much/way/far/even/still

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1
  1. This is much overrated.
  2. Thnis is even overrated.
  3. This is still overrated.
  4. This is far overrated.
  5. This is way overrated.

Can you tell me the difference if any of those words
to be used for expressing emphasis?

Thanks! :slight_smile:

2
  1. It is overrated by a great deal.
  2. Not correct
  3. It used to be overrated, and is still overrated now.
  4. Not correct.
  5. As number 1 but far more informal.
3

Thank you but can you tell me why 2&4 are not correct?

4

Pooh - the simple answer is - they are not correct because no-one would ever say them.

Why that is; what the rules are etc. that’s much harder to answer and there may be no answer.

Basically, as BN says, 1 & 5 are ok, though the simplest version would be “very overrated” or “highly overrated”.
2 & 4 are meaningless or simply never used in English and therefore not correct.

5

Hello,

By the way, can we modify number 4 this way:

This is far too much overrated?

Thanks!

6

no.

7

How about “This is WAY FAR overrated.”?

8

Sounds like a couple of stoners passing round a joint and discussing some topic of importance…

“Woah, this is like way, way, totally far overrated dude, pass the spliff!”

“Yeah, like yeah, radically. Way, even overrated … I can see [size=150][color=blue]giant, blue[/size] spiders!”

What’s with the questions guys, dont you believe us when we say no, incorrect, use something else? You’re just looking for combinations of incorrect ones and hoping that it will suddenly become correct. Instead of WAY FAR overrated, stick to very very. Yes, it’s a bit more boring, but at least it will be understood. [size=150];)[/size]

9

No, it’s not like that, we do believe you of course :slight_smile:
(why would we bother asking questions if it was otherwise?)

It’s just that we strive for more knowledge about the language, to reach your level as closely as possible.
=)

10
  1. and 4. aren’t correct because ‘even’ and ‘far’ just don’t do the job of making the comparison on their own.

Both those sentences could be made correct with the addition of the right extra words. Tort and Pooh you realised that and searched for those additional words, but you simply didn’t hit on the correct ones:
These would work:
This is even more overrated.
This is far too overrated.

11

Ok, ok, I was being rather tongue in cheek, sorry if it didn’t come across that way, I just didn’t really understand why you would be so desperate to seek to use words that you have been told don’t really work. There was a smile in my voice and a twinkle in my eye when I wrote it… honest.

For the record, I don’t like ‘far too overrated’ as it sounds like “over overrated” - the ‘far too’ is essentially redundant. I can think of examples where it might work, but they are a bit strained.

Anyway guys, I hope you are happy with ‘overrated’

12

No, I don’t automatically trust what native speakers say.
Just being native speakers doesn’t always mean they speak correct language all the time.
That’s very clear when you hear tons of incorrect words coming from your own people.
But still it’s very helpful to hear what they say.
Thank you! :slight_smile: