Cracked really has some great stuff.
"Good" is usually an adjective (minus the few times that it can become a substantive) and in a sentence such as "I'm good," good modifies I, with "am" being a state-of-being verb that cannot be modified in such a construction. The adverb "well" should be used when the state of condition is dynamic or the verb is an action verb, such as "I am doing well" or "She did well on her test."
Perhaps there are other exceptions to this usage, but I did not see this discussed in the article.
Oh, and "one" can also be used as a singular, unisex pronoun, although that can lead to stiff, archaic speech on occasion.
As for "hopefully," it seems to be a vestigial remnant of a subjunctive clause. I was reminded of the Spanish "ojalá," which is a marker for the present subjunctive to be used. Naturally, we tend to put the main phrase in the future indicative. Hopefully in the future we will see the return of a stronger English subjunctive, but I doubt it
Illusions fall like the husk of a fruit, one after another, and the fruit is experience. - Narrator, Sylvie
Je suis méchant.
Je suis méchant.
An article on grammar that makes me want to start a slow movie clap.
- 26/04/2012 12:26:21 AM
750 Views
I almost completely agree with them.
- 26/04/2012 02:38:06 AM
480 Views
Misusing "Literally" is one of the few grammar issues that actually bothers me.
- 26/04/2012 05:18:21 AM
406 Views
I'm with you on all points. Furthermore, misuse of "literally" isn't a grammar issue at all.
- 26/04/2012 07:07:11 PM
397 Views
I never did get that fuss about "literally".
- 26/04/2012 08:12:14 PM
454 Views
Your example is slightly different from e.g. "My blood was literally boiling". *NM*
- 27/04/2012 02:13:05 PM
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I used the article's example. But I don't see why your example is any different in that regard. *NM*
- 27/04/2012 07:03:03 PM
149 Views
Yeah, literally in hyperbole doesn't bother me. But I also don't mind when people mock its usage. *NM*
- 27/04/2012 08:21:05 PM
148 Views
You clearly need to watch more English football coverage, Sky in particular.
- 28/04/2012 02:01:11 PM
430 Views
They provide the wrong rationale for good/well
- 26/04/2012 02:55:10 AM
502 Views
Hopefully you be right... hm, I don't know about that one.
- 26/04/2012 08:22:05 PM
350 Views
- 26/04/2012 08:22:05 PM
350 Views
Sometimes, I do actually use that construction when speaking to others near me
- 26/04/2012 09:10:02 PM
359 Views
If I'm not mistaken, the Future Indicative evolved from and replaced some of the Subjunctive.
- 27/04/2012 09:44:33 PM
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There was never an optative in recorded Latin or later Romance languages.
- 27/04/2012 09:58:11 PM
358 Views
It's not Ojala which makes me think there's a connection between the Conditional and Optative
- 28/04/2012 04:28:35 AM
422 Views
