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Anonymous Posted 20 years ago
Grammar
speak kinder or speak more kindly?
I had a question about whether it is grammatically right to put the ~er form (the comparitive form of an adjective) in the adverb spot?
Or is it better to use : more + adjective+ly? For example, which is right?
a) Speak kinder to your sister.
b) Speak more kindly to your sister.
a) He wants to live easier than his brother does.
b) He wants to live more easily than his brother does.
I read somewhere that : more + adjective+ly form is used for words that have three or more syllables. But, what about 1 syllable words?
I know that the following sentences are right.
a) Smith works more conscientiously than any other man in the shop. (O)
b) The children listen more attentively when I read them a story. (O)
Or is it better to use : more + adjective+ly? For example, which is right?
a) Speak kinder to your sister.
b) Speak more kindly to your sister.
a) He wants to live easier than his brother does.
b) He wants to live more easily than his brother does.
I read somewhere that : more + adjective+ly form is used for words that have three or more syllables. But, what about 1 syllable words?
I know that the following sentences are right.
a) Smith works more conscientiously than any other man in the shop. (O)
b) The children listen more attentively when I read them a story. (O)
Top answer
When you describe how someone speaks or lives (or works or listens), you use an adverb, as you have indicated, but your two "a" sentences use adjectives. Kind and kinder are adjectives. Kindly and more kindly are corresponding adverbs.
- When you describe how someone speaks or lives (or works or listens), you use an adverb, as you have indicated, but your two "a" sentences use adjectives.
- Kind and kinder are adjectives.
- Kindly and more kindly are corresponding adverbs.
- Easy and easier are adjectives.
- Easily and more easily are the correspondin adverbs.
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5 Answers
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When you describe how someone speaks or lives (or works or listens), you use an adverb, as you have indicated, but your two "a" sentences use adjectives.
Kind and kinder are adjectives. Kindly and more kindly are corresponding adverbs.
Easy and easier are adjectives. Easily and more easily are the correspondin adverbs.
The length of the word doesn't affect whether or
Kind and kinder are adjectives. Kindly and more kindly are corresponding adverbs.
Easy and easier are adjectives. Easily and more easily are the correspondin adverbs.
The length of the word doesn't affect whether or
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Yes, it all makes sense to me now. Basically, you can't put an adjective in the adverb spot. Thank you for clearing that up for me. I got confused because sometimes when we speak, we sometimes unconsciously use an adjective instead of an adverb. For example, we may say "I want to go so bad." instead of "I want to go so badly." where bad is an adjective, but we should really u
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However, there are adverbs in English that do not end in "ly". "fast" "slow" and "easy" are both adjectives and adverbs.
"bad" can be an adverb as well, altho it is considered informal.
"bad" can be an adverb as well, altho it is considered informal.
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I suggest "to speak kindlier", here's the resourse: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/kindlier
One and the same word can be both an adjective and an adverb, it depends on what it's describing: a noun or a verb (the car is fast - adj., to drive fast - adv).
By the way, according to Abbyy Lingvo di
One and the same word can be both an adjective and an adverb, it depends on what it's describing: a noun or a verb (the car is fast - adj., to drive fast - adv).
By the way, according to Abbyy Lingvo di
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