[Grammar] Can we use adverbs of manner with stative verbs?

[Mori]

Use adverbs of manner when you are describing or giving more information about action verbs.

The ILI English Series, High-intermediate 1, page 23

As far as I know love is a stative verb. Is there anything wrong with the following sentence:

I love her madly.

 

[emsr2d2]

I don't find it very natural though I can't say it's grammatically wrong. You'll certainly hear "I'm madly in love with him/her".

 

[Mori]

I don't find it very natural"

Here's an example from Oxford Dictionary with another stative verb:

I miss her badly.

 

[emsr2d2]

That's absolutely fine.

 

[emsr2d2]

If "badly" were an adverb of manner in "I miss her badly", the opposite would be "I miss her well". That isn't the case. "I miss her badly" means "I miss her a lot" or "I miss her and that really hurts me".

 

[Mori]

They are not. I meant to say that - I have now corrected my slip. Sorry

Thanks! Lesson learned: not all adverbs ending in -ly are manner adverbs. An English teacher who's still a learner!

 

[Tdol]

An English teacher who's still a learner!

Any teacher who is not still a learner is probably worse. ;-)