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Anonymous Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

Word order

Which one is correct:

"He doesn't actually have any money"

"He actually doesn't have any money"
  

Top answer

Anonymous "He doesn't actually have any money" "He actually doesn't have any money" Both are correct. The first is the canonical order. CJ

  • Anonymous "He doesn't actually have any money" "He actually doesn't have any money" Both are correct.
  • The first is the canonical order.
  • CJ
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5 Answers
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Anonymous"He doesn't actually have any money"
"He actually doesn't have any money"
Both are correct. The first is the canonical order.

CJ
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AnonymousWhich one is correct:
"He doesn't actually have any money."

"He actually doesn't have any money."

Actually, he doesn't have any money.

All three are correct, but I like
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Well, usually I would separate the word "actually" from the sentence with a comma, but I was wondering where the qualifier should be if I decided to include it in the sentence.

Let's suppose we replace the word "actually" with he word "really".

Both "he doesn't really have any money" and "he really doesn't have any money" sound OK to me, but do their meaning differ in any way?
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Meaning stays the same, but tone of voice in "he really doesn't have any money" can put forth a heavier emphasis on "really".

Both sentence can give more voice and stress/exaggeration which 'may' give different effects (desperation, doubt, wonder... depends on how you voice it)

!!The meaning doesn't change.
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Anonymousdo their meanings differ in any way?
Yes. There is a difference. not really is like 'only approximately'; really not is like 'definitely not'.

doesn't really have - Maybe he says he has money, but I know that he doesn't.

The realness of having money is being questioned.

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