ESL General English Grammar Questions

Re: It has improved greatly/much.

Avangi — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 20:10:59 GMT

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.

Re: It has improved greatly/much.

Cool Breeze — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 19:38:34 GMT

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! (How did you ever learn it?)

Re: It has improved greatly/much.

Avangi — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:13:51 GMT

Hi CB,

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

Re: It has improved greatly/much.

Cool Breeze — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 07:55:25 GMT

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.

Re: It has improved greatly/much.

Avangi — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 01:19:37 GMT

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.

It has improved greatly/much.

Viceidol — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 01:09:44 GMT

"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!