
votes
3answers
3k views
Place of “often” in the sentence
My question is simple. Is the following sentence correct?
They don't watch TV often.
My English teacher has told me that the only correct option is:
They don't often watch TV.
Is she ...
4
votes
2answers
306 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 ...
4
votes
1answer
438 views
Using short adjectives as adverbs, such as “easy” & “short”
I know that some adjectives (such as easy & short) can be used as adverbs in some situations, but when can this happen and what adjectives does this apply to?
This definitely works: "He stopped ...
