Mangled Modifiers

“Modifiers” are a neat class of words. They’re the adjec¬tives and adverbs we use to dress up other words with color and dimension and thousands of other descriptions. And for the most part, we do a pretty good job of using them correctly. But there are a few landmines in this happy field of modifiers, and this chapter will teach you to step gracefully around them.

Adjectives vs. Adverbs
Bad vs. Badly
Real vs. Really
Near vs. Nearly
Good vs. Well


Comparatives vs. Superlatives
Bigger vs. Biggest
Less vs. Least
Better vs. Best
More vs. Most

Distance/Number/Quantity Modifiers
Between vs. Among
Fewer vs. Less
Farther vs. Further
Number vs. Amount
So far as vs. As far as