http://www.englishforums.com/English/EslGeneralEnglishGrammar-Questions/Forum12.htmAsk your questions on grammar and get your sentence checked. We answer lots of different types of general English grammar questions here. <font color=red>DO NOT post paragraphs and compositions here. Post them in our <a href="http://www.englishforums.com/English/EssayReportCompositionWriting/Forum9.htm"><b>Essay, Report and Composition Writing Forum</b></a>.</font>enXMOD (Build: 3615.39139)http://www.englishforums.com/English/ToDateTheyveOpenedSeven/zhmwk/post.htm#455801Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:51:33 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:455801Angliholic0http://www.englishforums.com/English/ToDateTheyveOpenedSeven/zhmwk/post.htm#455801http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-455801.xmlThanks, Jim. Spot on! You really convince me!http://www.englishforums.com/English/ToDateTheyveOpenedSeven/zhmwk/post.htm#455712Mon, 25 May 2009 12:51:33 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:455712CalifJim1http://www.englishforums.com/English/ToDateTheyveOpenedSeven/zhmwk/post.htm#455712http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-455712.xmlLet me butt in here. sound is a linking verb. For this reason we say It sounds natural , not It sounds naturally . Consequently, things are natural sounding , not naturally sounding . sounding is a (present) participle. As such, it has some qualities of a verb; it is not purely adjectival in character. That's why the adjective natural can combine with it. The adjective natural 'modifies' the verbal aspects of the participle sounding as an adjective complement, even though the participle itself is adjectival with respect to the rest of the sentence. This analysis, while somewhat complicated, shows why this is not a case of an adjective modifying another adjective, even though it appears that way. For the...http://www.englishforums.com/English/ToDateTheyveOpenedSeven/zhmwk/post.htm#455616Mon, 25 May 2009 12:51:33 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:455616Angliholic2http://www.englishforums.com/English/ToDateTheyveOpenedSeven/zhmwk/post.htm#455616http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-455616.xmlGrammar Geek wrote: Yes, you can, but I personally find the "Up to..." ones a little more awkward and the "Until now" not very natural sounding . "So far" is the best substitute. Thanks, GG. But I still have some quam about "natural sounding." Shouldn't it be more grammatically correct to say "naturally sounding" because "sounding" in the context functions as an adjective?http://www.englishforums.com/English/ToDateTheyveOpenedSeven/zhmwk/post.htm#455615Sun, 25 Jan 2009 13:51:33 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:455615Grammar Geek3http://www.englishforums.com/English/ToDateTheyveOpenedSeven/zhmwk/post.htm#455615http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-455615.xmlYes, you can, but I personally find the "Up to..." ones a little more awkward and the "Until now" not very natural sounding. "So far" is the best substitute.http://www.englishforums.com/English/ToDateTheyveOpenedSeven/zhmwk/post.htmWed, 25 Feb 2009 13:51:33 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:455610Angliholic4http://www.englishforums.com/English/ToDateTheyveOpenedSeven/zhmwk/post.htmhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-455610.xmlThe company hopes to open 12 hotels by 2010. To date, they've opened seven. Could I replace "To date" in the above with "Until now/Up to now/Up to the present/So far" without making a change in meaning? Thanks.