Volcano1985  +  857194 Tue, 11 Aug 09 03:10 PM How could the man have come by so silly a fancy? Shouldn't it be a so silly fancy? Volcano1985 Joined on Sun, Apr 1 2007 Full Member 239

	Mr Wordy  +  857211 Tue, 11 Aug 09 03:21 PM No, it's right.   "so silly a fancy" = "such a silly fancy".   A "fancy" is a notion -- usually one that's not based very solidly in reality. Mr Wordy Joined on Tue, May 27 2008 Senior Member 2,359 Native British English speaker

	Tanit  +  857410 Tue, 11 Aug 09 06:19 PM Hii, I have a question related to this that nagged me for some time in the past and that I forgot ... until I saw this thread. I know that there's a special word order when we have as - how - so - too, the indefinite article, a noun and an adjective. I also remember these structures are quite formal.     He wouldn't do that. He's too good a boy.     I've never seen as happy a man as him.     How talented a writer is he?    That was so enjoyable a book that I could't put it down. (Hope these were correct. I've just made them up. Please correct them if there's something wrong.) My question is: are there any other words for which this particular word order (X + adjective + a/an + noun) applies? More specifically, can I use it with quite, really and rather?      He's quite/really/rather talented a writer.        (?) I failed to find any reference to support this construction. Yet, it doesn't sound like chalk on a blackboard to my ears. Should it? Many thanks. Tanit Joined on Mon, Jul 31 2006 Senior Member 3,031 There is no greater pain than to remember a happy time when one is in misery. (Dante) Articles, Constructions, Nouns, Word Order, Adjectives, References, Business, Career, Indefinite

	CalifJim  +  857507 Tue, 11 Aug 09 07:37 PM Tanit “ My question is: are there any other words for which this particular word order (X + adjective + a/an + noun) applies? More specifically, can I use it with quite, really and rather?      He's quite/really/rather talented a writer.        (?) ” quite just barely works for me.  But I wouldn't use it.  Others may find it completely incorrect. ?He's quite talented a writer. The others don't work for me at all.  In every case my preference is a different word order, thus: He's quite a talented writer. He's really a talented writer. He's rather talented as a writer.   ( ! ) Also:  He's [quite / really] talented as a writer. Also:  He's a [quite / really / rather] talented writer. CJ CalifJim Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004 California Veteran Member 22,399 "There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche Nouns, Word Order, Adjectives

	Mr Wordy  +  857547 Tue, 11 Aug 09 08:03 PM Tanit “are there any other words for which this particular word order (X + adjective + a/an + noun) applies? ”   Another word that fits this structure is "this" (or "that"):   "This talented a writer should not be struggling to earn a living."  Mr Wordy Nouns, Word Order, Adjectives

	Tanit  +  857553 Tue, 11 Aug 09 08:16 PM Thank you very much, CJ and Mr Wordy! Tanit