Adverbial scope

Question

I can sleep longer every dayIs the adverb of frequency 'every day' modifying 'can sleep longer' or just 'sleep longer'? Or perhaps both cases are possible?Thanks a lot

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

You may get different opinions on this one.

I see 'every day' as a modifier of 'longer' because each day the amount of sleep gets longer.

'longer every day' then modifies 'sleep'.

I can [sleep [ longer [every day] ] ]

CJ

Dimsumexpress · Answer

AnonymousI can sleep longer every day

Is the adverb of frequency 'every day' modifying 'can sleep longer' or just 'sleep longer'? Or perhaps both cases are possible?

Thanks a lot

The meaning is probably understood but not very idiomatic, maybe even border-line wrong.

Longer - is a comparative, here you are not making a comparison.

We can say: I can sleep till/ past/ noon every day but not "longer..."

To me "every day" modifies the entire sentence".

Canadian45 · Answer

AnonymousI can sleep longer every day
Is the adverb of frequency 'every day' modifying 'can sleep longer' or just 'sleep longer'? Or perhaps both cases are possible? Thanks a lot

"sleep longer every day" has more than one possible meaning.

a) Every day I can sleep a for longer time than I did the day before. (Although that obviously can't go on forever)

b) I can sleep longer every day, not just on weekends. (Longer than what is open to interpretation, but it could simply mean that I can now sleep as long every day

as I do on weekends.)

Mostly because of involvement with students, we often tie ourselves up in knots trying to say exactly what a word or words modify.

You can say that "longer" modifies "sleep". But 'longer' is mainly an adjective and you could also say that it modifies the missing word 'time'. [as in a) above]

I think that it's a stretch to say that "every day" modifies "sleep". It seems that almost anything can be an adverb now: adverb of time, place, frequency, amount, reason, result, etc, etc.

Why can't "every day" just be a time? "every (adjective) day (noun)"

I will see you on Tuesday.

I will see you every Tuesday.

I will see you every day.

That's my opinion.

Regards · Answer

canadian45Why can't "every day" just be a time? "every (adjective) day (noun)"

Hi,

I'm sure it's not the intended meaning that the OP is attempting to convey.

Let us suppose that today is Friday. Today I can sleep for only 3 hours. However, on Saturday I'd

be able to sleep for 4 hours. On Monday, I'd able to sleep for 6 hours, and so on. I agree that it

sounds odd, and that it can't continue like this forever, but grammatically it means that I will sleep for

yet another hours with every passing day. Here, every day doesn't indicate a specific day, but shows an

amount of time, though it may be hard to realize. That's why every day is an adverb, not an

adjective + a noun. I think, therefore, that every day modifies 'can sleep longer', as it suggests the ability (can)

to sleep longer than expected, with every passing day.

Regards

CopenhagenCalling · Answer

"I can sleep longer every day"

Subject=I

Verb phrase=premodifier/ aux verb/ can - head/verb/sleep/ - postmodifier/ adjectival phrase/longer

Adverbial=every day

Adverbials relate to the verb, which in this case is a verb phrase with premodifying auxiliary verb, head, and postmodifier. Thus "every day" refers to "can sleep longer".

?!

Canadian45 · Answer

Regards"Why can't "every day" just be a time? "every (adjective) day (noun)"

Hi, I'm sure it's not the intended meaning that the OP is attempting to convey.

Let us suppose that today is Friday. Today I can sleep for only 3 hours. However, on Saturday I'd be able to sleep for 4 hours. On Monday, I'd able to sleep for 6 hours, and so on.

I am unclear about what intended meaning you mean. I thought you were going to talk about "every day", but you seem to be talking about "longer".

I agree that itsounds odd, and that it can't continue like this forever, but grammatically it means that I will sleep foryet another hours with every passing day. Here, every day doesn't indicate a specific day, but shows anamount of time, Of course it doesn't indicate a specific day; it means exactly what it says.

though it may be hard to realize. That's why every day is an adverb,

not an adjective + a noun. I think, therefore, that every day modifies 'can sleep longer', as it suggests the ability (can)to sleep longer than expected, with every passing day.

"every day" is an adjective modifying a noun, but I understand that you mean it is functioning as an adverb of 'when'.

But why can't a word or group of words sometimes just be an independent part of sentences instead of us always worrying about what they modify? And I don't mean clearcut modifiers like 'warm day' and 'speak clearly'.

Anyway, that's my opinion and I guess a good part of the reason is that we doso much analyzing, rather than just explain what the words mean, is because of ESL students.

Regards

CopenhagenCalling · Answer

It seems to me that "every day" is an adverbial at the functional level, but below, at the material level, it consists of a nounphrase with determinor=Ø. premodifier=adverb=every. and Nominal has head=noun=day.

CopenhagenCalling · Answer

sorry, I meant "premmodifier=adjective=every" ofc ^^^^^^^^^^

It wont let me edit, sowwy

Regards · Answer

canadian45
But why can't a word or group of words sometimes just be an independent part of sentences instead of us always worrying about what they modify? And I don't mean clearcut modifiers like 'warm day' and 'speak clearly'.

Hi,

You wish to get down to the real nitty-gritty, but English is too controversial in some respects.

Regards

Dimsumexpress · Answer

<<<<"every day" is an adjective modifying a noun, but I understand that you mean it is functioning as an adverb of 'when'.

But why can't a word or group of words sometimes just be an independent part of sentences instead of us always worrying about what they modify? And I don't mean clearcut modifiers like 'warm day' and 'speak clearly'.

Anyway, that's my opinion and I guess a good part of the reason is that we doso much analyzing, rather than just explain what the words mean, is because of ESL students.>>>

This is a fundamental part of why this forum exists. Unlike what you think, "every day" like every year and every now then is classified as an adverb.

http://www.eslgold.com/grammar/frequency_adverbs.html

Other frequency adverbs and expressions are as follows:

Every day/week/month

Every other day/week

Once a week/month/year

Twice a year/day, etc.

(Every) once in a while

Every so often

Adverbial scope

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