Questions tagged [adverbs]
An adverb is a word that modifies an adjective, adverb, phrase, or sentence, expressing some relation of manner, or quality.
113
questions
14
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3answers
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“I only teach you” vs. “I teach only you” vs. “I teach you only”
I only teach you.
I teach only you.
I teach you only.
I think that all the sentences have same meaning, but my teacher says that they are different from each other.
I think that the ...
12
votes
7answers
1k views
“waterway … flowed sombre” - Should Joseph Conrad have used an adverb, not an adjective?
SPOILER ALERT: This question asks about the last line of Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. If you are reading the novel, you may want to skip this question.
Should an adverb (i.e. sombrely) have ...
4
votes
2answers
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“I have sent it to X too” vs. “I have sent it to X also”
I have sent this e-mail to Aman also.
I have sent this e-mail to Aman too.
Which one is correct? What is the exact difference between the two? Please explain.
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votes
3answers
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Usage of 'quick' as adverb
I heard the following dialog in a British English movie:
Words go round quick. All the little tongues go clack, clack, clack.
What does this mean, and why was the word "quick" used instead of "...
29
votes
7answers
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“I’m too tired to drive”: Why does removing 'too' make this sentence ungrammatical?
This is grammatical:
I'm too tired to drive.
but this isn't:
I'm tired to drive.
Why? How can removing an adverb make a sentence ungrammatical?
In a sentence like “He slowly walked down the ...
12
votes
3answers
167k views
Where is the correct place to place adverbs in sentences?
I am always confused about where to put adverbs in sentences. For example, consider the questions below:
Why did they target us specifically?
Why did they target specifically us?
Why did ...
9
votes
4answers
121k views
“Stay home” or “stay at home” – which is correct and why? [duplicate]
Stay home.
Stay at home.
When "home" functions as an adverb, it can modify the verb "stay". There are other examples, such as "go home",but there is no expression:
Go ...
7
votes
3answers
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Can an 'adverb' modify 'nouns/pronouns'?
While answering to this question here, very interesting discussion took place with CopperKettle.
It's absolutely right that adverbs modify many things, but nouns/pronouns.
But then, expressions ...
26
votes
4answers
19k views
what is the difference between “yet” and “still”?
what is the difference between "yet" and "still"?
When we can use "still"? and when we can use "yet"?
Are they synonyms or not?
"The plan could yet succeed." Can I use "still" in that sentence ...
25
votes
2answers
989 views
Does “It snowed hard Monday” require an “on”?
I came across an English learner writing
It snowed hard Monday.
After saying that it didn't snow on Friday and Saturday.
It didn't quite feel right to me.
I'd be okay with
It snowed hard.
or
...
8
votes
3answers
730 views
Is “further” really used as synonym of “farther”?
The OALD, for the meaning of further says:
(comparative of far) (especially BrE) at or to a greater distance SYN farther
Is further really used as synonym of farther?
As far as I recall, there is ...
5
votes
3answers
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“While” and “When” phrases in the future tense
When I am using the future tense, why do "while" and "when" clauses have to be in the present tense?
For instance,
"While I am eating you will be speaking on the phone"
and
"I will be ...
74
votes
6answers
317k views
“firstly … secondly …” or “first … second … ”?
Suppose I am enumerating reasons not to fly. Is it then correct to write/say:
Firstly, I prefer the train because I can see the landscape. Secondly, I have control over my luggage, and thirdly, it ...
8
votes
5answers
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“nearby” (close by) as an adjective, a preposition, or an adverb
Would you show me if there could be any potential difference semantically between the two?
Please, would you possibly take into account the bounds of possibility that the word "nearby" in ...
8
votes
4answers
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Why is 'where' an adverb and not a pronoun?
A: Where are you going?
B: I am going to school.
Where took the place of school and something that takes the place of a noun is a pronoun. So, why isn't where a pronoun?
5
votes
3answers
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Tag question of negative form
Positive statements that contain adverbs never, rarely, hardly are treated as negative statements
She can rarely come this week, can she?
He never visits you again, does he?
How about this ...
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vote
3answers
3k views
3 sentences with “only” [duplicate]
I only play tennis in the summer.
I play tennis only in the summer.
I play tennis in the summer only.
It there any difference in these 3 sentences?
2
votes
4answers
2k views
Is this sentence grammatically correct? “You are so offended”
Is this sentence grammatically correct?
You are so offended.
(Since offended is adjective in past tense)
2
votes
1answer
813 views
position of 'only' and the respective change in meaning [duplicate]
What is the difference between the meanings of the two sentences given below?
He plays only as an average player.
He only plays as an average player.
I think the second sentence emphasizes more on ...
19
votes
4answers
202k views
How do I use “also” in a sentence?
Which of the following sentences are grammatically correct in written text?
You also are allowed to see your son.
You are also allowed to see your son.
Also, you are allowed to see your son.
...
46
votes
6answers
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'Ask away' - what does 'away' mean?
“Sir,” said Harry, reminding himself irresistibly of Voldemort, “I
wanted to ask you something.”
“Ask away, then, my dear boy, ask away. . . .”
In this sentence, I don't know what does 'away' ...
6
votes
2answers
41k views
What is meaning of “is of”?
For example,
It is of no great bulk.
It is of no use whatever.
This book is of elegant format.
and so on.
I don't understand why don't use 'is' but 'is + preposition'? especially 'is of'
And ...
10
votes
5answers
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How can I figure out whether a word is an adverb or an adjective?
How can we confirm the word modifying an adjective is an adverb which may well be adjective sometimes?
In this sentence, what are the parts of speech of 'bright' and 'red'?
She wore a bright red ...
4
votes
1answer
127 views
Why should one use “back” in these examples?
Back at home, it was so dim.
I used to play football back in my school days.
We used to eat by hands back in my country.
Is back optional in these sentences or does it change their ...
0
votes
2answers
3k views
“Not enough memory” vs. “no enough memory”
Which is correct? Why?
Not enough memory
No enough memory
The first variant seems to be significantly more popular on the Internet than the second one.
I want to use such construction as an error ...
16
votes
3answers
6k views
Are words ending in -ly adverbs?
Adverbs often end in -ly. But the word friendly is not an adverb, is it? A friendly advice is incorrect, but a friendly person is correct. Is the word friendly very unusual or are there many non-...
6
votes
4answers
11k views
In phrasal verbs, why is it sometimes considered 'adverbs', and sometimes 'prepositions'?
I was studying phrasal verbs and I couldn't figure out something. The source separated them into three type which are:
Type1: Verb + Adverb
Examples:
Put off, turn down, get up, break ...
3
votes
1answer
27k views
“Wrote it wrong” or “wrote it wrongly”?
Which is grammatically correct?
He wrote it wrong.
He wrote it wrongly.
3
votes
1answer
2k views
Up to what level the adverbs 'firstly', 'secondly', 'thirdly' and so on is acceptable?
This question is different from the one that's already asked here. I'm asking about the levels here.
About research: Trust me...the Internet gave me up to nineteenthly and to be frank, I then ...
2
votes
1answer
12k views
DIfference between “at home” & “home” [duplicate]
Consider:
She's home.
She's at home.
Are there any differences in meaning?
2
votes
2answers
237 views
Is ‘upside down’ a depictive adjunct for ‘a note’?
“...and from yet another pocket inside his overcoat he pulled an owl
-- a real, live, rather ruffled-looking owl - a long quill, and a roll of parchment. With his tongue between his teeth he ...
1
vote
2answers
2k views
'Call up' - what does 'up' mean?
call up : to make a phone call to a person or a place
Call up and make a reservation for eight o'clock.
Can you call up for me and tell them I'm sick?
In these sentences, I don't know what does '...
3
votes
3answers
2k views
The Times is a highly (respected or respectable) journal?
What is the correct usage?
The Times is a highly (respected or respectable) journal.
And if we changed the sentence to this, would you change your choice?
The Times is a highly (respected or ...
2
votes
1answer
932 views
Difference between 'good' and 'well'
What can I say instead of "I'm very tired, I guess I'm sick"?
I don't feel good.
I don't feel well.
I feel bad.
I'm not good.
I'm not well.
1
vote
1answer
19k views
Word order: “10 minutes more” or “10 more minutes”?
I'm still packing my clothes. I'll need 10 minutes more.
I'm still packing my clothes. I'll need 10 more minutes.
Are both grammatically correct?
0
votes
1answer
1k views
When to use comma after time adverbs
I am trying to say sentences like:
Then by doing this thing, this happens
Now after selecting this option, this happens
By doing this, now we can do this
Should they get comma after "then" ...
0
votes
1answer
53 views
What type of adverbs “ideally” is?
In one of my posts (Adverb: the cornea "ideally should be perfectly" round like a ping-pong ball) I said
the cornea ideally should be perfectly round like a ping-pong ball
I am pretty ...
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votes
1answer
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other explanations of as early as?
Would you please rephrase this so I can better understand it?
The money could be paid as early as next week.
What other meanings might "as early as" take on in different situations or ...
14
votes
3answers
131k views
When to begin a sentence with “Therefore”
I know we can begin a sentence with Therefore. We can also use it after commas in a sentence.
For example, which is correct?
She had previous experience, therefore she seemed the best candidate.
She ...
2
votes
4answers
11k views
Identify parts of speech
Three statements:
It weighs about a pound.
about = adjective or preposition??
'about' here adds information to the noun 'pound'. Therefore I believe it should be an adjective. But in ...
9
votes
2answers
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The night before last night?
I could say "I am leaving the day after tomorrow," but what if I want to reference the night before last night? Do I say, "I left the night before last night"? What do native speakers say both ...
6
votes
3answers
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Is “deep” an adjective or adverb?
She worked quickly but without hurry. She put an old apron to cover her clothes. In the basement she found a jelly jar with a top and carried it out to the carriage house where the tools were kept. In ...
5
votes
4answers
2k views
Used to or past simple with the adverb 'When'
I know that both 'Used to' and past simple can be used to talk about things that happened in the past, and that 'Used to' is informal in negative sentences but is the preferred construction when the ...
5
votes
3answers
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“By the time” = “Before”?
By the time he comes, we will have already left.
Have I correctly reworded the sentence above?
Before he comes, we will have already left.
5
votes
1answer
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“What do you care?”
"I'm leaving anyway."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
I can't answer. I can't tell him that not only have I disgraced myself beyond belief or ...
2
votes
2answers
533 views
Fast and Quickly; adverbs
Which of the two following sentences is more appropriate to say:
You must write fast.
You must write quickly.
I know the answer, but I need to explain it to somebody. It would be of great help ...
8
votes
3answers
8k views
“Most everyone” versus “mostly everyone”?
Saying "most everyone" is much more popular in books than "mostly everyone".
To compute the distance between two coordinates most everyone/mostly everyone uses the Spherical Law of Cosines equation....
7
votes
2answers
6k views
When does “though” act as an adverb?
As I know, the word "though" doesn't need a comma before it (at the end of a sentence) if it's an adverb. How do I know if "though" is acting as an adverb? A few examples would be good! I've looked ...
6
votes
2answers
757 views
Are there places where we can't use 'much', but 'very much' is OK?
I think there are cases when you can use very much but not much:
I would very much like to meet him.
*I would much like to meet him.
I don't know what grammar rule addresses this ...
6
votes
3answers
1k views
Can we say “Let's have a beer meanwhile they play tennis”?
I am a bit confused on how to use "meanwhile". I know you can use it as a connector. Meanwhile, I did not notice
I see dictionary.com says:
noun
meantime.
adverb
in the ...
