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192
different stems (suppletive forms). These comparatives and superlatives are identical with those for the
corresponding adjectives and can be differentiated from the latter only syntactically.
well
badly
little
much
far
- better
- worse
- less
- more
further
farther
- best
- worst
- least
- most
- furthest
- farthest
Which do you like best?
This is least painful for you.
Either farther (farthest) or further (furthest) are used when speaking of places, directions, or distance:
He is too tired to walk any farther (further).
But only further (furthest) is used with the meaning more, later:
Don’t try my patience any further.
Most of the adverbs, however, stand outside the degrees of comparison:
pronominal adverbs denoting place and time
(here, somewhere, there, sometimes, when),
denoting manner
(somehow, thus), and
adverbs of manner denoting gradation
(minimally, optimally, proximally - ).
Semantic characteristics
§ 241. According to their meaning adverbs fall into many groups. Here are the main ones:
Adverbs of place: outside, there, in front, etc.
Adverbs of time include those denoting duration (long, continually), interval (all day), timing (yesterday,
today, recently, lately, immediately, once, at once, now), frequency (often, now and then, occasionally). Several
of them denote an indefinite time - soon, yet, always, already, never, ever.
Adverbs of manner: well, carefully, intentionally, silently, clearly, etc.
Adverbs of degree:
thoroughly, very, much, completely, quite, rather, a lot, a little, a great deal, badly,
greatly, hardly, barely, scarcely, narrowly, just, almost, mostly, enormously, largely, tremendously, keenly,
somewhat, too, so, most, all but.
Among these some are synonymous (much, very), but their combinability is different. Thus much is used to
modify verbs, nouns, statives and adjectives, and very is used with adjectives and adverbs in the positive and
superlative degrees, whereas with comparatives only much is used:
to travel much
to be much improved
much better
much slower
very nice
very glad
very slow
very quickly