"far from"

[kelvin123]

It is far from true.
It is far from the truth.

I have seen both sentences.

"true" is adj but "the truth" is noun.

Is "far from" a preposition or adv.?

can i use both adj or noun after "far from" ? why?

thank you

 

[macanudo]

'far' is an adjective and 'from' is a preposition.

'true' can sometimes be used as a noun according to dictionary.com, so in the phrase 'it is far from X' X seems to always be a noun. For example,

'It is far from large.' doesn't sound very natural to me (a native speaker). It is understandable though.

I recommend always using a noun in this particular phrase.

 

[Raymott]

It is far from true.
It is far from the truth.

I have seen both sentences.

"true" is adj but "the truth" is noun.

Is "far from" a preposition or adv.?

can i use both adj or noun after "far from" ? why?

thank you

I don't think "It's far from true" is grammatical, unless you postulate that there is an elided "being" - "It is far from being true".

 

[kelvin123]

The situation is far from good.
It is far from tolerable.
The result is far from important.

Then can I write those sentences correctly since i suppose that the word "being" is omitted?

by the way ,when can we omit the word "being"?

 

[Raymott]

The situation is far from good.
It is far from tolerable.
The result is far from important.

Then can I write those sentences correctly since i suppose that the word "being" is omitted?
Yes, they are colloquial, and certainly understandable.
by the way ,when can we omit the word "being"?
When you write sentences such as the above.

In fact, I'm not completely sure of the grammar, but the usage is acceptable.
It is far from tolerable. "far from" could be considered an adverbial component, modifying 'tolerable', as in "It is almost tolerable", where 'almost' is an adverb.
"It is almost tolerable" = "It is close to (being) tolerable"

Other similar phrases: (I would insert 'being' where shown).
It is next to impossible.
She is as close to perfect as a girl could be.
Your essay is miles away from (being) acceptable.
This is nowhere near good enough.

Maybe another native speaker can clarify the grammar.

 

[kelvin123]

Can others help me?
thanks

 

[TheParser]

Can others help me?
thanks

***NOT A TEACHER*** One of my dictionaries gives this sentence: He seems far from content. It classifies "far" in this sentence as an "adverb" that "is used with 'from.' " Thus, as another poster suggested, "far from" can be considered an adverb modifying the adjective = He seems not at all content. In the case of "It is far from the truth," one might say "far" is an adjective modified by the prepositional phrase.

 

[Raymott]

In the case of "It is far from the truth," one might say "far" is an adjective modified by the prepositional phrase.

Good example that you found.

But I'm not sure I agree on this point. To illustrate, I'll use '-ly' as an adverb marker.
A: It is far.
B: How far is it?
A: It's [from the truthly] far.
Ignoring that this isn't English, if it were it would mean "It's so far that it's not true".

But the meaning is: "It is far[ly] from the truth" (also not English), where "from the truth" is adjectival and "far[ly]" is an adverb.
A: It's from the truth. [It is untrue (from = away from)].
B: Much?
A: It's far[ly] from the truth.

That is, 'far' modifies 'from the truth', not vice versa, as I see it.

 

[TheParser]

Good example that you found.

But I'm not sure I agree on this point. To illustrate, I'll use '-ly' as an adverb marker.
A: It is far.
B: How far is it?
A: It's [from the truthly] far.
Ignoring that this isn't English, if it were it would mean "It's so far that it's not true".

But the meaning is: "It is far[ly] from the truth" (also not English), where "from the truth" is adjectival and "far[ly]" is an adverb.
A: It's from the truth. [It is untrue (from = away from)].
B: Much?
A: It's far[ly] from the truth.

That is, 'far' modifies 'from the truth', not vice versa, as I see it.

***NOT A TEACHER***Excellent point. I hope that people who understand grammar better than I will give their opinions on your theory. I am eager to hear what they say. I can't find anything "authoritative" on this relatively "unimportant" topic.

 

[TheParser]

If anyone is still interested in this topic, you may want to know what someone who knows grammar VERY well told me: just consider "far from" as an adverb. Therefore: (1) He is honest. He is FAR FROM honest. (2) It is the truth. It is FAR FROM the truth.

 

[Kondorosi]

A: It's far[ly] from the truth.
.

It is from the truth. -- Does it make sense? No. --> 'far' does not modify 'from the truth'. The prepositional phrase specifies the meaning of 'far'. The prep. phrase is an adverb.

 

[Raymott]

It is from the truth. -- Does it make sense? No. --> 'far' does not modify 'from the truth'. The prepositional phrase specifies the meaning of 'far'. The prep. phrase is an adverb.

I agree that if there were no sense in the proposition "It is 'from the truth'" then it would not make sense to claim that 'far' could modify it.

 

[Kondorosi]

The question is, whether 'far from the truth' means location or origin. I think the latter, and that is why I think you are correct, Ray. Sorry. I was wrong!

https://www.usingenglish.com/forum/ask-teacher/112930-far-adjective-adverb.html#post552922

 

[kelvin123]

thank you
I wound like to make sue that is "far form" an adv.?

so.

I am far from happy.
I am far from happiness.
The thing is far from important.
The thing is far from importance.

Are all sentences correct?

 

[Kondorosi]

I am far from happy.
I am far from happiness.
The thing is far from important.
The thing is far from importance.

A prepositional phrase consists of a preposition followed by a noun phrase.

I am far from happy.

Two ideas come up in my mind on seeing this sentence.

1. 'happy' is actually a curtailed nominal phrase, a gerund, a shortened form of 'being happy'.
2. When we drop the verb (being) in the gerund phrase (being happy), is the truncated phrase still technically a gerund? Is this still technically a noun?
No. But then:

I am far from happy. :cross:
I am far from happiness. :tick: (not idiomatic)
The thing is far from important. :cross:
The thing is far from importance. :tick: (not idiomatic)

 

[kelvin123]

A prepositional phrase consists of a preposition followed by a noun phrase.



Two ideas come up in my mind on seeing this sentence.

1. 'happy' is actually a curtailed nominal phrase, a gerund, a shortened form of 'being happy'.
2. When we drop the verb (being) in the gerund phrase (being happy), is the truncated phrase still technically a gerund? Is this still technically a noun?
No. But then:

I am far from happy. :cross:
I am far from happiness. :tick: (not idiomatic)
The thing is far from important. :cross:
The thing is far from importance. :tick: (not idiomatic)

Do you mean that it is incorrect to use noun after "far from" ,and correct to use v-ing +adj. only ?
I an confused because I have seen both adj and noun after 'far from".
However, i do not know whether they are correct or not

 

[mxreader]

That is, 'far' modifies 'from the truth', not vice versa, as I see it.

I have another view for us to consider:

It is far (OK)
It is from the truth (OK)

But now the interpretation is this

far (adjective)
from the truth (Prepositional Phrase - Complement of the subject)

When an adjective functions as a Complement of the Subject it is often followed by a complement relating it to a fact, a process, or a circumstance.

Noun + Copula + Adj. + PP
It is far from the truth
I was confused from the outset

 

[Kondorosi]

[It] [is] [from the truth] = [V] [A]

(V = linking verb)
(A = predicate adjunct)

It is far from the truth.

far = not = adverb

 

[mxreader]

[It] [is] [from the truth] = [V] [A]

According to my notes, Adjucts are optional elements of a situation expressed by a clause.

It is. (not enough information here to make sense)

 

[Kondorosi]

According to my notes, Adjucts are optional elements of a situation expressed by a clause.

It is. (not enough information here to make sense)

Predicate adjuncts are never optional. They are obligatorily present in copular SVC's as a C.