Archive for the ‘Common Mistakes’ Category

Using indeed at the end of a sentence

February 6th, 2013 in Common Mistakes

The word very is commonly used before an adjective or adverb.

  • She is very beautiful.
  • Thank you very much.

We can strengthen the meaning of very by using indeed after the adjective or adverb modified by very.

  • She is very beautiful indeed.
  • Thank you very much indeed.
  • I was very pleased indeed to receive the invitation.
  • His performance was very bad indeed.

In this case, it is wrong to use indeed without very.

  • She was performing very well indeed. (BUT NOT She was performing well indeed.)
  • It was a very good movie indeed. (NOT It was a good movie indeed.)

Indeed can also be used after an auxiliary verb to show emphatic agreement.

We are indeed impressed by your brilliant performance. (More emphatic than ‘We are impressed by your brilliant performance.)

Indeed can also be used in short answers.

‘It’s hot.’ ‘It is indeed.’

It costs very much money

This sentence is not considered correct. In affirmative sentences, we do not usually use the modifier ‘very much’ with verbs like eat, pay or cost. Instead, we use an expression like ‘a lot’.

  • I ate a lot of chocolates. (NOT I ate very many chocolates.)
  • I paid a lot of money in tax last year. (NOT I paid very much money in tax last year.)
  • My new apartment cost me a lot of money. (NOT My new apartment cost me very much money.)