Adverbs modify verbs. Adjectives modify nouns.
Adjective: That car is different.
Adverb: He thinks differently.
What happens with the following verbs and why?
He looks __________
Different or differently?
He sounds
different or differently?
The form of Different is modifying the verbs look or sound, so shouldn't the correct answer be the adverb "differently?" The problem is that this doesn't sound correct.
What is the unique situation here?
Thanks
Verbs of "sense" - looks, feels, seems, sounds, smells, tastes - may have the same purpose as a 'be" verb. They would use a predicate adjective following them. Predicate adjectives modify the subject and are preceeded by a linking verb. Lemon=sour.
The lemon "is" sour. The lemon tastes sour.
Hope this explains the difference clearly.
The hurdle looks high. The hurdle is high.
The baby seems sick. The baby is sick.
So one would use - He looks different.
Thanks. Much appreciated.
The unique situation in this case is that both "different" and "differently" can be used to modify the verbs "look" and "sound," but they have slightly different meanings.
When it comes to the verb "look," both "different" and "differently" can be used, but they convey different nuances.
If you say "He looks different," you are primarily describing the person's appearance or how they appear physically.
On the other hand, if you say "He looks differently," you are primarily describing the way in which he looks or observes. This implies that his way of looking or observing something is different from the norm or from how others do it.
So, both options are grammatically acceptable, but they convey different meanings. It ultimately depends on what you want to communicate. If you're focusing on appearance, use "different," and if you're focusing on the manner of looking, use "differently."
For the verb "sound," the situation is a bit different. Typically, we use "different" to modify "sound" rather than "differently." For example, you would say "That song sounds different" to describe a change in the way the song sounds.
Using "differently" to modify "sound" would sound odd and unnatural in most cases. It's not commonly used in this context because the word "sound" is already associated with the sense of hearing and perceiving sounds in a specific manner.
In summary, when it comes to the verb "look," you can use both "different" and "differently," but they have distinct meanings. For the verb "sound," it is more appropriate to use "different" rather than "differently" to modify it.