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Ashay2018 Posted 7 years ago
Grammar

An adverb modifies a noun

Hello,

A life without memory is merely an existence.

In above sentence, an existence is modified by an adverb, merely. How adverb can modify a noun ?

Thanks

  

Top answer

A life without memory is [ merely an existence ]. It's not modifying a noun, but the noun phrase "an existence". This is a crucial point.

— BillJ

  • A life without memory is [ merely an existence ].
  • It's not modifying a noun, but the noun phrase "an existence".
  • This is a crucial point.
  • ) can modify noun phrases, but not nouns or nominals.
  • The same applies with adverbs in general.
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1 Answers
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A life without memory is [merely an existence].

It's not modifying a noun, but the noun phrase "an existence". This is a crucial point.

Focusing modifiers like "merely" (and "only", "solely", "simply" etc.) can modify noun phrases, but not nouns or nominals.

The same applies with adverbs in general. Compare also:

"I'm [virtually his onl

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