I would like to know where in a sentence should I put the word "actually". I believe it should be put as the second word, e.g., "She actually thought it was true!". Wait... what if I have a sentence starting like this? "I have, I was", et cetera. Should I put "actually" before or after "have [was, etc.]"...? Also, do you put "actually" in an interrogative sentence? If so... where? I'm a little bit stuck. I guess I wasn't paying much attention in English lessons. Ha!
I will appreciate your help!
***** NOT A TEACHER *****
Queen of Spades,
(1) I cannot give you any rules, but I have collected some
sentences from grammar books and dictionaries. If you study them,
you may be able to get an idea on how to use this adverb. (I have
slightly changed some of the examples.)
*****
(1) (The truth of a situation) We must pay attention to what young
people
actually want.
(2) I want to know the time that she
actually worked on the job.
(3) (Emphasizes what someone has said or done) He
actually expected
me to be happy about what he had done!!!
(4) A: Do you care if I marry John?
B:
Actually, I don't care whom you marry.
(5) A: Tom seems to be happy.
B: He isn't,
actually, not any more.
(6) He had a thick accent -- he sounded like my grandfather
actually.
Source: The New Oxford Dictionary (2001)
*****
(7) I didn't expect to see him. But he was
actually there.
(8) He is very foolish, but he
actually imagines himself to be wise!!!
Source: Funk & Wagnalls New Standard Dictionary (1952).
*****
(9) Nobody speaks Latin nowadays, so everyone was astonished when
she
actually spoke Latin to us.
Source: Webster's New International Dictionary (1959)
*****
(10) A: Hello, John.
B:
Actually, my name is ANDY!!!
(11) She was so angry that she
actually tore up the letter.
Source: Practical English Usage by Mr. Michael Swan (1995)
*****
(12) We don't need a car. And we don't
actually have the money to buy one, either.
(13) I am not
actually in a position to make that decision.
(14) A: As I told you, I've got a big problem.
B:
Actually, you didn't tell me.
Source: The New Fowler's Modern English Usage, edited by Professor
R.W. Burch (1996).
*****
(15) They may seem like pretty flowers, but
actually they are
deadly animals.
(16) I could not find out how many airplanes there
actually were.
(17) She was
actually beginning to forget her name, so we had to
take her to a doctor.
(18) I could not believe that I had been
actually invited.
Source: Webster's Dictionary of English Usage (1989)
*****
(19) He
actually sat next to the Queen.
(20) He
actually did not sit next to the Queen. He sat next to the president.
(21) He did not
actually sit next to the Queen, but he did sit only
30 feet behind her!!!
(22) I
actually HAD to crawl through a tunnel. ("actually" emphasizes
"had.")
(23) I had
actually to CRAWL through a tunnel. ("actually" emphasizes
"crawl.")
(24) I had to
actually CRAWL through a tunnel.
(a) No. 24 has the same meaning as No. 23, but many native
speakers feel that No. 24 is more natural sounding.
Source: A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language (1985)
