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Anonymous Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
A little to mean slightly (adverb)?
Hi. Please help me. Does the phrase "a little" mean "slightly" and acts an adverbial phrase here?
He is a little ways off.
He is a little sad
He is a little ways off.
He is a little sad
Top answer
The first is problematical, since 'ways' (very casual) may be an adjective or a noun (I can't identify it confidently, but to me 'ways' means 'distance', making it a noun, 'a' an article and 'little' an adjective). The second is certainly an adverbial phrase modifying the adjective 'sad'.
- The first is problematical, since 'ways' (very casual) may be an adjective or a noun (I can't identify it confidently, but to me 'ways' means 'distance', making it a noun, 'a' an article and 'little' an adjective).
- The second is certainly an adverbial phrase modifying the adjective 'sad'.
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1 Answers
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The first is problematical, since 'ways' (very casual) may be an adjective or a noun (I can't identify it confidently, but to me 'ways' means 'distance', making it a noun, 'a' an article and 'little' an adjective). The second is certainly an adverbial phrase modifying the adjective 'sad'.
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