Hi Instructors,

I have one small doubt on modifiers. This is from page no. 93, SC-4th edition(problem set).

2. Although the ballerina seems healthily, she feels very unwell and is unlikely to dance well at tonight's performance.

Answer from page no. 95

Although the ballerina seems healthy, she feels very unwell and is unlikely to dance well at tonight's performance.

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My Doubt

The following small sentence is taken from the above sentence:-

She is unlikely to dance well.

Here "unlikely" is an adjective because "is" is a linking verb, and "well" is an adverb.

Why well is an adverb ?
Is "is unlikely to dance well" a verb phrase that requires an adverb ?

There is one example on the page no. 83, which says:-

Amy is feeling well.--> Here well is an adjective modifying Amy and "is" a linking verb.

If "well" is an adjective here then why "well" is not an adjective in the above sentence ?

May be i am asking a very silly question, but in the explanation, it is written that, "well" is an adverb and is required to modify "dance", which is not a linking verb.

Will be waiting for your reply.

Thanks & Regards
Saurabh

"Well" is a funny word, because it can be either an adjective or an adverb.

In the sentence "She is unlikely to dance well," "well" is an adverb because it modifies a verb, "dance." Seems simple enough.

In the sentence "Amy is feeling well," "well" is an adjective; it means something like "healthy." In general, "Amy feels ADJECTIVE," can be glossed as "Amy feels as though she is ADJECTIVE." That's why one might say "Amy feels happy," "Amy feels smart," or "Amy feels pretty and witty and wise." One would not say "happily," "smartly", etc.

Thanks.

But if the sentence is:- Amy feels well --> Is "well" an adjective and "feels" a linking verb ?

Amy writes well --> (As given in Pg no. 83 4th edition--> "well" is an adverb that modifies the verb "writes")

Can you please help. I don't know where i am confused. May be linking verb is confusing me because it requires an adjective. If linking verb is an issue then what is the difference between "Writes" and "feels" as they both are verbs

Please help..

"Feels" is a linking verb; see this link for more detail: http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/linkingverb.htm

In the case of "Amy feels well", "feels" is serving as a linking verb and "well" is the adjective.

"Writes" is a regular verb that can stand on its own. I could construct a sentence such as "Amy writes.". That sentence would express what Amy is doing right now. In this case "well" is an adverb and is modifying how Amy is writing.

As pointed out previously, "well" can be used as an adverb or adjective.

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Jamie Nelson
ManhattanGMAT Instructor

Thank you so much. The explanation in the "linking verb" document is very good.

Thanks for your help.

My pleasure; I am so glad I could help. Best wishes!

_________________
Jamie Nelson
ManhattanGMAT Instructor

Opening this thread.

Although the ballerina seems healthy, she feels very unwell and is unlikely to dance well at tonight's performance.

My doubt is in the underlined portion of the sentence.

She is unlikely to dance well.

In this sentence "is" is a linking verb so "unlikely" is an adjective modifying "she". "well" is an adverb modifying verb "dance".

How "dance" is a verb ?

I am not saying "well" is incorrect, but i am confused because i thought that adverb "well" is modifying the adjective "unlikely".

Thanks & Regards
Sachin

Hi Sachin,
Hmm . . . are you sure it is a verb? Maybe "to dance" is an infinitive, which is the untensed form of a verb BUT actually functions as a noun, adjective, or adverb. Check out this link: http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/infinitive.htm

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Jamie Nelson
ManhattanGMAT Instructor