28 Kinds of adverbs
Manner: bravely, fast, happily, hard, quickly, well (see 35) Place: by, down, here, near, there, up (36) Time: now, soon, still, then, today, yet (37) Frequency: always, never, occasionally, often, twice (38) Sentence: certainly, definitely, luckily, surely (40) Degree: fairly, hardly, rather, quite, too, very (41) Interrogative: when? where? why? (60) Relative: when, where, why (75 E)
Form and use
2f9 The formation of adverbs with ly
A Many adverbs of manner and some adverbs of degree are formed by adding ly to the corresponding adjectives:
grave, gravely immediate, immediately slow, slowly Spelling notes
(a) A final y changes to i: happy, happily,
(b) A final e is retained: extreme, extremely. Exceptions: true, due, whole become truly, duly, wholly.
(c) Adjectives ending in able/ible drop the final e and add y: capable, capably sensible, sensibly . ,
(d) Adjectives ending in a vowel + 1 follow the psual rule: beautiful, beautifully final, finally
B Exceptions
The adverb of good is well.
kindly can be adjective or adverb, but other adjectives ending in ly, e.g. friendly, likely, lonely etc , cannot be used as adverbs and have no adverb form. To supply this deficiency we use a similar adverb or adverb phrase:
likely (adjective) friendly (adjective)
probably (adverb) in a friendly way (adverb phrase)
C Some adverbs have a narrower meaning than their corresponding adjectives or differ from them. coldly, coolly, hotly, warmly are used mainly of feelings:
We received them coldly, (in an unfriendly way) > They denied the accusation hotly, (indignantly)
She welcomed us warmly, (in a friendly way)
47
i* •-
4 Adverbs .
But warmly dressed = wearing warm ciothes.
coolly – calmly/courageously or calmly/impudently:
He behaved very coolly in this dangerous situation. presently = soon: He’ll be here presently. (See also 30 B. For barely, scarcely, see 44. For surely,
see 40 A.)
30 Adverbs and adjectives with the same form A back hard’ little right*
’ ’ ’ – ’— short*
deep* high* long
direct* ill low
early just* muc
enough kindly neat
far late* preh
fast left
•See B below.
Used as adverbs:
Come back soon.
You can dial Rome direct.
The train went fast.
They worked hard, (energetically)
an ill-made road
Turn right here
She went straight home
He led us wrong.
long short
low sttl1
much/more/most* straight
near* »*«
pretty’ wong
~ OCC tJ uci^n.
Used as adverbs: Used as adjectives:
Come back soon. the back door
You can dial Rome direct. the most direct route
The train went fast. a fast train
They worked hard, (energetically) The work is hard an ill-made road You look illlwell
Turn right here the right answer
She went straight home a straight line
He led us wrong This is the wrong way.
B Starred words above also have ly forms. Note the meanings. deeply is used chiefly of feelings:
He was deeply offended. directly can be used of time or connection: He ’II be here directly, (very soon) The new regulations will affect us directly/indirectly.
(For hardly, see 44.)
highly is used only, in an abstract sense:
He was a highly paid official. They spoke very highly of him. justly corresponds to the adjective just (fair, right, lawful), but just can also be an adverb of degree. (See 41.) lately = recently: Have you seen him lately? mostly » chiefly nearly – almost: I’m nearly ready. prettUy corresponds to the adjective pretty (attractive):
Her little girls are always prettily dressed. But pretty can also be an adverb of degree meaning very:
The exam was pretty difficult. rightly can be used with a past participle to mean justly or correctly:
He was rightly/justly punished.
1 was rightly/correctly informed.
4 Adverbs
But in each case the second adverb would be more usual, shortly – soon, briefly or curtly, wrongly can be used with a past participle: You were wrongly (incorrectly) informed.
But He of ted wrongly could mean that his action was either incorrect or morally wrong.
C long and near (adverbs) have a restricted use.
1 long
longer, longest can be used without restriction:
// took longer than I expected. But long is used mainly in the negative or interrogative:
How long will it take to get there? ~ It won’t take long. In the affirmative too/so + long or long + enough is possible. Alternatively a long time can be used: // would take too long. It would take a long time.
In conversation (for) a long time is often replaced by (for) ages: I waited for ages. It took us ages to get there.
2 near
nearer, nearest can be used without restriction: Don’t come any nearer.
But near in the positive form is usually qualified by very/quite/so/too or enough:
They live quite near. Don’t come too near. You ’re near enough. –
The preposition near with noun, pronoun or adverb is more generally useful:
Don’t go near the edge: The ship sank near here.
D far and much also have a restricted use. See 32 and 33.
31 Comparative and superlative adverb forms
A With adverbs of two or more syllables we form the comparative and superlative by putting more and most before the positive form:
Positive Comparative Superlative
Positive
Superlative
quickly fortunately
more quickly more fortunately
t
mo-it quickly
most fortunately
SngtMyDabte adverbS( however ^ ear, arfd *•«* harder hardest ea”y earlier earliest (note the y becomes i)
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4 Adverbs
B Irregular comparisons:
Will
badly little muck far
better
worse
less
more
farther
further
least ’ ” ”’
most
farthest (of distance only)
furthest (used more widely; see 32 A)
32 far, farther/farthest and further/furthest
A further, furthest ^^^^^_
These, like farther/farthest, can be used as adverbs of ^^^^^1 place/distance: l^^^^l
It isn ’t safe to go any further/farther in this fog. ^^^^^H
But they can also be used in an abstract sense: Hjjj^l
Mr A said that these toy pistols should not be on sale. ^^B
Mr B went further and said that no toy pistols should be sold. I
Mr C went furthest of all and said that no guns of any kind should be sold.
B far: restrictions on use
far in the comparative and superlative can be used quite freely:
He travelled further than we expected. far in the positive form is used chiefly in the negative and interrogative:
How far can you see? – / can’t see far.
In the affirmative a long way is more usual than far, and a long way away is more usual than far away:
They sailed a long way. He lives a long way away. But very far away is possible, and so is so/quite/too -•- far and far +
enough:
They walked so far that. . . They walked too far.
We’ve gone far enough. far can bf used with an abstract meaning: The new law doesn ’t go far enough. You ’ve gone too far! (You’ve been too insulting/overbearing/
insolent etc.) far, adverb of degree, is used with comparatives or with too/so +
positive forms:
She swims far better than 1 do. He drinks far too much.
33 much, more, most
A more and most can be used fairly freely:
You should ride more. 1 use this room most. But much, in the positive form, has a restricted use. B much meaning a lot can modify negative verbs: ’ He doesn’t ride much nowadays.
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D
4 Adverbs
In the interrogative much is chiefly used with how. In questions without how, much is possible but a lot is more usual:
How much has he ridden? Has he ridden a lot/much? In the affirmative as/so/too + much is possible. Otherwise a lot/ a good deal/a great deal is preferable:
He shouts so much that… / talk too much. But He rides a lot/a great deal.
very much meaning greatly can be used more widely in the affirmative. We can use it with blame, praise, thank and with a number of verbs concerned with feelings: admire, amuse, approve, dislike, distress, enjoy, impress, like, object, shock, surprise etc.:
Thank you very much. They admired him very much.
She objects very much to the noise they make. much ( = greatly), with or without very, can be used with the participles admired, amused, disliked, distressed, impressed, liked, shocked, struck, upset:
He was (very) much admired.
She was (very) much impressed by their good manners.
much meaning a lot can modify comparative or superlative adjective* and adverbs:
much better much the best much more quickly much too can be used with positive forms:
He spoke much too fast.
most placed before an adjective or adverb can mean very. It is mainly used here with adjectives/adverbs of two or more syllables: He was most apologetic. • She behaved most generously. (See 21 C.)
34 Constructions with comparisons (see also 341)
When the same verb is required in both clauses we normally use <tn auxiliary for the second verb (see 22).
A With the positive form we use as … as with an affirmative verb, and as/so … as with a negative verb: He worked as slowly as he dared. He doesn’t snore as/so loudly as you do. It didn ’t take as/so long as 1 expected.
B With the comparative form we use than:
He eats more quickly than I do/than me. He played better than he had ever played. They arrived earlier than I expected. the + comparative . . . the + comparative is also possible: The earlier you start the sooner you’ll be back.
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4 Adverbs
4 Adverbs
With the superlative it is possible to use of + noun:
He went (the) furthest of the explorers.
But this construction is not very common and such a sentence would normally be expressed by a comparative, as shown above. A superlative (without the) -t- of all is quite common, but all here often refers to other actions by the same subject:
He likes suimming best of all. (better than he likes anything else) of ail can then be omitted.
• \
D For comparisons with like and as, see 21 H, I.
Position
35 Adverbs of manner
A Adverbs of manner come after the verb:
She danced beautifully or after the object when there is one:
He gave her the money reluctantly. They speak English well. Do not put an adverb between verb and object.
B When we have verb -t- preposition + object, the adverb can be either ”before the preposition or after the object:
He looked at me suspiciously or He looked suspiciously at me. But if the object contains a number of words we put the adverb before
the preposition:
He looked suspiciously at everyone who got off the plane.
C Similarly with verb + object sentences the length of the object affects the position of the adverb. If the object is short, we have verb + object + adverb, as shown in B above. But if the object is long we usually put the adverb before the verb:
She carefully picked up all the bits of broken glass. He angrily denied that he had stolen the documents. They secretly decided to leave the town.
D Note that if an adverb is placed after a clause or a phrase, it is normally considered to modify the verb in that clause/phrase. If, therefore, we move secretly to the end of the last example above, we change the
meaning:
They secretly decided . . . (The decision was secret.)
They decided to leave the town secretly. (The departure was
to be secret.)
E Adverbs concerned with character and^intelligence, foolishly, generously, kindly, stupidly etc., when placed before a verb, indicate that the action was foolish/kind/generous etc.:
I foolishly forgot my passport. He generously paid for us all.
He kindly waited for me. Would you kindly wait?
Note that we could also express such ideas by:
// was foolish of me to forget.
It was kind of him to wait. Would you be kind enough to wait? (See 252.) The adverb can come after the verb or after verb + object, but the meaning then changes:
He spoke kindly « Hts voice and words were kind is not the same as // was kind of him to speak to us.
He paid us generously = He paid more than the usual rate is not the sa~ne as // was generous of him to pay us. Note the difference between:
He answered the questions foolishly (His answers were foolish) and
He foolishly answered the questions. (Answering was foolish./It was
foolish of him to answer at all.)
badly and well can be used as adverbs of manner or degree. As adverbs of manner they come after an active verb, after the object or before the past participle in a passive verb.
He behaved badly. He read well.
He paid her badly. She speak* French well.
She, was badly paid. The trip was well organized. badly as an adverb of degree usually comes after the object or before the verb or past participle:
The door needs a coat of paint badly-The door badly needs a coat
of paint.
He was bajtfatfijptred in the last match. well (degree; aad-wel! (manner) have the same position ruies:
I’d ’ike thefJMak well done.
He knows the town well.
Shake the bottle well.
The children were well wrapped up.
The meaning of we!! may depend on its position. Note the difference between:
You know Ml that 1 can’t dnie (There can be no doubt in your
mind about this) and
You know that 1 can’t drive well. (I’m not a good driver.) well can be pltygb&after may/might and could to emphasize the probability of art action:
He may well refuse * It is quite likely that he will refuse. (For may/might as well, see 288.)
somehow, anyhow
somehow (= in some way 01 other) can DO placed in the front position
or after a verb without object or after the object:
Somehow they managed. They managed somehow.
They raised (he money wtnfkow.
anyhow as an adverb of manner is not common. But it is often used to mean ’in any case/anyway’. (See 327.)
53
V-
f -2
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4 Adverbs
36 Adverbs of place
away, everywhere, here, nowhere, somewhere, there etc. A If there is no object, these adverbs are usually placed after the verb:
She went away. He lives abroad. Bill is upstairs. But they come after verb + object or verb + preposition + object:
She sent him away. 1 looked for it everywhere. (But see chapter 38 for verb •*- adverb combinations such as pick up, put
down etc.)
Adverb phrases, formed of preposition + noun/pronoun/adverb, follow
the above position rules:
The parrot sat on a perch. He stood in the doorway. He lives near me. But see also E below. B somewhere, anywhere follow the same basic rules as some
and any:
I’ve seen that man somewhere.
Can you see my key anywhere? ~ No, I can’t see it anywhere.
Are you going anywhere? (ordinary question) but
Are you going somewhere? (I assume that you are.) nowhere, however, is not normally used in this position except in the expression to get nowhere (= to achieve nothing/to make no
progress):
Threatening people will get you nowhere. (You’ll gain no advantage
by threatening people.) But it can be used in short answers:
Where are you going? ~ Nowhere. (I’m not going anywhere.) It can also, in formal English, be placed at the beginning of a sentence and is then followed by an inverted verb:
Nowhere will you find better roses than these. (See 45.)
C here, there can be followed by be/come/go + noun subject: Here’s Tom. There’s Ann. Here comes the train. There goes our bus.
here and there used as above carry more stress than here/there placed after the verb. There is also usually a difference in meaning. Tom is here means he is in this room/building/town etc. But Here’s Tom implies that he has just appeared or that we have just found him. Tom comes here means that it is his habit to come to this place, but Here comes Tom implies that he is just arriving/has just arrived. If the subject is a personal pronoun, it precedes the verb in the
usual way:
There he is. Here I am. Here it comes. But someone and something follow the verb:
*There ’s someone who can help you.
Note that the same sentence, spoken without stress on There, would mean that a potential helper exists. (See 117.)
4 Adverbs
D Someone phoning a friend may introduce himself/herself by name + here:
ANN (on phone): Is that you, Tom? Ann here or This is Ann. She must not say Ann is here or Here is Ann.
E The adverbs away (= off), down, in, off, out, over, round, up etc. can be followed by a verb of motion + a noun subject:
Away went the runners.
Down fell a dozen apples.
Out sprang the cuckoo.
Round and round flew the plane. But if the subject is a pronoun it is placed before the verb:
Away they went. Round and round it flew.
There is more drama in this order than in subject + verb + adverb but no difference in meaning.
F In written English adverb phrases introduced by prepositions (down, from, in, on. over, outjof, round, up etc.) can be followed by verbs indicating position (crouch, hang* lie, sit, stand etc.), by verbs of motion, by be born, die, live and sometimes other verbs:
From the rafters hung strings of onions.
In the doorway stood a man with a gun.
On a perch beside him sat a blue parrot.
Over the wall came a shower of stones.
The first three of these examples could also be expressed by a participle and the verb be:
Hanging from the rafters were strings of onions.
Standing in the doorway was a man with a gun.
Sitting on a perch beside him was a blue parrot. But a participle could not be used with the last example unless the shower of stones lasted for some time.
37 Adverbs of time
A afterwards, eventually, lately, now, recently, soon, then, today, tomorrow etc. and adverb phrases of time: at once, since then, till (6.00 etc.)
These are usually placed at the very beginning or at the very end of the clause, i.e. in front position or end position. End position is usual with imperatives and phrases with till:
Eventually he came/He came eventually.
Then we went home/We went home then.
Write today. I’ll wait till tomorrow. (For lately, recently, see also 185.)
With compound tenses, afterwards, eventually, lately, .now, recently, soon can come after the auxiliary:
We’II soon be there.
4 Adverbs ” ,.,_
B before, early, immediately and late come at the end of the clause:
He came late. I’ll go immediately.
But before and immediately, used as conjunctions, are placed at the beginning of the clause:
Immediately the rain stops we ’II set out,
C since and ever since are used with perfect tenses (see 187 D).
since car come after the auxiliary or in end position after a negative or interrogative verb; ever since (adverb) in end position. ’ Phrases and clauses with since and ever since are usually in end ^ position, though front position is possible: 1
He’s been in bed since his accident/since he broke his leg. I
D yet and still (adverbs of time)
yet is normally plac(^?yter verb or after verb.+ object:
He hasn ’t f\ntsk4ejmhis breakfast) yet. But if the object consists of a large number of words, yet can be placed
before the verb:
He hasn’t yet applied for the job we told him about.
still is placed after the verb be but before other verbs: |
She is still in bed. I
yet means ’up to the time of speaking’. It is chiefly used with the I
negative or interrogative. 1
still emphasizes that the action continues. It is chiefly used with the I
affirmative or interrogative, but can be used with the negative to 1
emphasize the continuance of a negative action: I
He still doesn ’t understand. (The negative action of ’not 1
understanding’ continues.) I
He dofsn ’t understand yet. (The positive action of ’understanding’I
hasn’t yet started.) I
When stressed, still and yet express surprise, irritation or impatiencl
Both words can also be conjunctions (see 327). I
E just, as an adverb of timer is used with compound tenses: B
I’m just coming. (See also 183.) I
(For-just as an adverb of degree, see 41.) I
I
38 Adverbs of frequency
(a) always, continually, frequently, occasionally, often, once twice oeriodically. repeatedly, sometimes, usually etc Z ev^ha^Tever, Tever. rarely, scarcely ever, seldom
A, Adverbs in both the above groups are normally placed:
1 After the sinvte tenses of to be:
Ht ts always in time for meals.
2 Before the simple tenses of all other verbs:
7Ti«v sometimes slay up all night.
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4 Adverbs
*
3 With compound tenses, they are placed after the first auxiliary, or, with interrogative verbs, after auxiliary + subject: He can never understand. You have often been told not to do that. Have vou ever ridden a camel? Exceptions
(a) used to and have to prefer the adverb in front of them:
You hardly ever have to remind him; he always remembers.
(b) Frequency adverbs are often placed before auxiliaries when these are used alone, in additions to remarks or in answers to questions:
Can you park your car near the shops? – Yes, I usually can.
I know I should take exercise, but I never do. and when, in a compound verb, the auxiliary is stressed:
/ never ’caw remember. She hardly ever ’fau met him. Similarly when do is added for emphasis:
/ always *do arrive in time!
But emphasis can also be given by stressing the frequency adverb and leaving it in its usual position after the auxiliary:
You should Always check your oil before starting.
B Adverbs in group (a) above can also be put at the beginning or end of a sentence or clause. Exceptions
always is rarely found at the beginning of a sentence/clause except with imperatives.
often, if put at the end, normally requires very or quite: Often he walked. He walked quite often.
C Adverbs in group (b) above, hardly ever, never, rarely etc. (but not ever alone), can also be put at the beginning of a sentence, but Aversion of the following main verb then becomes necessary: Hardly/Scarcely ever did they manage to meet unobserved. (For hardly, barely, scarcely, see 44.)
hardly/scarcely ever, never, rarely and seldom are not used with negative verbs.
D never, ever
never is chiefly used with an affirmative verb, never with a negative. It normally means ’at no time’:
He never saw her again. I’ve never eaten snails.
They never eat meat, (habit)
I’ve never had a better flight. (For never + comparative, see 21 C.) never -t- affirmative can sometimes replace an ordinary negative:
I waited but he never turned up. (He didn’t turn up.) never + interrogative can be used to express the speaker’s surprise at the non-performance of an action:
Has he never been to Japan? I’m surprised, because his wife is
Japanese.
57
4 Adverbs ^^^^
ever means ’at any time’ and is chiefiy used in the interrogative: <^^1
Has he ever marched in a demonstration? – No, he never has. I
ever can be used with a negative verb and, especially with compound I
tenses, can often replace never + affirmative: I
I haven’t ever eaten snails. ’ I
This use of ever is less common with simple tenses. I
ever + affirmative is possible in comparisons (see 21 C) and with I
suppositions and expressions of doubt: I
/ don’t suppose he ever writes to his mother. |
(For hardly/scarcely -t- ever, see A-C above. For ever after how
etc.. see 61, 85.)
39 Order of adverbs and adverb phrases of manner, place and time when they occur in the same sentence Expressions of manner usually precede expressions of place:
He climbed awkwardly out of the Window.
He ’d study happily anywhere.
But away, back, down, forward, home, in, off, on, out, round and up usually precede adverbs of manner:
He walked away sadly. She looked back anxiously.
They went home quietly. Thev rode on confidently.
(See also 36 E.)
here and there do the same except with the adverbs hard, well,
badly. He stood there silently but They work harder here.
Time expressions can follow expressions of manner and place:
They worked hard in the garden today.
He lived there happily for a year. But they can also be in front position:
Every day he queued patiently at the bus stop.
40 Sentence adverbs
These modify the whole sentence/clause and normally express the speaker’s/narrator’s opinion.
A Adverbs expressing degrees of certainty
(a) actually (= in fact/really), apparently, certainly, clearly, evidently, obviously, presumably, probably, undoubtedly
(b) definitely
(c) perhaps, possibly, surely
Adverbs in group (a) above can be placed after be:
He is obviously intelligent. before simple tenses of other verbs:
They certainly work hard. He actually lives next door. after the first auxiliary in a compound verb:
They have presumably sold their house.
4 Adverbs
at the beginning or at the end of a sentence or clause:
Apparently he knew the town well.
He knew the town well apparently.
definitely can be used in the above positions but is less usual at the beginning of a sentence.
perhaps and possibly are chiefly used in front position, though the end position is possible.
surely is normally placed at the beginning or end, though it can also be next to the verb. It is used chiefly in questions:
Surely you could pay £1? You could pay £1, surely? Note that though the adjectives sure and certain mean more or less the same, the adverbs differ in meaning. certainly = definitely:
He was certainly there; there is no doubt about it. But surely indicates that the speaker is not quite sure that the statement which follows is true. He thinks it is, but wants reassurance.
Surely he was there? (I feel almost sure that he was.)
Other sentence adverbs
admittedly, (un)fortunately, frankly, honestly*, (un)luckily,
naturally*, officially* etc. are usually in the front position though
the end position is possible. They are normally separated from the rest
of the sentence by a comma. Starred adverbs can also be adverbs of
manner.
Honestly, Tom didn’t get the money. (Sentence adverb, honestly
here means ’truthfully’. The speaker is assuring us that Tom didn’t
get the money.)
Tom didn ’t get the money honestly (adverb of manner) = Tom got
the money dishonestly.
41 Adverbs of degree
absolutely, almost, barely, completely, enough, entirely, extremely, fairly, far, hardly, just, much, nearly, only, quite, rather, really, scarcely, so, too, very etc. (For (a) little, see 5 D; for fairly and rather, see 42; for hardly, scarcely, barely, see 44; for quite, see 43.)
A An adverb of degree modifies an adjective or another adverb. It is placed before the adjective or adverb:
You are absolutely right. I’m almost ready. But enough follows its adjective or adverb:
The box isn ’t big enough.
He didn’t work quickly enough. (See also 252 B.)
B far requires a comparative, or too + positive:
// is far better to say nothing. He drives far too fast. much could replace far here. It can also be used with a superlative: This solution is much the best.
58
59
4 Adverbs *’””’^”’w”^T>’”lm^^
C The following adverbs of degree can also modify verbs: • I
almost, barely, enough, hardly, just, (a) little, much, nearly. | quite, rather, really and scarcely. All except much are then placed before the main verb, like adverbs of frequency (see 38).
lie almost/nearly fell. I am just going.
Tom didn ’t like it much but I really enjoyed it. (For much, see 33. For (a) little, see 5 D.)
D only can also modify verbs. In theory it is placed next to the word to which it applies, preceding verbs, adjectives and adverbs and preceding or following nouns and pronouns:
(a) He had only six apples, (not more than six)
(b) He only lent the car. (He didn’t give it.)
(c) He lent the car to me only, (not to anyone else)
(d) / believe only half of what he said.
But in spoken English people usually put it before the verb, obtaining the required meaning by stressing the word to which the only applies:
He only had {six apples is the same as (a) above.
He only lent the car to *ne is the same as (c) above.
/ only believe >halfelc. is the same as (d) above.
E just, like only, should precede the word it qualifies:
I’ll buy just one. I had just enough money. It can also be placed immediately before the verb: /’// just buy one. I just had enough money. But sometimes this change of order would change the1 meaning: Just sign here means This is all you have to do. Sign just here means Sign in this particular spot.
fairly, rather, quite, hardly etc.
42 fairly and rather
A Both can mean ’moderately’, but fairly is chiefly used ”with ’favourable adjectives and adverbs (bnvely, good, nict, well etc.), while rather is chiefly used in this sense before ’unfavourable’ adjectives and adverbs (bad, stupidly, ugly etc.):
Tom is fairly clever, hit Peter is rather stupid.
I walk fairly fast but Ann walks rather slowly. Both can be used similarly with participles:
He utes fairly relaxed; she was rather tense.
a fairly interesting filrt a rather boring book The indefinite article, if required, precedes fairly’but can come before
or after rather:
a fairly light box a rather heavy box/rather a heavy bos With adjectives/adverbs such as fast, slow, thin, thick, hot, cold etc., which are not in themselves either ’favourable’ or ’unfavourable’, the speaker can express approval by using fairly and disapproval by using
fin
0
43
4 Adverbs
rather: This soup is fairly hot implies that the speaker likes hot soup, while This soup is rather hot implies that it is a little too hot for him. B rather can be used before alike, like, similar, different etc. and before comparatives. It then means ’a litUe’ or ’slighUy’: Siamese cats are rather like dogs in some ways. The weather was rather worse than I had expected. rather a is possible with certain nouns: disappointment, disadvantage, nuisance, pity, shame and sometimes joke;
It’s rather a nuisance (-a little inconvenient) that we can’t park here.
It’s rather d shame (•- a tittle unfair) that he has to work on Sundays. fairly cannot be used in these ways.
^ rather can be used before certain ’favourable’ adjectives/adverbs such as amusing, clever, good, pretty, well but its meaning then changes; it becomes nearly equivalent to very, and the idea of disapproval vanishes: She is rather clever is nearly the same as She is very clever. rather used in this way is obviously much more complimentary than fairly. For example the expression // is a fairly good play would, if anything, discourage others from going to see it. But It is rather a good play is definitely a recommendation. Occasionally rather used in this way conveys the idea of surprise:
/ suppose the house was filthy. ~ No, as a matter of fact it was rather clean.
rather can also be used before enjoy, like and sometimes before dislike, object and some similar verbs:
/ rather like the smell of petrol. He rather enjoys queueing. rather can be used in short answers to questions with the above verbs:
Do you like him? ~ Yes I do, rather.
rather + like/enjoy is often used to express a liking which is a surprise to others or to the speaker himself. But it can also be used to strengthen the verb: / rather like Tom implies more interest than Hike Tom.
(For would rather, see 297, 298.)
quite
This is a confusing word because it has two meanings. It means ’completely’ when it is used with a word or phrase which can express the idea of completeness (all right, certain, determined, empty, finished, full, ready, right, sure, wrong etc.) and when it is used with a very strong adjective/adverb such as amaring, extraordinary, horrible, perfect:
The bottU was quite empty. You ’re quite wrong. It’s quite extraordinary; I can’t understand it at all.
4
4 Adverbs
B When used with other adjectives/adverbs, quite has a slightly
weakening effect, so that quite good is normally less complimentary than good, quite used in this way has approximately the same meaning as fairly but its strength can vary very much according to the way it is stressed:
quite \good (weak quite, strong good) is very little less than ’good’.
iquite igood (equal stress) means ’moderately good’.
iquite good (strong quite, weak good) is much less than ’good’. The less quite is stressed the stronger the following adjective/adverb becomes. The more quite is stressed the weaker its adjective/ |1
adverb becomes. 3
Note the position of a/an: H
quite a long walk quite an old castle B
44 hardly, scarcely, barely
hardly, scarcely and barely are almost negative in meaning. hardly is chiefly used with any, ever, at all or the verb can:
He has hardly any money, ’.very little money)
/ hardly ever go out. (! very seldom go out.)
It hardly rained at all last summer.
Her case is so heavy that she can hardly lift it. But it can also be used with other verbs:
/ hardly know htm. (1 know him only very slightly.) Be careful not to confuse the adverbs hard and hardly:
He looked hard at it. (He stared at it.)
He hardly looked at it. (He gave it only a brief glance.) scarcely can mean ’almost not’ and could replace hardly as used above: scarcely any/scarcely ever etc. But scarcely is chiefly used to mean ’not quite’:
There were scarcely twenty people there, (probably fewer) (For hardly/scarcely with inversion, see 45 and 342 E.) barely means ’not more than/only just’:
There were barely twenty people there, (only just twenty)
/ can barely see it. (1 can only just see it.)
on no account
only by
only in this way
only then/when scarcely ever scarcely . . . when seldom so (112 A)
hardly ever (see 38 A, C) on no account
hardly . . . when (342 E) only by
in no circumstances only in this way
neither/nor (112 D) only then/when
never scarcely ever
no sooner. . . than (342 E) scarcely . . . when
not only seldom
not till so (112 A)
nowhere (36 B)
/ haven ’tgot a ticket. ~ Neither/Nor have I. I had never before been asked to accept a bribe. Never before had I been asked to accept a bribe. They not only rob you, they smash everything too. Not only do they rob you, they smash everything too. He didn ’t realize that he had lost it till he got home. Not till he got home did he realize that he had lost it. This switch must not be touched on any account. On no account must this switch be touched. He was able to make himself heard only by shouting. Only by shouting was he able to make himself heard. He became so suspicious that. . . So suspicious did he become that. . .
Note also that a second negative verb in a sentence can sometimes be expressed by nor with inversion:
tie had no money and didn 7 know anyone he could borrow from. He had no money, nor did he know anyone he could borrow from. (neither would be less usual here.)
(For adverbs and adverb phrases followed by inversion of verb and noun subject, e.g. Up went the rocket; By the door stood an armed guard, see 36 C, E, F.)
4 Adverbs
^•^••P^P
Inversion of the verb
45 Inversion of the verb after certain adverbs
Certain adverbs and adverb phrases, mostly with a restrictive or negative sense, can for emphasis be placed first in a sentence or clause and are then followed by the inverted (i.e. interrogative) form of the verb. The most important of these are shown below The numbers indicate paragraphs where an example will be found.