AboutCatherine Van Herrin Expertise I am a professional writer, editor, and proofreader with 23 years' experience. My specialty is copyediting and proofreading manuscripts. I am extremely detail-oriented. I use AP Style.
I provide crystal-clear, clean grammar; and strict attention to style, consistency, flow, logic, accuracy, and spelling.
No sentence diagraming or basic explanation of verbs, nouns, adjectives, etc.
Experience
Experience: BA, English. Twenty-three years' professional experience in editing, writing, and proofreading. Full-time freelancer. I provide crystal-clear, clean grammar; strict attention to style, consistency, flow, logic, accuracy, and spelling, and I work quickly and efficiently.
AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION:
Speeches, Biography, Autobiography, Short stories, Novels, Medical journal drafts and articles, Art history, Headline/subhead writing/lead paragraphs, pulled quotes, book critiques/reviews, How-to (special circumstances only; inquire specifically}, Career, work/lifestyles, resumes, CVs, Health, Calendars/copy, Photography/copy, Metaphysical, astrological reports or copy,
Family, historical summaries, self-publishing, Academic manuscripts [university level and above only], Self-help, holistic, spiritual, romance, Sci-fi, Fantasy, Ghostwriter/co-author [special circumstances only; inquire specifically], Consultancies, contributing writer, Op/Ed columnist, poetry.
Publications Online e-zines; poetry presses; please inquire for details.
Education/Credentials BA, English, University of Georgia.
Graduate Study, English, Angelo State University, San Angelo, TX
Past/Present Clients Will provide full list of references upon request.
Question Hello
Would you help me with the place of "really"?
Here is the sentence:
1)His mother looks younger than she really is.
Can I change 1) into 2) and 3) without meaning?
2)His mother looks younger than really she is.
3)His mother looks younger than she is really.
I'm not sure the places of really in 2) and 3) are grammatically correct.
I'd be happy if I have some comment.
Thank you.
Lie
Answer Dear Lie,
Thank you for writing.
Here is your sentence:
1)His mother looks younger than she really is.
Can I change 1) into 2) and 3) without meaning?
2)His mother looks younger than really she is.
3)His mother looks younger than she is really.
I'm not sure the places of really in 2) and 3) are grammatically correct.
I'd be happy if I have some comment.
Sentence #1 is correct. You can't substitute Sentence #2 with it, because the adverb "really" is in the wrong place in that sentence.
Sentence #3, however, is correct, but it just needs a comma, like this: "His mother looks younger than she is, really," as though you're standing back, appraising her. It's like you'd say, "Really, this is just too much!"
Here are some examples regarding how to use this word:
When you want to say "really," as in an actual fact, or truth, you could say, "This beef stew isn't really made with beef at all; it's made with pork."
Or, when you want to say "really" to express truth or genuine feeling, you'd say, "That was a really enjoyable film."
And, you can use it to mean "indeed," as in "Really, this is just too much! You shouldn't have done it," as someone says when he or she believes she is getting too many gifts on a birthday, etc.
