Chapter 22
Section 22 of 1001 Questions and Answers on English Grammar. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Richard Beiswanger. 1001 Questions and Answers on English Grammar by Benjamin Hathaway.
Adverbs 1. Give the rule for adverbs. Adverbs modify verbs, participles, adjectives, and other adverbs. 2. What is an exception to this rule? The adverbs yes, yea, no, and nay are answers to questions and are always independent or modify the following proposition. 3. How are these adverbs of negation and affirmation parsed? They are parsed as representing independent sentences when they stand alone. 4. Name another exception to this rule. Adverbs are frequently used as expletives, as,
Well, that will do. There, you can go. Etc. 5. How are the following emphasized words used? The above examples, He alone was calm. They have food enough. They are ordinarily adverbs, but as the class of a word must be determined by its use, these are evidently adjectives. 6. How are the emphasized words in the subjoined sentences used? Till then, you may expect me. I shall not forget the fact for a great while.
They are used as nouns, the objects of the prepositions till and for. 7. Give five sentences in which adverbs modify phrases or sentences. One. Fairly, I say unto you. Two. She lives just across the creek. Three. He can throw almost over the river. Four. Surely, you're mistaken. Five. He lived almost in vain. Eight. They met their friends when the train arrived.
What is the function of when? It is a conjunctive adverb, joins the subordinate clause when the train arrived to the verb met and modifies the verb in both propositions. 9. What of the adverbs once, hence, fence, and whence? They become nouns when a preposition is placed before them, as from whence did he come. I will do it at once. 10. What frequent error in the use of like? It should never be used for the conjunction as, as, he talks like his brother does. 11. In cases where either an adverb or a predicate adjective can be used with apparent smoothness, how are we to tell which is proper? If quality or condition is meant to be expressed, an adjective should be used, as, she looks beautiful. But when the manner of the action is intended to be expressed, an adverb should be used, as, she writes neatly.
12. How should an adverbial phrase be disposed of? When separable, its parts should be parsed separately. If not separable, they should be parsed as a single adverb. 13. What of the position of adverbs? They should be placed near the words they modify, so as to render the sense clear and correct, as, I once had a pet hen, not, I had a pet hen once. 14. Give the program for parsing adverbs. 1. Name the part of speech. 2. Give its class. 3. Give degree of comparison, if compared. 4. Give its relation. 5. Name or recite the rule. 15. Parse an adverb, modifying a verb. Be wise always. Always is an adverb of time and modifies be, rule. 16. Be wise today. What is today? By good authorities, it is considered a noun used to denote time, therefore comes under the rule, nouns denoting time, measure, value, etc. are in the objective case without a governing word.
17. Parse an adverb, modifying a participle. We seldom see old women walking rapidly. Rapidly is an adverb of manner, positive degree, and modifies walking. 18. Parse an adverb, modifying an adjective. That man was remarkably tall. Remarkably is an adverb of degree, and modifies tall. 19. Parse an adverb, modifying another adverb. The partridge flies very swiftly. Very is an adverb of degree, and modifies swiftly. 20. How are the italicized words in the following sentence parsed? She is much the smallest. Much and thee constitute one adverbial expression of degree, and modify smallest. 21. Parse an expletive adverb. There was a man named Walter. There is an adverb expletive used to introduce the sentence.
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