Position of Adverb.

Status
Not open for further replies.

david11

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2011
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Tamil
Home Country
India
Current Location
India
The total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities, usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide (CO2).

Is it correct if we place the adverbs after
support human activities?
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
The total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities, usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide (CO2).

Is it correct if we place the adverbs after
support human activities?

The original is preferable. I would say that you can add them after "activities" if you put them in brackets perhaps.

The total amount of greenhouse gases produced to support human activities (both directly and indirectly), is usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide (CO2).

I don't know if you missed a word out when you copied or if there is an error in the original, but there appears to be a word missing before "usually".
 

david11

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2011
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Tamil
Home Country
India
Current Location
India
I don't know if you missed a word out when you copied or if there is an error in the original, but there appears to be a word missing before "usually".

No, I didn't. Here is the original.
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
Ah, OK, I didn't realise it was a definition. Definitions are regularly not complete grammatical sentences. The context would have helped in this case.
 

david11

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2011
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Tamil
Home Country
India
Current Location
India
Ah, OK, I didn't realise it was a definition.

Really? May I know the reason? If I am asked to define something in exams, can I give the answer like that? or is it just like the newspaper headings where words are left out for wanting of space?
 

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
Really? May I know the reason?
Because you didn't say it was! ems assumed, as I did, that you had missed a word out.
If I am asked to define something in exams, can I give the answer like that?
I don't recommend it.
or is it just like the newspaper headings where words are left out for want[STRIKE]ing[/STRIKE] of space?
Yes.The definitions in dictionaries are as short as possible, in order to save space. They are not intended to be complete sentences.
 

birdeen's call

VIP Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2010
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Polish
Home Country
Poland
Current Location
Poland
Really? May I know the reason? If I am asked to define something in exams, can I give the answer like that? or is it just like the newspaper headings where words are left out for wanting of space?
I don't mark exams, so I don't know about them, but it's a natural thing to do.

A definition may be understood as answer to the question

What is X?

We can answer

It's a kind of Y with a big, green Z on top.

But we can also answer

A kind of Y with a big, green Z on top.
 
Last edited:

david11

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2011
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Tamil
Home Country
India
Current Location
India
Because you didn't say it was! ems assumed,

I am sorry. I have misquoted her. I meant to quote her next sentence."
Definitions are regularly not complete grammatical sentences".
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
I am sorry. I have misquoted her. I meant to quote her next sentence."
Definitions are regularly not complete grammatical sentences".

5jj answered that in post #6.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top