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Pep444 Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
Adverbs and sentences that express a result state
Hi, everyone.
I have questions to ask native speakers of English, about adverb position in sentences like:
(1a) We gently rolled the ball down the hill.
(1b) We rolled the ball gently down the hill.
In (1), it appears that there is a subtle meaning difference between (1a) and (1b), namely, (1a) means that the action which caused the rolling motion was gentle, whereas (1b) means that the rolling motion itself was gentle.
On the basis of the difference in (1), please tell me whether the following sentences that express a result state are correct.
(2a) She immediately boiled these vegetables to a pulp.
(2b) She boiled these vegetables immediately to a pulp.
Are (2a,b) grammatical? If these are grammatical, do you feel the meaning difference like (1)? ; (2a) means that her action which caused the state change of vegetables was immediate, whereas (2b) means that the process in which vegetables changed to a pulp was immediate.
In the same way, are (3-4) grammatical, too? If so, do these sentence have the the meaning difference, as shown above?
(3a)He gently pounded the metal flat.
(3b)He pounded the metal gently flat.
(4a)The dog immediately barked the children awake.
(4b)The dog barked the children immediately awake.
Particularly, In (4), I intend to the below meanings.
1. Both sentences express that the dog barked so that the children awoke.
2. Especially, (4a) means that bark action was immediate, whereas (4b) means that the children immediately awoke.
but, I think (4b) ungrammatical.
Thanks in advance!
I have questions to ask native speakers of English, about adverb position in sentences like:
(1a) We gently rolled the ball down the hill.
(1b) We rolled the ball gently down the hill.
In (1), it appears that there is a subtle meaning difference between (1a) and (1b), namely, (1a) means that the action which caused the rolling motion was gentle, whereas (1b) means that the rolling motion itself was gentle.
On the basis of the difference in (1), please tell me whether the following sentences that express a result state are correct.
(2a) She immediately boiled these vegetables to a pulp.
(2b) She boiled these vegetables immediately to a pulp.
Are (2a,b) grammatical? If these are grammatical, do you feel the meaning difference like (1)? ; (2a) means that her action which caused the state change of vegetables was immediate, whereas (2b) means that the process in which vegetables changed to a pulp was immediate.
In the same way, are (3-4) grammatical, too? If so, do these sentence have the the meaning difference, as shown above?
(3a)He gently pounded the metal flat.
(3b)He pounded the metal gently flat.
(4a)The dog immediately barked the children awake.
(4b)The dog barked the children immediately awake.
Particularly, In (4), I intend to the below meanings.
1. Both sentences express that the dog barked so that the children awoke.
2. Especially, (4a) means that bark action was immediate, whereas (4b) means that the children immediately awoke.
but, I think (4b) ungrammatical.
Thanks in advance!
Top answer
Hello Pep-- and welcome to English Forums. English is not that tidy. There are no such subtle differences in these sentences: (1a) We gently rolled the ball down the hill.
- Hello Pep-- and welcome to English Forums.
- English is not that tidy.
- There are no such subtle differences in these sentences: (1a) We gently rolled the ball down the hill.
- (1b) We rolled the ball gently down the hill.
- (2a) She immediately boiled these vegetables to a pulp.
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4 Answers
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Hello Pep-- and welcome to English Forums.
English is not that tidy. There are no such subtle differences in these sentences:
(1a) We gently rolled the ball down the hill.
(1b) We rolled the ball gently down the hill.
(2a) She immediately boiled these vegetables to a pulp.
(2b) She boiled these vegetables immediately to a pulp.
English is not that tidy. There are no such subtle differences in these sentences:
(1a) We gently rolled the ball down the hill.
(1b) We rolled the ball gently down the hill.
(2a) She immediately boiled these vegetables to a pulp.
(2b) She boiled these vegetables immediately to a pulp.
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(1a) We gently rolled the ball down the hill.Hmm. I wouldn't have s
(1b) We rolled the ball gently down the hill.
In (1), it appears that there is a subtle meaning difference between (1a) and (1b), namely, (1a) means that the action which caused the rolling motion was gentle, whereas (1b) means that the rolling motion itself was gentle.
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Hi Mister Micawber, CalifJim.
Thank you for replying to my questions!
OK, I saw that there are not such meaning differences between (a) and (b).(I laughed at CalifJim's comment.:-)) Anyway, please tell me your acceptabilities of the (b) type of the sentences, again.
The words that express a result state in (1-2b), down the hill and to a pulp, are preposit
Thank you for replying to my questions!
OK, I saw that there are not such meaning differences between (a) and (b).(I laughed at CalifJim's comment.:-)) Anyway, please tell me your acceptabilities of the (b) type of the sentences, again.
The words that express a result state in (1-2b), down the hill and to a pulp, are preposit
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if the adjectives in (3-4b) are replaced with prepositional phrases like (1-2b), will the sentences like (3-4b) become more grammatical?They are only slightly better when the prepositional phrases are used. The thing is, the adverb belongs at the beginning of the verb phrase or at the end. Squeezing it into places where it doesn't usually go is normally reserved fo
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