Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[hela]

Dear teachers,

Would you please correct my sentences ?

1) He speaks English WELL.
(sole position ? can "well" ever precede a verb? )

2) a) He ONLY speaks English.
b) He speaks ONLY English.
c) He speaks English ONLY. (is there a difference in meaning?)

3) a) The price of computers has gone down SIGNIFICANTLY.
b) The price of computers has SIGNIFICANTLY gone down.

4) a) This example PERFECTLY illustrates the problem.
b) This example illustrates the problem PERFECTLY.

5) a) SLOWLY she drew the curtains. (possible ?)
b) She SLOWLY drew the curtains.
c) She drew the curtains SLOWLY.
(does the meaning change from one sentence to another?)

6) a) ONE DAY, I want to join the police.
b) I want to join the police ONE DAY. (no comma before �one day�?)

7) a) Do you STILL work here?
b) Do you work here STILL? (incorrect ? / informal ?)
c) I am STILL learning English this year.
d) I am learning English this year STILL.
Or is "still" always used between the auxiliary and the main verb?Do you consider "still" an adverb of time?
What about "still" when it is fronted?

a) I haven�t done the washing up YET.
b) I haven�t YET done the washing up. (correct ?)

9) a) If the weather is good, we will leave TOMORROW AT NOON.
b) If the weather is good, we will leave AT NOON TOMORROW.

10) Are "nearly", "hardly" and "almost" adverbs of degree ? Are they always used between the auxiliary and the main verb?
a) She can HARDLY walk due to (?) her car accident.
b) She has NEARLY died after her car accident.
c) I have ALMOST finished writing my thesis.

11) What about "also"? What kind of adverb is it?
a) Since you're having another cup of coffee, I'll ALSO have one. (??)
b) Since you're having another cup of coffee, I'll have one ALSO. (incorrect ? would it be better to use "too" instead?)

All the best

[Christine123]

1. No, the adverb "well" must always follow the verb it modifies.

2. No, there is no difference in meaning. Example A sounds the most natural, but all are acceptable.

3. and 4. All of the examples you have in numbers 3 and 4 are appropriate, and convey the same meaning. Adverbs can be placed immediately before or after the verb it modifies. If a clause contains only one verb, the adverb can also be placed after the object. If a clause contains two or more verbs, the adverb must be placed immediately before or after the verb.

5. Examples B and C are both appropriate and convey the same meaning. They apply to what I wrote above about adverb placement. Example A is not natural spoken English, but you will often find sentences structured like this in literature because literature is allowed to break standard grammar rules.

I have to leave right now, so I will continue answering your questions later. You bring up lots of really good questions that are making me think, and some that I even have to look up!

[redset]

[hela]

Dear teachers,

Would you please tell me what you think about the following?

1) RULE: "Adverbs of manner usually occur at the end of the sentence though sometimes they are placed before the main verb".
Would you have examples of the latter case?

a) She ate her oysters slowly.
b) She slowly ate her oysters. [incorrect?]

c) She could only sing badly.
d) She badly sang that song. [incorrect?]

2) If we wanted to insist on the subject, could we say :
a) He ONLY speaks English.
d) ONLY he speaks English.

Would you say that "ONLY" is an adverb of degree?

3) I didn't quite understand the meaning of (b). Would you please try to explain it to me again?

a) The price of computers has gone down SIGNIFICANTLY.
b) The price of computers has SIGNIFICANTLY gone down.
c) The price of computers SIGNIFICANTLY has gone down. [incorrect?]

8/ a) I haven�t done the washing up YET.
b) I haven�t YET done the washing up. (correct ?)

[hela]

Good morning redset,

Thank you for your explanations. I didn't understand the following nuance, however. Would please say it again?

5) a) SLOWLY she drew the curtains. (possible ?)
b) She SLOWLY drew the curtains.
c) She drew the curtains SLOWLY.
(does the meaning change from one sentence to another?)