Korean Job Discussion Forums

[periwinkle]

I can't answer my students' question. They want to know why they should use close, and not closely, in the following sentence: The thunderstorm appeared quite close to the airport. I am describing the verb appear, so why not use closely?

An example where an adverb would be used: The car was honking quite loudly. Arrrggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

[Pangit]

No, you're not describing the word "appear," you're discussing the location of the thunderstorm, and you're using the phrase "close to" to do that.

[mishlert]

Pangit is right.
Break it down and you'll see:

The thunderstorm appeared close to the airport.
How close (did it appear)?
Quite close.

[Wangja]

[billybrobby]

consider these:

he looks angrily (at something).
he looks angry.

[periwinkle]

Ah ha!!!! My students were so caught up in the adverb that I got confused. The thuderstorm was being described, and not the verb appears, hence the need for an adjective Guro kunah!!

[Wangja]

But 'close' can be an adverb .......

[some waygug-in]

They both can be adverbs, but close can be either an adverb or an adjective.

Check this site out if you don't believe me.

http://www.grammarstation.com/servlet/KnowYourAdverbs?word=closely&submit=Click

enter "close" "adverb of place" - We drove close to the river.

then enter "closely"


Closely is an adverb of manner, therefore it is incorrect to use it for location.

Ex: He watched me type very closely. (carefully, intently)

anyway, it's sort of an answer.

[Eunoia]

In this case, "appeared" is a linking verb. Think of it this way - if you can replace the main verb with "the 'be' verb" (is/am/are/was/were), then it's a linking verb and takes an adjective, not an adverb.

"The thunderstorm was quite close to the airport.

You wouldn't say, "The thunderstorm was quite closely to the airport," because there's no action verb.

Hope this helps!

[robitusson]

Hmmmm....personally speaking if I was an English language teacher and I didn't know the answer to that I'd be too ashamed to put it on a public website. What a refreshing lack of ego.

[Hans Blix]

[robitusson]

It is very complex. Some things like the difference between an adverb and an adjective are pretty basic, or should be especially for an English teacher.

[Qinella]

[cruisemonkey]

Oooooo..... BURN!

[Sliver]

subjunctive mood strikes again