In English grammar, a flat adverb, bare adverb, or simple adverb[1] is an adverb that has the same form as the corresponding adjective,[2] so it usually does not end in -ly, e.g. "drive slow", "drive fast", "dress smart", etc. The term includes words that naturally end in -ly in both forms, e.g. "drive friendly". Flat adverbs were once quite common but have been largely replaced by their -ly counterparts. In the 18th century, grammarians believed flat adverbs to be adjectives, and insisted that adverbs needed to end in -ly. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, "It's these grammarians we have to thank for ... the sad lack of flat adverbs today".[3] There are now only a few flat adverbs, and some are widely thought of as incorrect.[4] Despite bare adverbs being grammatically correct and widely used by respected authors, they are often stigmatized.[5] There have even been public campaigns against street signs with the traditional text "go slow" and the innovative text "drive friendly."[1]
^ abO'Conner, P.T.; Kellerman, S. (2009). Origins of the Specious: Myths and Misconceptions of the English Language. Random House Publishing Group. p. 30. ISBN 9781588368560.
^Garner's Modern American Usage, p. 897
^"Drive Safe: In Praise of Flat Adverbs" with Emily Brewster, part of the "Ask the Editor" series at Merriam-Webster.com
^Merriam-Webster, Inc (1998). Merriam-Webster's Manual for Writers and Editors. Merriam-Webster. p. 373. ISBN 9780877796220.
^When Adverbs Fall Flat, including list of the most common bare adverbs
In English grammar, a flatadverb, bare adverb, or simple adverb is an adverb that has the same form as the corresponding adjective, so it usually does...
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free dictionary. English adverbs are words such as so, just, how, well, also, very, even, only, really, and why that head adverb phrases, and whose most...
of murderer (as some, but not all, possible murderers are murderers). Flatadverb List of eponymous adjectives in English Predication (philosophy) Proper...
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there, away from both of us)" Further oppositions are created with place adverbs. Essa maçã aqui "this apple (next to me or next to you-and-me)" Essa maçã...
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plural) Others may have originated with a verb preceding an adjective or adverb: "Feel good" → "feel-good factor" "Buy now, pay later" → "buy-now pay-later...
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south and is perpendicular to east and west. North is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. The word north is related to the Old...
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as the placement of English adverbs. An adverb that modifies an adjective or adverb comes before that adjective or adverb: completament cert ("completely...
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sometimes done. Adverbs can be formed from adjectives in Norwegian. English usually creates adverbs from adjectives by the suffix -ly, like the adverb beautifully...
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depending on how such a sentence is constructed, in some dialects if a verb or adverb is in between two negatives then the latter negative is assumed to be intensifying...
verbal adverb (zarf-fiil; called a gerund by Lewis (1967)[citation needed]). These have peculiarities not shared with other nouns, adjectives or adverbs. For...
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