Help!

[moonwalker]

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The readers of Business in Asia magazine ranked Samsung Co. very highly ~~~~.

The readers of Business in Asia magazine ranked Samsung Co. very high ~~~~.
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First, between "rank very high / rank very highly", which one is correct grammatically?

Second, can a superlative adjective or adverb be modified "very"?
For example, " The readers of Business in Asia magazine ranked Samsung Co. very highest~~~" or " He runs very fastest." is possible?


:? The more I study Englsh grammar , the more difficult it is.

 

[Casiopea]

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The readers of Business in Asia magazine ranked Samsung Co. very highly ~~~~.

The readers of Business in Asia magazine ranked Samsung Co. very high ~~~~.
=============================================

First, between "rank very high / rank very highly", which one is correct grammatically?

1. ranked very highly. (OK; 'highly', an adverb, modifies 'ranked', a verb).
2. ranked very high on their list. (OK; 'high', an adjective, modifies 'list', a noun).

Second, can a superlative adjective or adverb be modified "very"?
For example, " The readers of Business in Asia magazine ranked Samsung Co. very highest~~~" or " He runs very fastest." is possible?

3. ranked Samsung the highest. (OK; Note the set: the -est). 'very' means degree; whereas -est means, superior, best, the top. There is no degree at the top; it is THE top.

4. He runs very fastest. (Not OK)
==> How does he run? He runs fast, very fast. (Adverb
)==> very fast ~ quickly (both are adverbs). The suffix -est is generally added to adjectives: big -> biggest; tall -> tallest; quick -> quickest. There are only a few adverbs that can take -est. One adverb is 'soon' -> soonest.