My doubt with an article preceding an adverb.

[Ebenezer_Adu]

They were a completely irreligious family and I never thought that one day I would marry one of their daughters.

Why the article was not positioned before the IRRELIGIOUS, Iike the following:

• ‘They were completely ‘an’ irreligious family…’ . I learned an article must always precede an adjective that talks about the noun, but not an ADVERB! like a completely above.

Please explain to me, if I am wrong.

[Dozy]

“completely irreligious” is an adjectival phrase (“completely” modifies “irreligious”).

[Ebenezer_Adu]

Thanks, Dozy!

Why is it that is not an adverbial phrase instead? Since there is “completely” present?

But I have thought always an article should come before an adjective for instance:
-a bad man.
-a nice person.
-a beutiful animal.

Instead of the above, now I have seen an adverb instead following an article like the example(“a” completely irreligious man). Why not(completely AN irreligious man). So that the article would rather come immediately before the adjective?
Please explain why that.

[Ebenezer_Adu]

With regard to my double-posting I have begun to suspect why it used to happen, but please, I will control it!

Thanks Dozy.

[Dozy]

@Ebenezer Adu

Thanks, Dozy!

Why is it that is not an adverbial phrase instead? Since there is “completely” present?

But I have thought always an article should come before an adjective for instance:
-a bad man.
-a nice person.
-a beutiful animal.

Instead of the above, now I have seen an adverb instead following an article like the example(“a” completely irreligious man). Why not(completely AN irreligious man). So that the article would rather come immediately before the adjective?
Please explain why that.

“completely” is an adverb, but the combination “completely + adj.” behaves as an adjective overall. “a completely irreligious man” has the pattern “article + adj. phrase + noun”, where the adj. phrase is “adverb + adj.”