Adverb: Difference between revisions

← Older edit

Adverb (view source)

Revision as of 15:52, 11 September 2023

1,285 bytes added , 11 September 2023

no edit summary

Amwelladmin

Bureaucrats, Interface administrators, Administrators

82,927

edits

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-An {{tag|adverb}} modifies a {{tag|verb}}. It is not welcome in legal writing, or indeed in any literature that aspires to wit or elegance. If you find yourself resorting to an adverb, always look first for a better {{tag|verb}}.
+{{a|plainenglish|{{image|LA confidential|jpg|James Ellroy. No truck with adverbs.}} }}{{d|Adverb|/ˈædvɜːb/|n|}}{{quote|“Using adverbs is a mortal sin.”
+:— Elmore Leonard}}
+A word you use when you can’t think of a better [[verb]]. A good writer’s ''capitulation''.
-“Jane '''hit the ball firmly''' through the covers and '''ran quickly''' to the non-striker’s end.”
+An {{tag|adverb}} ''modifies'' a {{tag|verb}}. It makes it stronger, weaker, more or less specific. Most end in ~ly, but not all do: “now”, “later”, “still” “again” “moreover”, “further”, “also”, “besides”, “too” can all function as adverbs, but note how ''redundant'' they tend to be:
-“Jane '''smoked''' the ball through the covers and '''galloped''' to the non-striker’s end.”
+“I will see you ''later''”; “I am ''now'' reading”; “I have some ''further'' thoughts” — they render phrases idiomatic, but add no semantic content.
+You can make [[adverbial phrases]], ''too'', like “on top of”, “over and above”, “into the bargain”, “by the same token” and so ''tiresomely'' (<-- also an adverb) on.
-{{plainenglish}}
+===Writing hack===
+Therefore, a writing hack: if you are labouring with any prose passage, try removing all adverbs, and strengthening the verbs.
+“Jane '''struck the ball firmly''' through the covers and '''proceeded quickly''' to the non-striker’s end.”
+“Jane '''spanked''' the ball through the covers and '''galloped''' to the non-striker’s end.”
+We call this the “James Ellroy oblique strategy”: the crime writer
+stumbled upon it when his editor told him to cut 100 pages from his  ''L.A. Confidential'' manuscript. Adamant that removing any characters or plot-lines would kill the story, Ellroy combed the draft nixing every adverb, most adjectives and many verbs, in the process creating a distinctive style he’s stuck with ever since.
+{{Sa}}
+*[[Adjective]]