Very afraid or Very much afraid?
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Can the adjective afraid be modified by very, or it should be very much instead?
This site "English Grammar" say that 'Afraid' can be modified by ‘very much’. And it doesn't say anything about 'very afraid'. There is a question here on the 'English Stack Exchange' under the title "Differences between “very” and “very much” as adjective modifiers", in which the OP endorses the sentence "I am very much afraid that..." as fine, and he states that the sentence "I am very aware of..." as awkward. But unfortunately, no specific answer has been given there.
My question: Is 'very afraid' a correct usage? Or, Should it be 'very much' afraid?
OR,
"Some adjectives beginning with a- are used mainly after link verbs, especially be. Common examples: afloat, afraid, alight, alike, alive, alone, asleep, awake, etc". These adjectives cannot normally be used attributively.
If I say such adjectives cannot be modified by "very"; instead, we have to use "very much", am I correct?
grammar adverbs very
asked 2 days ago
mahmud koya
6,7714724
add a comment |
up vote
-1
down vote
favorite
Can the adjective afraid be modified by very, or it should be very much instead?
This site "English Grammar" say that 'Afraid' can be modified by ‘very much’. And it doesn't say anything about 'very afraid'. There is a question here on the 'English Stack Exchange' under the title "Differences between “very” and “very much” as adjective modifiers", in which the OP endorses the sentence "I am very much afraid that..." as fine, and he states that the sentence "I am very aware of..." as awkward. But unfortunately, no specific answer has been given there.
My question: Is 'very afraid' a correct usage? Or, Should it be 'very much' afraid?
OR,
"Some adjectives beginning with a- are used mainly after link verbs, especially be. Common examples: afloat, afraid, alight, alike, alive, alone, asleep, awake, etc". These adjectives cannot normally be used attributively.
If I say such adjectives cannot be modified by "very"; instead, we have to use "very much", am I correct?
grammar adverbs very
asked 2 days ago
mahmud koya
6,7714724
1
There is the well known phrase "Be afraid, be very afraid" from the 1986 film The Fly.
– Weather Vane
2 days ago
@WeatherVane, yes. I'm aware of it. Is it an adequate evidence for this usage?
– mahmud koya
2 days ago
1
It is perfectly good to use "very afraid", possibly better than "very much afraid". Consider another adjective: "tired". Saying "I am very much tired" is clumsy. "Very much afraid" is often used in a metaphoric context such as "I am very much afraid that (some bad news)" where the speaker is not actually afraid.
– Weather Vane
2 days ago
Tired can be an attributive adjective, can't it?
– mahmud koya
2 days ago
add a comment |
up vote
-1
down vote
favorite
up vote
-1
down vote
favorite
Can the adjective afraid be modified by very, or it should be very much instead?
This site "English Grammar" say that 'Afraid' can be modified by ‘very much’. And it doesn't say anything about 'very afraid'. There is a question here on the 'English Stack Exchange' under the title "Differences between “very” and “very much” as adjective modifiers", in which the OP endorses the sentence "I am very much afraid that..." as fine, and he states that the sentence "I am very aware of..." as awkward. But unfortunately, no specific answer has been given there.
My question: Is 'very afraid' a correct usage? Or, Should it be 'very much' afraid?
OR,
"Some adjectives beginning with a- are used mainly after link verbs, especially be. Common examples: afloat, afraid, alight, alike, alive, alone, asleep, awake, etc". These adjectives cannot normally be used attributively.
If I say such adjectives cannot be modified by "very"; instead, we have to use "very much", am I correct?
grammar adverbs very
asked 2 days ago
mahmud koya
6,7714724
Can the adjective afraid be modified by very, or it should be very much instead?
This site "English Grammar" say that 'Afraid' can be modified by ‘very much’. And it doesn't say anything about 'very afraid'. There is a question here on the 'English Stack Exchange' under the title "Differences between “very” and “very much” as adjective modifiers", in which the OP endorses the sentence "I am very much afraid that..." as fine, and he states that the sentence "I am very aware of..." as awkward. But unfortunately, no specific answer has been given there.
My question: Is 'very afraid' a correct usage? Or, Should it be 'very much' afraid?
OR,
"Some adjectives beginning with a- are used mainly after link verbs, especially be. Common examples: afloat, afraid, alight, alike, alive, alone, asleep, awake, etc". These adjectives cannot normally be used attributively.
If I say such adjectives cannot be modified by "very"; instead, we have to use "very much", am I correct?
grammar adverbs very
grammar adverbs very
asked 2 days ago
mahmud koya
6,7714724
asked 2 days ago
mahmud koya
6,7714724
asked 2 days ago
mahmud koya
6,7714724
asked 2 days ago
mahmud koya
6,7714724
asked 2 days ago
mahmud koya
6,7714724
6,7714724
1
There is the well known phrase "Be afraid, be very afraid" from the 1986 film The Fly.
– Weather Vane
2 days ago
@WeatherVane, yes. I'm aware of it. Is it an adequate evidence for this usage?
– mahmud koya
2 days ago
1
It is perfectly good to use "very afraid", possibly better than "very much afraid". Consider another adjective: "tired". Saying "I am very much tired" is clumsy. "Very much afraid" is often used in a metaphoric context such as "I am very much afraid that (some bad news)" where the speaker is not actually afraid.
– Weather Vane
2 days ago
Tired can be an attributive adjective, can't it?
– mahmud koya
2 days ago
add a comment |
1
There is the well known phrase "Be afraid, be very afraid" from the 1986 film The Fly.
– Weather Vane
2 days ago
@WeatherVane, yes. I'm aware of it. Is it an adequate evidence for this usage?
– mahmud koya
2 days ago
1
It is perfectly good to use "very afraid", possibly better than "very much afraid". Consider another adjective: "tired". Saying "I am very much tired" is clumsy. "Very much afraid" is often used in a metaphoric context such as "I am very much afraid that (some bad news)" where the speaker is not actually afraid.
– Weather Vane
2 days ago
Tired can be an attributive adjective, can't it?
– mahmud koya
2 days ago
1
1
There is the well known phrase "Be afraid, be very afraid" from the 1986 film The Fly.
– Weather Vane
2 days ago
There is the well known phrase "Be afraid, be very afraid" from the 1986 film The Fly.
– Weather Vane
2 days ago
@WeatherVane, yes. I'm aware of it. Is it an adequate evidence for this usage?
– mahmud koya
2 days ago
@WeatherVane, yes. I'm aware of it. Is it an adequate evidence for this usage?
– mahmud koya
2 days ago
1
1
It is perfectly good to use "very afraid", possibly better than "very much afraid". Consider another adjective: "tired". Saying "I am very much tired" is clumsy. "Very much afraid" is often used in a metaphoric context such as "I am very much afraid that (some bad news)" where the speaker is not actually afraid.
– Weather Vane
2 days ago
It is perfectly good to use "very afraid", possibly better than "very much afraid". Consider another adjective: "tired". Saying "I am very much tired" is clumsy. "Very much afraid" is often used in a metaphoric context such as "I am very much afraid that (some bad news)" where the speaker is not actually afraid.
– Weather Vane
2 days ago
Tired can be an attributive adjective, can't it?
– mahmud koya
2 days ago
Tired can be an attributive adjective, can't it?
– mahmud koya
2 days ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
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'Very much afraid' is formal and somewhat archaic. Kind of Dickensian. You might use it to create a dramatic effect or to emphasise gravity. A lawyer might use it - 'your grandfather has passed away but having perused the will with due diligence I am very much afraid there is no inheritance'. Jacob Rees-Mogg would use it for sure. Be very afraid... ;)
answered 2 days ago
Sprog
624
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Sprog is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
0
down vote
'Very much afraid' is formal and somewhat archaic. Kind of Dickensian. You might use it to create a dramatic effect or to emphasise gravity. A lawyer might use it - 'your grandfather has passed away but having perused the will with due diligence I am very much afraid there is no inheritance'. Jacob Rees-Mogg would use it for sure. Be very afraid... ;)
answered 2 days ago
Sprog
624
New contributor
Sprog is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
'Very much afraid' is formal and somewhat archaic. Kind of Dickensian. You might use it to create a dramatic effect or to emphasise gravity. A lawyer might use it - 'your grandfather has passed away but having perused the will with due diligence I am very much afraid there is no inheritance'. Jacob Rees-Mogg would use it for sure. Be very afraid... ;)
answered 2 days ago
Sprog
624
New contributor
Sprog is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
'Very much afraid' is formal and somewhat archaic. Kind of Dickensian. You might use it to create a dramatic effect or to emphasise gravity. A lawyer might use it - 'your grandfather has passed away but having perused the will with due diligence I am very much afraid there is no inheritance'. Jacob Rees-Mogg would use it for sure. Be very afraid... ;)
answered 2 days ago
Sprog
624
New contributor
Sprog is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
'Very much afraid' is formal and somewhat archaic. Kind of Dickensian. You might use it to create a dramatic effect or to emphasise gravity. A lawyer might use it - 'your grandfather has passed away but having perused the will with due diligence I am very much afraid there is no inheritance'. Jacob Rees-Mogg would use it for sure. Be very afraid... ;)
answered 2 days ago
Sprog
624
New contributor
Sprog is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 2 days ago
Sprog
624
New contributor
Sprog is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 2 days ago
Sprog
624
answered 2 days ago
Sprog
624
624
New contributor
Sprog is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Sprog is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Sprog is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
add a comment |
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1
There is the well known phrase "Be afraid, be very afraid" from the 1986 film The Fly.
– Weather Vane
2 days ago
@WeatherVane, yes. I'm aware of it. Is it an adequate evidence for this usage?
– mahmud koya
2 days ago
1
It is perfectly good to use "very afraid", possibly better than "very much afraid". Consider another adjective: "tired". Saying "I am very much tired" is clumsy. "Very much afraid" is often used in a metaphoric context such as "I am very much afraid that (some bad news)" where the speaker is not actually afraid.
– Weather Vane
2 days ago
Tired can be an attributive adjective, can't it?
– mahmud koya
2 days ago