Why does the phrase "I would like that much," sound so much weirder than "I would like that very much?"
Is it incorrect to use much in this way without very, or is it just uncommon?
3
-
Hello, Jake. Have you done any searches to ascertain relative frequencies of usage?– Edwin AshworthCommented Jun 21, 2017 at 21:46
-
Related Wordreference thread: Negative Polarity Items (NPIs) I think "much" without "very" in sentences of this type can also sound OK if there is a negation: "I wouldn't like that much" sounds a bit better to me than "I would like that much", although "I wouldn't like that very much" may be even better– herissonCommented Jun 21, 2017 at 22:32
-
@sumelic ... although the interrogative strangely seems to need re-ordering and is then very formal: 'Would you much like that?'– Edwin AshworthCommented Jun 21, 2017 at 23:02
Add a comment
|
1 Answer
I think the best answer is: just because. While it's grammatically correct, it's something that people simply don't say, because it's one of those quirky things about English that defies explanation. What you can say instead is, "I would like that a lot".
