Plain English Part 60

5. I will be able to speak more effectively when I have studied the subject.

6. Those who argue most ably are those who are in complete possession of the facts.

7. He needs to take a course such as this very badly.

8. I am too weary to go farther today.

9. This is the least expensive of them all.

10. If he arrives later in the day I will not be able to see him.

11. I can understand him more clearly than I can his friend.

12. You must work more rapidly under the Taylor system of efficiency.

13. Those who are least trained lose their positions first.

14. Those who are best fitted for the positions do not always receive them.

POSITION OF ADVERBS

+295.+ When we use an adverb with an adjective or other adverb, we usually place the adverb before the adjective or adverb which it modifies. For example:

She is _very_ studious.

Results come _rather_ slowly.

It is _quite_ evident.

He speaks _too_ rapidly.

When we use an adverb with the simple form of the verb, (that is, either the present or past time form or any time form in which we do not need to use a phrase), if the verb is a complete verb, we place the adverb after the verb. For example:

The boat arrived _safely_.

The man came _quickly_.

The boy ran _fast_.

The teacher spoke _hastily_.

But when the verb is an incomplete verb used in the simple form, the adverb usually precedes it in order not to come between the verb and its object. As, for example:

He _willingly_ gave his consent to the proposition.

She _gladly_ wrote the letter which we requested.

A soldier _always_ obeys the command of a superior officer.

When the object of the incomplete verb is short, then the adverb is sometimes placed after the object. As, for example:

I study my lessons _carefully_.

He wrote a letter _hastily_.

The object is more closely connected with the verb and so is placed nearer the verb. However, when the object is modified by a phrase the adverb is sometimes placed immediately after the verb, as:

I studied _carefully_ the lessons given for this month.

He wrote _hastily_ a short letter to his son.

When we use an adverb with a verb phrase, we usually place the adverb after the first word in the verb phrase. For example:

The boy has _always_ worked.

The workers will _then_ understand.

He will _surely_ have arrived by that time.

When the verb is in the pa.s.sive form the adverb immediately precedes the princ.i.p.al verb, as for example:

The work can be _quickly_ finished.

The obstacles can be _readily_ overcome.

The lesson must be _carefully_ prepared.

The workers must be _thoroughly_ organized.

When an adverb of time and an adverb of manner or place are used to modify the same verb, the adverb of time is placed first and the adverb of manner or place second, as for example:

I _often_ stop _there_.

He _usually_ walks _very rapidly_.

They _soon_ learn to work _rapidly_.

If the sentence contains adverbs of time, of place, and of manner; the adverb of time should come first; of place, second; and of manner, third; as:

He _usually_ comes _here quickly_.

Exercise 2

Improve the location of the adverbs in the following sentences and observe how the change of place of the adverb may alter the meaning of the sentence:

1. I _only_ saw the President once.

2. Such prices are _only_ paid in times of great scarcity.

3. No man has _ever_ so much wealth that he does not want more.

4. It seems that the workers can be _never_ aroused.

5. I want to _briefly_ state the reason for my action.

6. I shall be glad to help you _always_.

7. I _only_ mention a few of the facts.

8. He _nearly_ walked to town.

9. We are told that the j.a.panese _chiefly_ live upon rice.

10. They expected them to sign a treaty _daily_.

11. Having _nearly_ lost all his money he feared _again_ to venture.

ADVERBS AND INFINITIVES

+296.+ You remember when we studied the infinitive in Lesson 9, we found that it was not good usage to split the infinitive; that is, to put the modifying word between _to_ and the verb. For example: _We ought to bravely stand for our rights_. The correct form of this is: _We ought to stand bravely for our rights_.

But we have found, also, that common usage breaks down the old rules and makes new rules and laws for itself, and so we frequently find the adverb placed between the infinitive and its sign.

Sometimes it seems difficult to express our meaning accurately in any other way; for example, when we say: _To almost succeed is not enough_, we do not make the statement as forceful or as nearly expressive of our real idea, if we try to put the adverb _almost_ in any other position.

This is also true in such phrases as _to far exceed_, _to more than counterbalance_, _to fully appreciate_, and various other examples which you will readily find in your reading. The purpose of written and spoken language is to express our ideas adequately and accurately.

So we place our words in sentences to fulfill this purpose and not according to any stereotyped rule of grammarians. Ordinarily, though, it would be best not to place the adverb between the infinitive verb and its sign _to_. Do not split the infinitive unless by so doing you express your idea more accurately.

COMMON ERRORS

+297.+ The position in the sentence of such adverbs as, _only_, _also_ and _merely_, depends upon the meaning to be conveyed. The place where these adverbs occur in the sentences, may completely alter the meaning of the sentence. For example: