This is a subject that shares the linguistic daily life of many speakers, and that such an attitude often becomes imperceptible. However, when it comes to written language, it is always good to be aware of the distorted practice that is attributed to some terms.
Common occurrences in which this can materialize, such as in:
These students were the best placed at the Mathematical Olympiad.
In order to obtain further clarification, look for the personnel department.
You have mens chances of getting good results.
When analyzing such statements, we find that the terms in evidence are classified as adverbs, and are, therefore, invariable. However, it should be mentioned that the classification attributed to them is that of adjectives, since they are inflected.
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Therefore, in order to reformulate the ideas expressed, we will stick to the following evidence:
These students were the best placed at the Mathematical Olympiad.
In order to obtain further information, look for the personnel department.
You have any less chances of getting good results.
In this way, try not to get confused by the attribute of such terms, as a contextual analysis is of paramount importance to the relationship of meaning established by these when dealing with a statement linguistic.
By Vânia Duarte
Graduated in Letters
Brazil School Team
Grammar - Brazil School
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
DUARTE, Vânia Maria do Nascimento. "The inflection of certain terms – A linguistic recurrence"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/gramatica/a-flexao-determinados-termosuma-recorrencia-linguistica.htm. Accessed on July 27, 2021.
