By far/help

By far/help
Message from mimi93olo posted on 17-04-2016 at 13:32:01 (D | E | F)
Good afternoon,

Can I use 'by far' at the beginning of a sentence, please? Is it separated by a comma?
Thank you in advance for your answers.
Have a nice day!

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Modifié par lucile83 le 17-04-2016 13:51

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Re: By far/help from lucile83, posted on 17-04-2016 at 14:51:47 (D | E)
Hello,
I haven't read or heard of 'by far' at the beginning of a sentence.
Have a look here:
Link

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Re: By far/help from mimi93olo, posted on 17-04-2016 at 17:49:01 (D | E)
Thank you, I found it here Link
it is the 5th sentence. I suppose not everything on that page is correct.

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Re: By far/help from lucile83, posted on 17-04-2016 at 22:33:20 (D | E)
Hello,
By far the greatest share of health problems is attributable to broad social conditions.
Well, I would write:
The greatest share of health problems is, by far, attributable to broad social conditions.

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Re: By far/help from traviskidd, posted on 17-04-2016 at 22:48:00 (D | E)
Hello. "By far" modifies the superlative, and thus should be used near it. I think "By far the greatest" is correct. See you.

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Re: By far/help from lucile83, posted on 17-04-2016 at 23:03:33 (D | E)
Dear traviskidd...
I was missing you indeed! I wrote I would say:
The greatest share of health problems is, by far,...
and not
By far the greatest share of health problems...

'By far' is an adverb and thus it modifies the verb, doesn't it?

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Re: By far/help from mimi93olo, posted on 18-04-2016 at 21:14:43 (D | E)
Thank you very much.
My sentence is: "By far the largest number of respondents preferred..." can I change it to
"The largest number of respondents preferred, by far, coffee/tea/etc.", please?
Or is the first one correct?
Thank you.

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Re: By far/help from lucile83, posted on 18-04-2016 at 21:51:27 (D | E)
I'd say:
The largest number of respondents preferred, by far, coffee/tea/etc.

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Re: By far/help from thioutia, posted on 20-04-2016 at 17:52:37 (D | E)
Hello,
And what is the difference is between 'by far' and 'so far'?
Thank you for your answers.

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Edited by lucile83 on 20-04-2016 22:11

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Re: By far/help from lucile83, posted on 20-04-2016 at 22:19:12 (D | E)
Hello thioutia,
You could use a dictionary
Link

- by far
(used with comparative or superlative adjectives or adverbs) by a great amount
The last of these reasons is by far the most important.
Amy is the smartest by far.

- so far, thus far
until now; up to this point
What do you think of the show so far?

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