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Pedants' corner

Help Quick! Adverb question

10 replies

janinlondon · 29/04/2009 19:07

Help!! If I say "Sadly, the situation could not continue" what part of speech is "Sadly"? Its not an adverb - is it? (Year 4 homework saying it is.........!!!)

OP posts:
ilovemydogandMrObama · 29/04/2009 19:09

yes, I think so as it's describing the sad, hence, sadly

mablemurple · 29/04/2009 19:11

Yes, adding ly to an adjective makes it an adverb.

janinlondon · 29/04/2009 19:13

But in that case what verb is the adverb modifying?

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duffpancake · 29/04/2009 19:15

I think it is a sentence adverb in that context, i.e. it is modifying the whole sentence; info here

ilovemydogandMrObama · 29/04/2009 19:15

It's modifying an adjective, not a verb

janinlondon · 29/04/2009 19:15

And surely horrendously can be an adjective, even though it ends in ly? eg: horrendously cold?

OP posts:
janinlondon · 29/04/2009 19:18

Duff that seems to make some sense....

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janinlondon · 29/04/2009 19:19

If a word modifies an adjective surely its an adjective of degree? Arrrgh! Undoubtedly, I am adrift in a sea of uncertainty.!!!

OP posts:
janinlondon · 29/04/2009 19:28

After much searching I think it might be a disjunct. But I am happy to have someone correct me!

OP posts:
duffpancake · 29/04/2009 19:47

no, a word modifying an adjective is an adverb; adverbs modify verbs (running horrendously), adjectives (horrendously cold), other adverbs (horrendously quickly) and as in the original example,`full sentences.

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