If the sentence or example you are thinking about is along the lines of "It is almost 2 o'clock", then "o'clock" is modifying the noun, or pronoun "it", it is not referring to the time any action is being done.
"I'll do it at 2 o'clock" would be using "o'clock" as an adverb of time, referring to the time "it" will be done. You couldn't put "almost" into that sentence.
EDIT : But when I said "almost" can't be used to modify "forever" and "tomorrow", I was talking about them specifically, rather than examples of a general rule.
Last edited by osarusan; 16/04/2009 at 1:13 PM. Reason: clarification
Nice one.
To paraphrase "Blazing Saddles" - "Never mind that sh*t!!! - Check out Totty Watch!!!!!!!!!!"
Quoting years at random since 1975
Someone just explained to me that they are being used as "an escape goat".
It threw me for a few seconds.
They meant "scape goat".
Quoting years at random since 1975
that reminds me i heard one last week. Not the worst offence in the world but worthy of a mention
"perverting the courts of justice"
I like high energy football. A little bit rock and roll. Many finishes instead of waiting for the perfect one.
To my eternal shame, I also used the wrong expression for a while. I would tell ye what it was, but I don't want to upset the apple tart.
"...all my talk of food was only a dead herring"
What about defeat to when it should be defeat by ? The former has taken over but I firmly believe that it is incorrect. You don't say Bohs were defeated to Rovers so why is it correct to say Bohs suffered defeat to Rovers?
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
Isn't it just that one is being used as a verb (defeat by) and the other is using defeat as (I'm going to say) a noun? In your example suffer is the verb.
I like high energy football. A little bit rock and roll. Many finishes instead of waiting for the perfect one.
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