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

Re: in the morning

Kooyeen — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:44:45 GMT

Hi,
in the morning is a very flexible adverb, which means it can modify almost all sentences and verbs. One example of an adverb you can't always use the way you want is yesterday, for example. I will go to New York yesterday <-- This is incorrect, it doesn't make sense, right?
But you can use in the morning with every tense. Examples:
I will go there in the morning.
I used to go there in the morning.

And the same goes for other expressions like "in the evening", "at night", etc.

Re: Filipinisms/Filipinoisms? Ring a bell?

Mister Micawber — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:07:37 GMT

.
I would consider this exercise damagingly prescriptive; most are neither uniquely Filipino nor wrong. However (and my comments refer to AmE/BrE):

1. Free subscription of... (Free subscription toâ¦) - prepo issue-- AmE/BrE uses the collocation subscribe to.
2. Can I speak withâ¦? (May I speak withâ¦) - To sound more polite/ask permission?-- Both OK. 'Can' is more casual but just as common.
3. Come again? (I'm sorry I didn't get quite get that / Excuse me? / I'm sorry would you please say that again?) - English trainers discourage agents to use this because they say that it could mean 'cum again')-- The English trainers are nuts. Come again is common and casual. Your examples in parentheses are overly formal for most situations.
4. It's for free! (It's free. / It's free of charge. / We're sending it to you for free.) - Filipinos have been used to saying 'It's for free'. How do I say that it should be avoided? What makes it wrong?-- Nothing makes it wrong; it's fine.
5. Hold your line/For awhileâ¦ (Would you mind if I put you on hold for a second? / Please hold) - hold your line is absurd. any comment? what about for awhile?-- I agree that 'Hold your line' is not natural in AmE/BrE. 'Please hold' or 'Could you hold, please' is the usual.
6. Open/ close the light/computer (Turn on/off the light/TV/computer) - how do I explain this? it sounds like opening/closing the tv for repair.- This seems to be a direct translation from Spanish? Tagalog? At least, it is the same error that Japanese make.
7. Do you mind waiting? Yes, I'll wait. (No, not at all. / No, I don't mind at all.) - YES is the issue. wrong response. any other feedback?-- 'Yes' is logically wrong but common when the tag ( e.g. 'I'll wait') is also present; speakers seldom have the opportunity to stop and think about the 'Do you mind?' form, and this includes native AmE/BrE speakers.
8. Anything? (Is there anything I can do for you? / How may I help you?) - fragmented, seems vague?-- Yes, it seems vague and fragmentary out of context.
9. I'll ask her an apology. (I'll apologize to her. / I should make an apology.) - this sounds illogical?-- Not a natural AmE/BrE formation.
10. We take lunch. (We eat lunch. / We have lunch (every Sunday).)-- 'Take' seems to be an occasional replacement in this context in many Englishes. It is not an egregious variation.
11. We accept repairs. (This shop repairs cars/cellphones, etc.)-- Seems fine to me.
12. We accept painting jobs. (This shop does painting jobs.)- Quite common.
13. Tuck out (Untuck)- Odd.
14. He was salvaged. (He was assassinated.)-- A new meaning for the word for me, and it is not in the dictionary. Perhaps some confusion with 'savaged'?
15. She delivered her baby yesterday. (She had her baby yesterday. / Dr. Smith delivered her baby.)-- This is fine. From the dictionary-- 'to give birth to: She delivered twins at 4 a.m. '
16. Xerox (Photocopy)-- Very common in AmE at least. Among my generation, 'to xerox' is perhaps more usual than 'to photocopy'.
17. Oppositor (Opposition member)-- A new word for me. Not a bad formation, but perhaps difficult to understand by foreigners.
18. Hand carry (Carry - on luggage)-- A new word, but reasonable.
19. It's traffic today. (Traffic is heavy.) -- It seems vague and fragmentary
20. Senatoriable (Senatorial candidate) -- Odder than #17
21. At around 2pm (At about 2pm) - around is Am? about is Brit?- Very common in AmE; it also appears with this meaning in the Cambridge dictionary.
22. I failed in Accent training. (I failed accent training.)-- A common expression, though I prefer your alternative.
23. We were under Mr. Johnson. (Mr. Johnson was our teacher.) - Filipinos are used to saying 'That student is under my class' so this filipinism has started.-- In context, 'We were under Mr. Johnson' sounds fine, while 'That student is under my class' does not.
24. My brother is taking up law. (My brother is taking law. / My brother is studying law.) -- 'Take up' is common, but means the overall intention, not just the matriculation.
25. Where are you studying? (Where do you go to school? / What school do you go to?)- 'Where are you studying' is fine.
26. Pass by my office before you go. (Drop by my office before you go.) - Brit/Am phrasal?-- Not AmE, at least. 'Stop by' or 'Drop by'.
27. We have one participant only. (We only have one participant.) - should they say 'only one participant'?-- The 'only' can go in several places; at the end is one of those places.
28. I talked to her already. (I already talked to her.) - I need help on adverb order. This confuses all Filipinos and me too. Where should adverbs be placed?- Adverbs are relatively variable in their placement. In this case, both are all OK. More interesting is that AmE uses simple past more consistently with 'yet' and 'already' than does BrE, which prefers the perfect aspect.
29. Will you be at the office at 7am? Actually. (Will you be at the office at 7am? Yes.)-- Not AmE/BrE
30. Actually, I like Jennifer Aniston. (I like Jennifer Aniston.) - Actually/basically has become Filipinos expressions.-- I wouldn't say that it is unique to Filipinos; many AmE speakers develop the habit in various contexts. Too much is too much, however.
31. As per Paul, all request forms should be signed by him. (As per Paul's instructions, all request forms should be signed by him.)-- This is common bizspeak throughout the English-speaking world.
32. Wanted: Sewer (Wanted: Tailor or seamstress)-- Yes, it is certainly open to misinterpretation! But 'seamstress' is sexist.
33. Take home (Take it home / To go. / For take out)-- 'Take home food' seems like a regional variant of 'take out food'.
34. I felt kind of tired. (I felt rather tired.)-- 'Kind of' is very common in informal AmE.
35. As to the projectâ¦ (About the projectâ¦)-- A common formality in most Englishes.
36. Thank you for that/this one. (Thank you for the information. / Thank you.) - I need to send this in a few minutes and I still couldn't think of an explanation. Phrasing sounds awkward to me. But besides getting straight to the point, why did 'for that/this one' make it wrong?-- 'One' is wrongly used; 'information' is uncountable.
37. I do love playing basketball/volleyball. (I love playing basketball/volleyball.) - this may sound right depending on the flow of the conversation, right? e.g. you don't love playing... No, I do...-- You are correct. This is called the emphatic 'do'.
38. Currently, I live in Quezon City right now. (Currently, I live in Quezon City. / I live in Quezon City.) - redundant - now and currently.- Yes, redundant.
39. Actually, I like Microsoft, Symantec and Adobe (I like Microsoft Symantec and Adobe)-- The comma is necessary if Microsoft and Symantec are different softwares.
40. As per Mon, all request forms should be signed by him. (As per Paul's instructions, all request forms should be signed by him.)-- This is the same as #31, and OK.
41. I do apologize (I apologize.)-- This is fine indeed. It is the same as #37, and is more polite than your bracketed alternative.
.

Filipinisms/Filipinoisms? Ring a bell?

samwalker — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:26:28 GMT

Has anyone heard about Filipinisms/Filipinoism?

Hi guys. In the call center industry, it refers to terms/phrases used by Filipinos in speaking and in writing (sometimes). They gave me a list with corrections and assigned me to send one Filipinism with corrections weekly. However, in my opinion, sending the filipinism and a correction seems not enough.
I want to include reasons/explanations why a certain Filipinism is wrong but I'm neither a teacher nor a native Brit/Am so I don't know how to exlain each entry/correction.
I need your feedback for each entry (What makes them wrong? Is it grammatically incorrect? etc... How do I explain to agents?)
Here is their list:

"Filipinisms are words or phrases that are ususally grammatically incorrect or are almost always results of transliteration."

Filipinism (Correct Usage)

1. Free subscription of... (Free subscription toâ¦) - prepo issue
2. Can I speak withâ¦? (May I speak withâ¦) - To sound more polite/ask permission?
3. Come again? (I'm sorry I didn't get quite get that / Excuse me? / I'm sorry would you please say that again?) - English trainers discourage agents to use this because they say that it could mean 'cum again')
4. It's for free! (It's free. / It's free of charge. / We're sending it to you for free.) - Filipinos have been used to saying 'It's for free'. How do I say that it should be avoided? What makes it wrong?
5. Hold your line/For awhileâ¦ (Would you mind if I put you on hold for a second? / Please hold) - hold your line is absurd. any comment? what about for awhile?
6. Open/ close the light/computer (Turn on/off the light/TV/computer) - how do I explain this? it sounds like opening/closing the tv for repair.
7. Do you mind waiting? Yes, I'll wait. (No, not at all. / No, I don't mind at all.) - YES is the issue. wrong response. any other feedback?
8. Anything? (Is there anything I can do for you? / How may I help you?) - fragmented, seems vague?
9. I'll ask her an apology. (I'll apologize to her. / I should make an apology.) - this sounds illogical?
10. We take lunch. (We eat lunch. / We have lunch (every Sunday).)
11. We accept repairs. (This shop repairs cars/cellphones, etc.)
12. We accept painting jobs. (This shop does painting jobs.)
13. Tuck out (Untuck)
14. He was salvaged. (He was assassinated.)
15. She deliveredher baby yesterday. (She had her baby yesterday. / Dr. Smith delivered her baby.)
16. Xerox (Photocopy)
17. Oppositor (Opposition member)
18. Hand carry (Carry - on luggage)
19. It's traffic today. (Traffic is heavy.)
20. Senatoriable (Senatorial candidate)
21. At around 2pm (At about 2pm) - around is Am? about is Brit?
22. I failed in Accent training. (I failed accent training.)
23. We were under Mr. Johnson. (Mr. Johnson was our teacher.) - Filipinos are used to saying 'That student is under my class' so this filipinism has started.
24. My brother is taking up law. (My brother is taking law. / My brother is studying law.)
25. Where are you studying? (Where do you go to school? / What school do you go to?)
26. Pass by my office before you go. (Drop by my office before you go.) - Brit/Am phrasal?
27. We have one participant only. (We only have one participant.) - should they say 'only one participant'?
28. I talked to her already. (I already talked to her.) - I need help on adverb order. This confuses all Filipinos and me too. Where should adverbs be placed?
29. Will you be at the office at 7am? Actually. (Will you be at the office at 7am? Yes.)
30. Actually, I like Jennifer Aniston. (I like Jennifer Aniston.) - Actually/basically has become Filipinos expressions.
31. As per Paul, all request forms should be signed by him. (As per Paul's instructions, all request forms should be signed by him.)
32. Wanted: Sewer (Wanted: Tailor or seamstress)
33. Take home (Take it home / To go. / For take out)
34. I felt kind of tired. (I felt rather tired.)
35. As to the projectâ¦ (About the projectâ¦)
36. Thank you for that/this one. (Thank you for the information. / Thank you.) - I need to send this in a few minutes and I still couldn't think of an explanation. Phrasing sounds awkward to me. But besides getting straight to the point, why did 'for that/this one' make it wrong?
37. I do love playing basketball/volleyball. (I love playing basketball/volleyball.) - this may sound right depending on the flow of the conversation, right? e.g. you don't love playing... No, I do...
38. Currently, I live in Quezon City right now. (Currently, I live in Quezon City. / I live in Quezon City.) - redundant - now and currently.
39. Actually, I like Microsoft, Symantec and Adobe (I like Microsoft Symantec and Adobe)
40. As per Mon, all request forms should be signed by him. (As per Paul's instructions, all request forms should be signed by him.)
41. I do apologize (I apologize.)

Seeing and hearing their errors frustrate me. I wanna help them and tell them why each entry is wrong/grammatically incorrect/vague/illogical/awkwardly phrased/etc. but I'm not a teacher.
I would appreciate if someone could add exlanation to every entry...

Re: Could of vs could have

Anonymous — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 09:51:00 GMT

of ... is a preposition and is generally placed before a noun
eg. she is part OF a group. ( a group. the noun preceded by it's preposition)

could ... is an adverb which describes the verb
eg. she COULD be part OF the group ... (COULD describes the verb TO BE)

It follows from the above that the expression:

COULD OF has no sensible grammatical meaning.... (ie. an ADVERB describing a PREPOSITION)

COULD HAVE is an adverb describing the verb (HAVE) which follows it; this has a sensible grammatical meaning.

Re: The next / Next

CalifJim — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 16:18:59 GMT

Oops! I oversimplified. My remarks pertained to the use of next and the next when referring to time. Trains are different!

Both of your examples require the next (train). train is a countable, singular, concrete noun, so it has to have a determiner. This takes precedence over any other considerations.

Time expressions are adverbial, so We're leaving next Monday is OK. Monday is noun-like, but it's used as an adverb. And besides, it's not a concrete noun anyway.

Re: Would you not say "an ill man"?

jazzmaster — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:03:54 GMT

khoff
Hi Jazzmaster -- yes, your questions are entirely appropriate and welcome here.

I also have a more liberal feeling about "pale" than "ill." I would probably say "That girl is very pale," but if I read "the pale girl" it would not bother me. On the other hand, "the ill man" sounds very odd. And, while I agree with Grammar Geek that sometimes "He's a sick man" can mean "he is perverse or mentally unbalanced," I think it depends on context, tone of voice, etc. I don't think it would be unusual to say, "He's a sick man" referring simply to one's physical condition.

As to why "an ill man" doesn't "sound right" -- I can't really say. A British speaker might see it differently -- they distinguish between "ill" (in general) and "sick" (nauseated or vomiting) in a way that Americans don't. Personally I very rarely use the word "ill," I think it's less commonly used in the U.S. than in Britain.

Hello, khoff:
Thanks for your posting.

For a certain reason and what not, I wanted to make sure my hardcore grammatical questions are appropriate here first of all. Can I even mention SVOC here or is it not a good idea?

>>I would probably say "That girl is very pale," but if I read "the pale girl" it would not bother me.
>khoff, you have no idea how much this statement means to me. At least the expression "pale girl" could be acceptable if it is in print. Thank you. You know, the whole thing is that putting "pale" in front of any parts of human, such as eyes, lips and complexion works just fine, but in front of the human his/herself does not is hard to digest.

>>On the other hand, "the ill man" sounds very odd.
>This naturally leads to my next question where it gets pretty "ill". So please don't turn "pale" !
What if you see "the terminally ill man" or "the critically ill patient"? Adverbs such as terminally or critically, medically will some how make it all right for "ill" to be placed in front of "man", do they not? This is the very point I wanted to know. Without an adverb: the ill man(X), with an adverb: the terminally ill man (OK). ... Finally here is the core question: why is this?

Please do not feel obligated to answer this. I do not think I can answer this myself.

Thanks for your inputs.

Re: pretty much perfect

CalifJim — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 08:45:52 GMT

If you take the point of view that perfect is an 'absolute' (non-gradable) adjective, an adjective of which there can be no degrees -- a point of view being disputed in this thread, but for the sake of argument, let's say we take this viewpoint -- then more perfect is impossible because it expresses a degree of perfection, a quality which, by the original supposition, does not occur in degrees. Given that it is absolute, it is as pointless to talk about more or less perfection as to talk about more or less nothingness, or -- to pick a more famous example -- to talk about some pigs being more equal than others. more perfect, rather perfect, pretty perfect, a little perfect, fairly perfect, very perfect, and somewhat perfect are all "banned" within this viewpoint because all express degrees of perfection.

Nevertheless, it is not contradictory, still remaining within the same point of view, to speak of conditions which are closer to or farther from the absolute (non-gradable) state of perfection. This is not at all the same as talking about different degrees of perfection. In this group we have nearly perfect, almost perfect, far from perfect, very nearly perfect, just about perfect, and pretty much perfect.

pretty is close in meaning to fairly. It belongs in the first ("banned") group because it expresses a degree of a (gradable) quality: pretty good, pretty small, pretty old, pretty shabby

pretty much is close in meaning to just about or almost. It has to be thought of as a two-word idiom not exactly derivable from the meanings of the two words that compose it. It belongs in the second group because it expresses a distance from an (absolute) quality: pretty much finished, pretty much empty, pretty much intact, pretty much equal

______________

If you take the point of view, on the other hand, that perfect is not an absolute adjective (i.e., is a gradable adjective), then all the adverbs of degree can apply: fairly perfect, very perfect, less perfect, etc. I've never, personally, taken this point of view. In fact, I was told in grade school that the "more perfect union" spoken of in the Constitution should really have been a "more nearly perfect union". Apparently that lesson has stuck with me.

Yet common sense dictates that some expressions which take perfect to be gradable have become standard idioms in English and therefore must be accepted. But I don't think I am alone in saying that pretty perfect is not one of them.

Re: happily

Mister Micawber — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 08:24:24 GMT

.
The adverb is in the wrong place for the usual expressions:

They happily played with firecrackers together.

They happily visited their home.

He is happily eating food.

Re: "When" or "as"

Lone Swordsman — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 22:41:56 GMT

Thanks, Kooyeen

By the way, after googling it a liitle bit, I came across a web page that describes different adverb clauses with time expressions. If someone's still interested, here is the link:

http://esl.about.com/library/grammar/blgr_adverbclauses_time.htm

So, the right answer to my question would be the first sentence.

for example

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 02:10:30 GMT

Hi,

I found out that a person can use the phrase 'for example' as a phrase to introduce and emphasize something, but also I found out it is an conjunctive adverb and should be able to function as an adverb. As to it being a conjunction, the examples of it and details of it escape me.

Are we talking about a phrase introducing or emphasizing something here or a conjunction or an adverb here? I have some good ideas but clarity is what is absent.

... used to indicate that a verb is always used in a particular way, for example only cont. -- I think 'for example' is used to introduce the words in bold letters 'only cont'. Is it acting as an adverb?? I don't know. Could you help??

When you buy a car, for example, you should drive around trying to get use to the car ... -- I think 'for exmple' here acts an adverb in a position of a parenthetical expression (if that can be said to be such)

He needs to to more in the house, for example, taking out trash, cleaning his rooms, etc. -- I think it is used as a phrase to introduce, but then is it acting as an adverb or a conjunction??? I don't know. Could you help?