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Kooyeen Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Adverbs between verb and object
Hi, I have question...
I have been following (or trying to follow) that rule of thumb that says "don't put an adverb between the verb and the object", which seemed like a good rule to me, and it seems to work in the vast majority of cases. Example: I ate the apple in a hurry -I ate in a hurry the apple.
But I recently started to wonder...
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/19/2496019.htm
...we have "the decision to take into account fires", where my rule would have forced me to say "the decision to take fires into account", which actually still sounds much better to me.
Other cases would be:
Put all these things together. / Put together all these things.
It starts to be even more confusing to me if the object is pretty long:
Put together all the red and green marbles we bought in Moscow.
Put all the red and green marbles we bought in Moscow together.
Is there some flexibility? If so, is anyone able to figure out when this flexibility seems to be allowed? I'd like to hear some comments who also take account of common spoken English, not just "perfect style in written English", you know.
Thanks!
I have been following (or trying to follow) that rule of thumb that says "don't put an adverb between the verb and the object", which seemed like a good rule to me, and it seems to work in the vast majority of cases. Example: I ate the apple in a hurry -
But I recently started to wonder...
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/19/2496019.htm
...we have "the decision to take into account fires", where my rule would have forced me to say "the decision to take fires into account", which actually still sounds much better to me.
Other cases would be:
Put all these things together. / Put together all these things.
It starts to be even more confusing to me if the object is pretty long:
Put together all the red and green marbles we bought in Moscow.
Put all the red and green marbles we bought in Moscow together.
Is there some flexibility? If so, is anyone able to figure out when this flexibility seems to be allowed? I'd like to hear some comments who also take account of common spoken English, not just "perfect style in written English", you know.
Thanks!Top answer
I was taught at school that if the object is long, an adverb may be placed between the verb and the object . This sentence was used to exemplify the "rule": I heard there the language of my childhood . I have noticed countless times since those days that adverbs are sometimes placed in that position.
- I was taught at school that if the object is long, an adverb may be placed between the verb and the object .
- This sentence was used to exemplify the "rule": I heard there the language of my childhood .
- I have noticed countless times since those days that adverbs are sometimes placed in that position.
- CB
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8 Answers
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I was taught at school that if the object is long, an adverb may be placed between the verb and the object. This sentence was used to exemplify the "rule": I heard there
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KooyeenI have been following (or trying to follow) that rule of thumb that says "don't put an adverb between the verb and the object"Good work! Keep it up!
Kooyeendecision to take into account firesThat was just written by a stupid headline writer having a bad day. It's a dopey word order.
Kooyeen
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Thanks!
Some verbs seem to be halfway between phrasal verbs and normal verbs followed by a normal adverb. I guess it's those kinds of verbs that sometimes confuse me.
Put something in the box is not a phrasal verb though, so expect this to be impossible, no matter how long the object is:
Put in that box all the pictures we took on our trip to
Some verbs seem to be halfway between phrasal verbs and normal verbs followed by a normal adverb. I guess it's those kinds of verbs that sometimes confuse me.
Put something in the box is not a phrasal verb though, so expect this to be impossible, no matter how long the object is:
Put in that box all the pictures we took on our trip to
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KooyeenSome verbs seem to be halfway betweenYup!
KooyeenPut in that box all the pictures we took on our trip to Disneyland in 2003...Oof! That's not English. It's Choymin! (German).
You'll hear:
Put all the pictures we took on our trip to Disneyland in 2003 in that box.
No problem.
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Ok, perfect, thanks! I won't ever try to put in between an adverb! Ooops, I just did it, LOL (on purpose, don't scold me).
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Is it particularly difficult for Italians to avoid the adverb between verb and object? I ask because I occasionally see a cooking show with "Lydia", an Italian immigrant, and she stuffs those adverbs in there by the dozens!!! (Stir vigorously the sauce. Cut in small pieces carefully the sausage. Now add quickly to the mixture before it boils the spinach. Etc. I'm exaggerating, but you
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CalifJimIs it particularly difficult for Italians to avoid the adverb between verb and object?No, but since adverbs in Italian can be placed in either position, Italians are very likely to make that mistake (it's a typical one, actually). Also, it's not a grammar feature that seems to be taught or pointed out frequently, so most learners can assume it's ok to
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Clifford
I think that the rule " adverbs do not come between verbs and their objects" is exclusively designed for adverbs of manner such as carefully, slowly, quietly...ex: I typed the report carefully not I typed carefully the report
I think that the rule " adverbs do not come between verbs and their objects" is exclusively designed for adverbs of manner such as carefully, slowly, quietly...ex: I typed the report carefully not I typed carefully the report
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