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Adverbs
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Anonymous  #408281  Thu, 23 Aug 07 01:46 PM

Hi!

   Could you please, check if the alternative into parenthesis is also acceptable for the following sentences ?  I 'm not considering the underlined words into parenthesis as a synonymous, but as another option to complete the sentences with adverbs of degree .

 - If there are other adverbs of degree that could complete these sentences, please let me know:

1)

a)  Tiffany hardly ever travel abroad  ( Tiffany fairly travel abroad ).. 

b)  The package was rather small ( the package was too small / the package was quite small). 

c) This task is very easy to do ( this task is quite easy to do ).

d) That man drives too fast for his age ( that man drives rather fast for his age ).

e) Poor families have barely to eat ( poor families have hardly any to eat).

2) Could you also complete my list of adverbs of degree, please?

Very  - very much - too - a lot - extremely - rather - a little - a bit - rather - fairly - quite - barely / barely enough - hardly - can hardly - hardly ever - hardly any - quite a lot - absolutely - completely - scarcely - .................................................................................................................................................................................................

Thank you very much for your help!

Juliette
  
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nona the brit  #408306  Thu, 23 Aug 07 02:49 PM

Looking at these as alternatives without synonymous meanings, I've marked which are ok or not, and made a few other little corrections for you:

a)  Tiffany hardly ever travels abroad - ok.( Tiffany fairly travel abroad - not ok).

b)  The package was rather small ( the package was too small / the package was quite small). - all ok

c) This task is very easy to do ( this task is quite easy to do ). -  both ok

d) That man drives too fast for his age ( that man drives rather fast for his age ). - both ok

e) Poor families have barely enough to eat ( poor families have hardly anything to eat). Ok with the shown corrections, but not using barely/hardly on their own.
  
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Yoong Liat  #408363  Thu, 23 Aug 07 04:34 PM

a)  Tiffany hardly ever travels abroad  ( Tiffany fairly travels abroad .) 

Tiffany rarely travels abroad ( I believe you were thinking of 'rarely'.)
  
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Anonymous  #408422  Thu, 23 Aug 07 06:34 PM

Hi! 

Yes, Yoong Liat ! Thank you very much for your reply. By the way taking a look at my list of adverbs of degree is there anything missing ? Could you please, help me to let my list more completed ? 

Very  - very much - too - a lot - extremely - rather - a little - a bit - rather - fairly - quite - barely / barely enough - hardly - can hardly - hardly ever - hardly any - quite a lot - absolutely - completely - scarcely - ..........................................................

  Thanks in advance,

       Juliette 

   
  
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Anonymous  #408423  Thu, 23 Aug 07 06:43 PM

Hello, nona the brit !

   Thanks a lot for your reply. By the way why in letter A ( Tiffany hardly ever travels abroad ) , the other alternative can't be : Tiffany fairly travels abroad. (? ). Doesn't 'fairly' mean 'moderately' ? So the idea wouldn't be that Tiffany travels abroad in a moderate way, I mean not always, but with a certain good frequency ? Then could you please check if there is any adverb of degree missing at my list. I'd like to have it completed:

Very  - very much - too - a lot - extremely - rather - a little - a bit - rather - fairly - quite - barely / barely enough - hardly - can hardly - hardly ever - hardly any - quite a lot - absolutely - completely - scarcely - .................................................................................................................................................................................................

Thanks in advance,

    Juliette
  
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nona the brit  #408487  Thu, 23 Aug 07 08:45 PM

Yes it's true that fairly can mean moderately - but we wouldn't say that someone travels moderately abroad either.

Don't forget that these words are not really moderating the 'travel' but the 'frequency' and you have neglected to use any frequency words. That's why your sentences were incorrect. 'Tiffany travels abroad fairly often' would be ok (but moderately doesn't fit in this context). That's why I added 'ever' after hardly.

I don't think we can come up with a 'complete' list of these words for you but here are a few more for you:

slightly - completely - totally - occasionally

Learning which one(s) are appropriate in any given context is the hard part.
  
Anonymous  #408566  Fri, 24 Aug 07 01:39 AM

Thank you so much, nona the brit!

Best wishes,

Juliette
  
Yoong Liat  #408581  Fri, 24 Aug 07 03:18 AM
 Anonymous wrote:

Hi! 

Yes, Yoong Liat ! Thank you very much for your reply. By the way taking a look at my list of adverbs of degree is there anything missing ? Could you please, help me to let my list more completed ? 

Very  - very much - too - a lot - extremely - rather - a little - a bit - rather - fairly - quite - barely / barely enough - hardly - can hardly - hardly ever - hardly any - quite a lot - absolutely - completely - scarcely - ..........................................................

        Juliette 

seldom, often
  
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Anonymous  #408823  Fri, 24 Aug 07 02:34 PM

Thanks for your help, Yoong Liat!

Best wishes,

Juliette
  
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