corum
Senior Member
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2010
- Member Type
- Interested in Language
- Native Language
- Hungarian
- Home Country
- Hungary
- Current Location
- Hungary
Premodification of comparatives
7.89 Adjectives and 'adverbs in the absolute degree can be premodified by
intensifiers like very, quite, so, etc
Comparatives of both adjectives and adverbs, whether inflected or
periphrastic, can be premodified by amplifiers, such as much or very much.
Much can be premodified by so, very, and that:
so very much easier
Premodification of superlatives
7.90
The nonperiphrastic superlative may be premodified by the intensifier very:
They arrived only at the very last moment.
She put on her very best dress.
When very premodifies the superlative, a determiner is obligatory.
Anna is the very youngest. :tick:
Anny is youngest. :tick:
Anny is very youngest. :cross:
The periphrastic superlative is not premodified by the intensifier very (*the
very most successful candidate) but by other expressions, eg:
the most successful candidate of all
the most remarkable election ever
by far the best solution
far (and away) the best solution
When very premodifies the superlative, a determiner is obligatory.
Quirk et. al., 1985, p.474.
This is also interesting:
He is very much an Englishman (= very English) :tick:
He is very English. :tick:
He is very much English. :cross:
?They are very much Englishmen
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