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...
An adverb is a word or an expression that generally modifies a verb, adjective, another adverb, determiner, clause, preposition, or sentence. Adverbs typically...
A conjunctive adverb, adverbial conjunction, or subordinating adverb is an adverb that connects two clauses by converting the clause it introduces into...
of murderer (as some, but not all, possible murderers are murderers). Flatadverb List of eponymous adjectives in English Predication (philosophy) Proper...
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...
prepositional adverb is a word – mainly a particle – which is very similar in its form to a preposition but functions as an adverb. Prepositional adverbs occur...
A pronominal adverb is a type of adverb occurring in a number of Germanic languages, formed in replacement of a preposition and a pronoun by turning the...
behavior. Commonly listed English parts of speech are noun, verb, adjective, adverb, pronoun, preposition, conjunction, interjection, numeral, article, and...
Pona, there are no proper nouns, only proper adjectives and adverbs. A proper adjective/adverb (often called "modifiers") must modify a noun or verb (the...
in certain relative clauses (The country where he was born) and certain adverb clauses (I go where he goes). It can also be used as a modal, since question...
with the verb. In older grammars, the particle was usually analyzed as an adverb. a. Kids grow up so fast these days b. You shouldn't give in so easily....
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...
"Somebody left their sweater" or "My friend left their sweater here" Flatadverbs – e.g., "Drive safe" as opposed to "Drive safely" Split infinitives –...
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...
Fanaticism (from the Latin adverb fānāticē [fren-fānāticus; enthusiastic, ecstatic; raging, fanatical, furious]) is a belief or behavior involving uncritical...
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...
adverbial participle, conjunctive participle, gerund, gerundive and verbal adverb (Ylikoski 2003). Converbs are differentiated from coverbs, verbs in complex...
words called adverbs of degree, also known as degree adverbs. When used grammatically as intensifiers, these words cease to be degree adverbs, because they...
as the placement of English adverbs. An adverb that modifies an adjective or adverb comes before that adjective or adverb: completament cert ("completely...
sometimes done. Adverbs can be formed from adjectives in Norwegian. English usually creates adverbs from adjectives by the suffix -ly, like the adverb beautifully...
takes dependents. AdjPs can take modifiers, which are usually pre-head adverb phrases (e.g., truly wonderful) or post-head preposition phrases (e.g.,...
dìdi (弟弟, "younger brother") Adjectives or adverb: to emphasize the state described by the adjective/adverb, or as a childish expression. hóng-hóng-de...
into the grammatical category of adverbs. They thought interjections modified the verb much in the same way as adverbs do, thus interjections were closely...
prepositional phrases but not other phrasal categories. These degree adverbs include clear, flat, plumb, right, smack, and straight. Examples of prepositional...
many changes), determiner phrases (e.g., many more) or in adjective or adverb phrases (e.g., not that big).: 565 They may appear on their own without...
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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