Examples:
A: It had become sufficiently developed
B: It had sufficiently become developed
As far as I know, both forms are correct but my question is what does each sentence put more emphasis on?
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2If one calls 'sufficiently' an adverb here, it is an adverb of degree. Being the degree to which something has been developed, it focuses on the degree of development achieved rather than the process involved, and is placed next to the word developed: 'It had become sufficiently developed.' / 'It had become developed sufficiently to allow the commencement of the next phase.'– Edwin AshworthCommented Jun 3, 2017 at 13:48
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3The unnecessary leftward shift of the adverb "sufficiently" has rendered the sentence unnatural, possibly even ungrammatical. "Sufficiently" does not modify the verb phrase, but is in construction with the adjective "developed", which it modifies, to form the adjective phrase "sufficiently developed", and hence should occur adjacent to it.– BillJCommented Jun 3, 2017 at 14:02
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1Compare bought all: "bought almost all" = definitely bought most, but "almost bought all" can describe collecting everything but changing their mind just before the checkout, buying nothing.– LawrenceCommented Jun 3, 2017 at 15:18
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1Is its becoming (developed) sufficient, or is what it is becoming a state of sufficient development? Two different meanings.– DrewCommented Jun 3, 2017 at 21:57
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@Drew I guess that one cleared it pretty well. Thanks.– IthilelCommented Jun 3, 2017 at 22:10
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1 Answer
Being the degree to which something has been developed, it focuses on the degree of development achieved rather than the process involved, and is placed next to the word developed: 'It had become sufficiently developed.' / 'It had become developed sufficiently to allow the commencement of the next phase.' – Edwin Ashworth
"Sufficiently" does not modify the verb phrase, but is in construction with the adjective "developed", which it modifies, to form the adjective phrase "sufficiently developed", and hence should occur adjacent to it. – BillJ
Compare bought all: "bought almost all" = definitely bought most, but "almost bought all" can describe collecting everything but changing their mind just before the checkout, buying nothing. – Lawrence
Is its becoming (developed) sufficient, or is what it is becoming a state of sufficient development? Two different meanings. – Drew
Considering all these comments, I realised "sufficiently" discribes the quality of 'development' here. In example B, however, "sufficiently" describes the quality of 'becoming' developed.
It had become sufficiently developed = the development it had achieved was sufficient
It had sufficiently become developed = the process of becoming developed was sufficient
Thanks to all those who commented!