"had not visited more often" vs "had not more often visited"

Question

I have a question regarding word order.When my grandfather died, I felt guilty because ...1) I had not visited him more often.2) I had not more often visited him.Which sounds natural, or do both sound OK?I'd appreciate your help. Thank you.Tach

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,

Neither is wrong, but #1 is much more natural.

Clive

Tach · Answer

Thank you, Clive.

But why #1 is MUCH MORE natural remains a question...

Tach

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Perhaps we feel a need to keep together the parts of the verb form?

Clive

Tach · Answer

Clive,

Thank you so much again for your reply.

Would you kindly be more specific about "the parts of the verb form"?

(I guessed that you meant [visited him more often]. Am I correct?)

And does what you say here also apply to the following set of examples?

A

1) I wish I had talked about it more seriously.

2) I wish I had more seriously talked about it.

B

1) When I was young, I didn't think about it often.

2) When I was young, I didn't often think about it.

Tach

Clive · Answer

Hi,
Would you kindly be more specific about "the parts of the verb form"?

(I guessed that you meant [visited him more often]. Am I correct?)
I meant had not visited.
Please bear in mind that I was just musing about your query. I didn't mean that what I said was a fact or a rule.

And does what you say here also apply to the following set of examples?

A

1) I wish I had talked about it more seriously. Sounds fine

2) I wish I had more seriously talked about it. Not common

B

1) When I was young, I didn't think about it often. OK common

2) When I was young, I didn't often think about it. OK common

When I was young, I often didn't think about it. OK common

Often, when I was young, I didn't think about it. OK a bit less common

Clive

Tach · Answer

I really appreciate your help, Clive.

My problem has begun to seem much clearer than before.

I guess our discussion here might have something to do with "end-focus".

Considering the sentences that you rated as less common, I find they somehow violate the "end-focus" rule. For example,

A.

When my grandfather died, I felt guilty because ...

1) I had not visited him more often. Much more natural

2) I had not more often visited him.

B.

1) I wish I had talked about it more seriously. Sounds fine
2) I wish I had more seriously talked about it. Not common

Comparative adverbs must have a strong fucus in any given sentence, because they indicate contrast between certain things or situations; therefore they tend to come last.

Do I make myself clear?

If this is the case, the naturalness of the following examples might be explained by the same rule.

C.

1) When I was young, I didn't think about it more often.

2) When I was young, I didn't more often think about it.

D.

1) When I was young, I didn't think about it very often.

2) When I was young, I didn't very often think about it.

"had not visited more often" vs "had not more often visited"

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