"strict" or "strictly" cash basis

[dinilein]

Hello,

when I did an adjective/adverb test there was a sentence:

"We deal on a strict/strictly cash basis."

I decided for "strict cash basis" thinking that "cash basis" is a compound
noun.
However, the correct answer was "strictly cash basis".

Can anybody explain why ?

Thanks

dinilein

[BobK]

Originally Posted by dinilein

Hello,

when I did an adjective/adverb test there was a sentence:

We deal on a strict/strictly cash basis."

I decided for "strict cash basis" thinking that "cash basis" is a compound
noun.
However, the correct answer was "strictly cash basis".

Can anybody explain why ?

Thanks

dinilein

I agree with your reasoning. If they wanted to use an adverb ending '-ly' they should have rephrased the sentence: 'We deal strictly on a cash basis.' But I see nothing wrong with your version - indeed, I prefer it.

Other teachers may disagree; perhaps there's some rule I don't know about. But as to usage, I have rarely met 'on a strictly cash basis' (and have always glossed over it as... not so much a mistake, but an infelicity).

b

[2006]

I much prefer 'strictly cash basis', as I really don't think cash basis is an accepted compound noun.
With 'strictly cash basis', basis is the noun, cash is an adjective modifying "basis" and strictly is an adverb modifying the adjective "cash".

Also, consider the following.

customer: How can I pay for it?
seller: It's strictly cash. [short for (It's a strictly cash deal.)(It's on a strictly cash basis.)]
Even in this abbreviated sentence, I don't think many native speakers would say "It's strict cash."

[BobK]

I'll buy that.

b