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Specter Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

Adverb placement

Hi,

1. Where do we correctly place the adverb?

"I will have been reading for 5 minutes when you arrive."

a. I will only have been reading...

b. I will have been only reading...

c. I will have only been reading...

2. Could you tell me the sentence pattern of this?: "I am going to have been reading the newspaper..."

Thanks,

SpecterEmotion: big smile
  

Top answer

1. All are correct and say essentially the same thing. Where you place the word 'only' in the sentence can sometimes make a slight difference in the point you are emphasizing.

— GL2

  • 1.
  • All are correct and say essentially the same thing.
  • Where you place the word 'only' in the sentence can sometimes make a slight difference in the point you are emphasizing.
  • This is especially true in spoken English, where the speaker can make this emphasis even more obvious.
  • Examples: I will have been reading for only five minutes when you arrive.
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2 Answers
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1. All are correct and say essentially the same thing. Where you place the word 'only' in the sentence can sometimes make a slight difference in the point you are emphasizing. This is especially true in spoken English, where the speaker can make this emphasis even more obvious. Examples:

I will have been reading for only five minutes when you arrive. (Emp
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Hi GL2,

You needn't diagram it. I just wanted to know whether it's an S+V or S+V+O pattern.

I am going to have been reading the newspaper...

thanks again

Specter
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