Today, I’d like to introduce you to a close personal friend of mine, Already. I’ve known him already for nearly forty years, ever since we met in school, and already by the 1990s we already knew each other well enough to be already like brothers already.
Enough already? Great, let’s begin! The problem with our friend already is three-fold:
1) He’s being put in the wrong place – after the verb, which makes the verb feel silly and look awkward in front of the other words (2a,4a,5a,6a),
2) He’s being shoved out on stage when really, he isn’t even in the scene at all (1a,3a),
3) He’s being used with existing to make already existing, which is pointless repetition (think ‘terminal death’, ‘sad funeral’, or maybe ‘true love’) (7a,8a).
2) He’s being shoved out on stage when really, he isn’t even in the scene at all (1a,3a),
3) He’s being used with existing to make already existing, which is pointless repetition (think ‘terminal death’, ‘sad funeral’, or maybe ‘true love’) (7a,8a).
Already with the examples!
1a. Already in the 1980s, attempts were made to reduce the current immediately prior to breaking the metallic short-circuit...
1b. As early as the 1980s, attempts were made to reduce the current immediately prior to breaking the metallic short-circuit...
1a. Already in the 1980s, attempts were made to reduce the current immediately prior to breaking the metallic short-circuit...
1b. As early as the 1980s, attempts were made to reduce the current immediately prior to breaking the metallic short-circuit...
2a. Situated far from other buildings, it had started to deteriorate already during the interwar period.
2b. Situated far from other buildings, it had already started to deteriorate during the interwar period.
2b. Situated far from other buildings, it had already started to deteriorate during the interwar period.
3a. You also recommended me to introduce changes already in the first act, before the main plot had even been introduced.
3b. You also recommended me to introduce changes as soon as in the first act, before the main plot had even been introduced.
3b. You also recommended me to introduce changes as soon as in the first act, before the main plot had even been introduced.
4a. Regulation of monument protection rules was happening already in the first period after Poland regained its independence.
4b. Regulation of monument protection rules was already happening in the first period after Poland regained its independence.
4b. Regulation of monument protection rules was already happening in the first period after Poland regained its independence.
5a. The new edition of the book is making its way to Kraków book shops already!
5b. The new edition of the book is already making its way to Kraków book shops!
5b. The new edition of the book is already making its way to Kraków book shops!
6a. Levi’s® has started preparing already for their summer sales!
6b. Levi’s® has already started preparing for their summer sales!
6b. Levi’s® has already started preparing for their summer sales!
7a. Already existing material is sometimes recycled for the new blog.
7b. Existing material is sometimes recycled for the new blog.
7b. Existing material is sometimes recycled for the new blog.
8a. Renovation works were carried out on the already existing infrastructure in the summer of 2007.
8b. Renovation works were carried out on the existing infrastructure in the summer of 2007.
8b. Renovation works were carried out on the existing infrastructure in the summer of 2007.
Fixes
For these three ghastly problems, there are three beautiful, lovely fixes, easily remembered and gratifyingly employed:
1) Put it somewhere else – before the main verb (2b,4b,5b,6b),
2) Use something else – as early as, as soon as are good (1b, 3b),
3) Don’t use it at all! (7b, 8b).
For these three ghastly problems, there are three beautiful, lovely fixes, easily remembered and gratifyingly employed:
1) Put it somewhere else – before the main verb (2b,4b,5b,6b),
2) Use something else – as early as, as soon as are good (1b, 3b),
3) Don’t use it at all! (7b, 8b).
So, any questions or comments, post them on our FaceBook page, or leave them in the box below already. ;)
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