There are some adjectives which begin with
"a-",such as asleep, alike, alone, afraid,alive, awake, etc.
To modify or emphasize these adjectives, we must use " much" rather than " very" according to some of grammar books.
However, I am questioning this rule.
Among sentences below, could native speakers tell me which one(s) is/are correct or which one(s) is/ are acceptable, please?
1. The twins look so alike.
2. The twins look much alike.
3. The twins look very much alike.
4. The twins look very alike.
"a-",such as asleep, alike, alone, afraid,alive, awake, etc.
To modify or emphasize these adjectives, we must use " much" rather than " very" according to some of grammar books.
However, I am questioning this rule.
Among sentences below, could native speakers tell me which one(s) is/are correct or which one(s) is/ are acceptable, please?
1. The twins look so alike.
2. The twins look much alike.
3. The twins look very much alike.
4. The twins look very alike.
- Country or region United States
@msky1125
Sentences 1 and 3 sound more natural to me.
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Obviously wrong
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Written in a language I can't understand
Answer is not related to the question
Other reason
- Country or region United States
@msky1125
Sentences 1 and 3 sound more natural to me.
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@Datsun43 Thanks ^^ What about both sentence 2 and sentence 4, please? Are they acceptable or unnatural?
- Country or region United States
@msky1125 3 is the best. I think 1 and 4 are unnatural, but 2 is acceptable. “The twins look so much alike” is good too
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- Country or region United States
@msky1125 You should either say “so much” or “very much” but never just one “much” or “so” or “very”
Good:
- The twins look very much alike.
- The twins look so much alike.
- The twins look alike.
Unnatural:
- The twins look much alike.
- The twins look so alike.
- The twins look very alike.
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- Country or region United States
@msky1125 "The twins look so much alike" sounds like casual spoken English. (But I wouldn't use it in an essay or business writing.)
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