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I heard a native English speaker said:
I am severely in need of it.
It sounds much better than
I am severe in need of it.
to me.
But thinking more deeply, isn't need a noun here hence it should be an adjective severe? Like "I'm good in shape."
But using adverb still sound more natural to me in many cases(but not the shape case above), for example "They inherently in genes are cute."
So what should it use actually?
Keep in mind the usual position of adjectives and adverbs.
I am severely in need of it.
is OK. severely (an adverb) modifies am (verb).
The second example needs to be:
I am in severe need of it.
where severe (an adjective) modifies need (noun). A prepositional phrase in the predicate is appropriate since you can't have a direct object with to be.
The meanings are roughly the same, though the emphasis is a bit more on "I" in the first one, and on the "need" in the second one.
