It has improved greatly/much.

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Viceidol

#566953 Wed, 17 Sep 08 02:09 AM

"How is your condition now?"

"It has much improved."

"It has greatly improved."

"It has improved greatly."

"It has improved much."

May I ask if the last sentence is unacceptable? Thank you very much for your answer!

Viceidol

Joined on Wed, Jul 11 2007

Taiwan

Regular Member (535)

Avangi

#566955 Wed, 17 Sep 08 02:19 AM

Hi,
I think it's acceptable but uncommon.

As an answer to the question, "How is your condition now?" have you considered "improved" as an adjective? - It is much / greatly improved. I think it better answers the question, although the verb is probably more common.

- A.

Avangi

Joined on Mon, Nov 19 2007

Senior Member (3,684)

". . . le plaisir delicieux et toujours nouveau d'une occupation inutile." - Henri de Regnier

Verbs

Cool Breeze

#567058 Wed, 17 Sep 08 08:55 AM

Viceidol
"How is your condition now?"

"It has much improved."

"It has greatly improved."

"It has improved greatly."

"It has improved much."

It is rather exceptional and a little odd to place much between the perfect tense auxiliary (has) and the participle (improved). That rules out the first sentence; I don't see anything wrong with the rest.

Cool Breeze

Joined on Fri, Apr 7 2006

Helsinki, Finland

Senior Member (2,963)

The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.- Mark Twain

Tenses, Auxiliaries

Avangi

#567241 Wed, 17 Sep 08 06:13 PM

Hi CB,

Would you feel the same about a transitive usage? "I have much appreciated your support through the years." - A.

Avangi

Cool Breeze

#567304 Wed, 17 Sep 08 08:38 PM

Avangi

Would you feel the same about a transitive usage? "I have much appreciated your support through the years." - A.

I could live with that. I never thought of it. A longer sentence with an object seems indeed to make the position of much less objectionable. English sure is a funny language! Smile (How did you ever learn it?)

Cool Breeze

Avangi

#567310 Wed, 17 Sep 08 09:10 PM

Cool Breeze
(How did you ever learn it?)

Pure osmosis, I guess. One of my earliest recollections is of being close to the ground, surrounded by giants who were talking to each other. I was overwhelmed by a sureness I'd never know what it was about. - A.

Avangi