Timeline for Is it grammatically correct to say 'I suspect this clause to be a bit sloppy English'?
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
5 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Jun 21 at 10:58 | comment | added | Mari-Lou A | What would the phrases "We are a bit" and "He has a bit" mean, if a bit modifies the verbs "be" and "have"? They're incomplete, right? Compare them with "We are tired" and "He has a headache." // The response "Yes, I am, a bit" is using ellipsis as in "Yes, we are a bit (tired)“ | |
| Jun 20 at 0:14 | comment | added | TonyK | It modifies "cold", obviously. Consider: "How cold are you?" "Very!" | |
| Jun 19 at 23:43 | comment | added | Nick Gammon | @TonyK "Are you feeling cold?" ... "Yes, I am, a bit." OK, tell me what follows "a bit" in that sentence? The phrase "a bit" is modifying "to be", as in "I am a bit". | |
| Jun 19 at 11:57 | comment | added | TonyK | This is nonsense from start to finish! "A bit" modifies what follows. It doesn't modify "to be". Also, adverbs (e.g. "very") modify adjectives all the time. | |
| Jun 19 at 11:37 | history | answered | Nick Gammon | CC BY-SA 4.0 |