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Jazzmaster Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
Happily or Happy ??
Once again, I need to ask you something from NYC where it is 32F right now.
This time, adverb vs adjective. Let me present two sentences:
A. With a cartoon book, for hours he sat happily.
B. With a cartoon book, for hours he sat happy.
Q:
I believe the correct way of saying this is sentence A, with an adverb which modifies the verb "sat".
However, I am hearing sentence B, with an adjective, such in "With an A in English, I am sitting pretty", instead of "I am sitting prettily".
I need a clarification on why using an adjective is acceptable instead of an adverb.
As usual, thanks in advance.
J
This time, adverb vs adjective. Let me present two sentences:
A. With a cartoon book, for hours he sat happily.
B. With a cartoon book, for hours he sat happy.
Q:
I believe the correct way of saying this is sentence A, with an adverb which modifies the verb "sat".
However, I am hearing sentence B, with an adjective, such in "With an A in English, I am sitting pretty", instead of "I am sitting prettily".
I need a clarification on why using an adjective is acceptable instead of an adverb.
As usual, thanks in advance.
J
Top answer
" Find a dictionary on this. jazzmaster Once again, I need to ask you something from NYC where it is 32F right now. This time, adverb vs adjective.
- " Find a dictionary on this.
- jazzmaster Once again, I need to ask you something from NYC where it is 32F right now.
- This time, adverb vs adjective.
- Let me present two sentences: A.
- With a cartoon book, for hours he sat happily.
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7 Answers
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It seems like that pretty could be adverb, as in "pretty much." Find a dictionary on this.
jazzmasterOnce again, I need to ask you something from NYC where it is 32F right now.
This time, adverb vs adjective. Let me present two sentences:
A. With a cartoon book, for hours he sat happily.
B. With a cartoon book, for hours he sat happy.
Q:
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It seems like that pretty could be adverb, as in "pretty much." Find a dictionary on this.
Of course, in your example, pretty should just mean prettily.
Of course, in your example, pretty should just mean prettily.
jazzmasterOnce again, I need to ask you something from NYC where it is 32F right now.
This time, adverb vs adjective. Let me present two sentences:
A. With a cartoon book, for hours he sat h
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Thanks, Osee.
So are you saying both sentences A and B are correct?
J
So are you saying both sentences A and B are correct?
J
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He sat happily. Not He sat happy.
By the way, your word order is highly inverted. That's not wrong in itself, but you might be interested to know the more usual phrasing.
He sat happily with a cartoon book for hours.
And you might also like to know that the term is "comic book" -- if I understand what sort of book you are talking about.
He sat happily with
By the way, your word order is highly inverted. That's not wrong in itself, but you might be interested to know the more usual phrasing.
He sat happily with a cartoon book for hours.
And you might also like to know that the term is "comic book" -- if I understand what sort of book you are talking about.
He sat happily with
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Osee:
I finally understand what you are saying. You got "adverb" and "adjective" mixed up.
While happy is an adjective hence sentence A, happily is an adverb hence sentence B.
I believe you wanted to say "Happy should not be adjective, but should be an adverb 'happily'". Right?
J
I finally understand what you are saying. You got "adverb" and "adjective" mixed up.
While happy is an adjective hence sentence A, happily is an adverb hence sentence B.
I believe you wanted to say "Happy should not be adjective, but should be an adverb 'happily'". Right?
J
OseeNope. Happy should not be an adverb. So B is not rig
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Thanks CJ:
to be sitting pretty is an idiom that means to be well positioned, to have an advantage. It is only used in the progressive tenses, and the same pattern cannot be used with other adjectives.
... I didn't know that!
to be sitting pretty is an idiom that means to be well positioned, to have an advantage. It is only used in the progressive tenses, and the same pattern cannot be used with other adjectives.
... I didn't know that!
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