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nachidalove
Argentina

help help help
 
Hello Everyone
which one is correct:
handle carefully these boxes . or
handle these boxescarefully .
tell me why?

23 Feb 2013      





olga.aragones
Spain

Hello,
I�d say: Handle these boxes carefully.

The position of the adverb is after the object if there is one: They speak English well.

Have a nice weekend. (This is not an example =))

23 Feb 2013     



ueslteacher
Ukraine

carefully is the adverb of manner and it is placed after the verb if there �s no direct object, but in your sentence there IS a direct object and that is why the adverb of manner is placed after the direct object, so the second sentece is the correct one:
Handle these boxes carefully.

More on adverb placement here
Sophia

23 Feb 2013     



nachidalove
Argentina

thank you very much

23 Feb 2013     



helena2009
Hungary

Dear Nachidalove,

Practical English Usage ( written by Michael Swam) says:


"We do not usually put adverbs between a verb and its object. So the word oder is:


,,,adverb+verb+object


or


,,,verb+object+adverb."


Hope native speakers agree with it.

Helena





23 Feb 2013     



nachidalove
Argentina

Thanks for your answers

23 Feb 2013     



nachidalove
Argentina

Thanks for your answers

23 Feb 2013     



mariobmoreno
Spain

Definitely, I agree with helena 2009:
 
whether  Carefully handle these boxes,   -->   Adv + V + O      Thumbs Up
 
or           Handle these boxes carefully.  -->  V + O + Adv       Thumbs Up
 
Never: Handle carefully these boxes.  -->   V + Adv + O         Thumbs Down

23 Feb 2013     



yanogator
United States

I don �t quite agree with mariobmoreno. Although both A+V+O and V+O+A are generally correct, the only order that works for this particular sentence is "Handle these boxes carefully".
 
Carefully is usually only used before the verb in specific instructions for doing something, such as in cooking, when you might be instructed, "Carefully fold in the beaten egg whites".
 
In this specific sentence, the verb "handle" wouldn �t be used in a specific instruction (because it is too general a word), so "carefully handle" just isn �t used. If you told someone to "carefully handle these boxes", it would sound like you are asking them to fondle or caress them.
 
Bruce

23 Feb 2013     



jannabanna
France

As a native speaker I agree with Bruce - our hero!
 
Janet

24 Feb 2013     



mahdmahd
Jordan

Well, both sentences are correct. If u emphasize on the way of handling, it  u put the adverb before but if emphasize on handling as an action ,then u put it at the end of the sentence.

24 Feb 2013     

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