Search results for 'tag:Adverbs tag:Verbs' matching tags 'Adverbs' and 'Verbs'

Re: "Much too" instead of "too much"?

Avangi — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 03:33:53 GMT

Hi,

Your example is fine, but the two expressions are not interchangeable, as you probably know. In your example (adverb), you could substitute "way too short."

I drank much (a lot of) beer. (adjective)
I drank too much beer. (beyond a certain limit)
I drank much too much beer. (way beyond the limit) (adverb - adjective)

Best wishes, - A.

Re: S+vt+O

Angliholic — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 06:34:09 GMT

Mister Micawber
.
I was bitten by a dog.= Subject + verb + adverbial (prepositional phrase acting as an adverb modifying the verb).

Thanks, Mister.
To make sure, is the pattern of the second sentence "S+Vi+Adv" or "S+Vt+Adv?"
If it's Vt, then where is the object? If it's Vi, then how come the Vt in the first sentence becomes Vi in the second? Thanks again.

Re: S+vt+O

Mister Micawber — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 03:57:14 GMT

.
I was bitten by a dog.= Subject + verb + adverbial (prepositional phrase acting as an adverb modifying the verb).

Re: Several questions about the word "as"

CalifJim — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 21:18:11 GMT

I am going to the mall as I did yesterday.

Is that a compound sentence? No.

I am as tall as he is.

Is as an adverb or an adjective? Adverb.

He's talking to me as if he doesn't know me.

What is "as if"? Prepositional phrase? No. Adverb and conjunction.

Re: not / neither / nor

Anonymous — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:09:37 GMT

When looking up tricky constructions or words, one can often go to the dictionary to view its proper usage. For example, www.dictionary.com shows this definition and usage note for nor:

1. (used in negative phrases, esp. after neither, to introduce the second member in a series, or any subsequent member): Neither he nor I will be there. They won't wait for you, nor for me, nor for anybody.
2. (used to continue the force of a negative, as not, no, never, etc., occurring in a preceding clause): He left and I never saw him again, nor did I regret it.

So,

"Usage Note: When using neither in a balanced construction that negates two parts of a sentence, nor (not or) must be used in the second clause: She is neither able nor (not or) willing to go. Similarly, when negating the second of two negative independent clauses, nor (not or) must be used: He cannot find anyone now, nor does he expect to find anyone in the future; Jane will never compromise with Bill, nor will Bill compromise with Jane. Note that in these constructions, nor causes an inversion of the auxiliary verb and the subject (does he ... will Bill ...). However, when a verb is negated by not or never, and is followed by a verb phrase that is also to be negated (but not an entire clause), either or or nor can be used: He will not permit the change, or (or nor) even consider it. In noun phrases of the type no this or that, or is actually more common than nor: He has no experience or interest (less frequently nor interest) in chemistry. Or is also more common than nor when such a noun phrase, adjective phrase, or adverb phrase is introduced by not: He is not a philosopher or a statesman. They were not rich or happy. "

So, or is more common than nor, but nor is still acceptable (even if it sounds weird).
It further becomes clear that not...nor is acceptable when you look at the definition of neither, which is a conjunction for not either.

Several questions about the word "as"

zhangxupage — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 17:36:00 GMT

I am going to the mall as I did yesterday.

Is that a compound sentence?

I am as tall as he is.

Is as an adverb or an adjective?

He's talking to me as if he doesn't know me.

What is "as if"? Prepositional phrase?

Thank you for answering.

Re: Adverb-with and without 'ly'

Cool Breeze — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 08:27:41 GMT

rishonly
An adverb is used in two different forms: with 'ly' and without 'ly'. May I know the rules behind such usage?

1 (a) The batter drove the ball deep.

1 (b) . The play moved me deeply.

2 (a) Stay close to me.

2 (b) Examine the work closely.

1. There are pairs of adverbs where the one without an ending (deep) is used in a more concrete sense than the one with an ending (deeply). In these cases the adverb with the ending is used in more abstract contexts. Another example:

The airplane flew very high. (The altitude of the plane can be measured accurately.)

I think very highly of him. (There is no accurate physical means to measure my appreciation.)

2. Close indicates location, distance. Closely indicates the way in which the work should be examined.

Re: SAT Grammar

Clive — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 04:08:52 GMT

Hi,

None of the fish in the aquarium are native to this part of the world, having instead been imported from overseas.

Can you please explain why "having instead" is correct? And how do I distinguish if it's used incorrectly?

instead - This is just an ordinary adverb, meaning 'as an alternative'.

having been imported - This is a passive perfect participle, used to describe 'fish'. Let' me try to explain by offering a simpler example of one.

On Monday, someone broke the window.
On Tuesday, it rained. Assume I was there. I could have said any of these things.
The room is getting wet because someone has broken the window.
The room is getting wet because the window has been broken (by somebody).
The window having been broken (by somebody), the room is getting wet.

Now let's try to reword your SAT sentence to make the meaning a bit clearer.

Because they have been imported (by somebody), we know the fish are not native to this part of the world.
Having been imported, the fish are not native to this part of the world.

Best wishes, Clive

Re: Q74. Adverb phrase/adverb clause vs Prepositional phrase

Anonymous — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 21:26:21 GMT

By most standards, it is prepositional phrase from the viewpoint of structure, because it is preceded by a preposition, not an adverb. From the viewpoint of function, the phrase has an adverbial function becuase it relates to the verb 'saw'. In other contexts, 'on' can be used as an adverbial particle, serving a verb, as in 'move on, please', but this is not the case.

Re: Long since

Clive — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:46:49 GMT

Hi,

this question is on the SAT OG book page 661 # 29 One of the brackets contains an error.
The dolls in the collection, [all] [more than] two hundred years old, had been [carefully] carved for children [long since] gone.

Why isn't [long since] wrong? And can you please explain the usage of [more than]? When can it be used and when is it wrong?

I don't see any error in this sentence at all.

all 200 years old - fine, describes the dolls.

more than 200 years old - fine. Just perhaps a little ambiguous as to whether it describes the collection or the dolls.

carefully - fine, just an adverb.

long since - this is a standard and accepted phrase that means roughly 'it has been a long time since'. The form is
'long since + past participle'

eg The school is long since closed. = The school is closed and it has been a long time since it closed.

Best wishes, Clive