Indeed nuanced points

[Freeguy]

After discussing my colleagues about the accuracy of these sentences, I reached an impasse. Would you please share your opinions with me?

1. He was driving fast indeed.
2. He was driving quite fast indeed.
3. It's cold. ~ It's indeed.

( ME: A. Wrong, B. Wrong, C. Right.)
( My colleagues:
1 = wrong.
2 = correct [but only in spoken English].
3 = partially correct ... It is my opinion that the second part of this really ought not to be abbreviated/contracted. It would more properly be written/spoken as "It IS indeed". This would give the statement emphasis. )

 

[bhaisahab]

After discussing my colleagues about the accuracy of these sentences, I reached an impasse. Would you please share your opinions with me?

1. He was driving fast indeed.
2. He was driving quite fast indeed.
3. It's cold. ~ It's indeed.

( ME: A. Wrong, B. Wrong, C. Right.)
( My colleagues:
1 = wrong.
2 = correct [but only in spoken English].
3 = partially correct ... It is my opinion that the second part of this really ought not to be abbreviated/contracted. It would more properly be written/spoken as "It IS indeed". This would give the statement emphasis. )

3 is possible without the contraction. The other two are unnatural.

 

[Tdol]

It would more properly be written/spoken as "It IS indeed".

No need for the upper case in writing.

 

[Freeguy]

I want to know that why we use "very" in the first sentence but not in the second one.


1. He was driving very fast indeed.
2. Mina's future looked promising indeed.

 

[Rover_KE]

There's no reason why you can't use 'very' in #2 if you want to.

In fact, it sounds better with 'very' than without it.

 

[Freeguy]

You mean "Mina's future looked very promising indeed" would be better from "Mina's future looked promising indeed" ? I agree with you.
Michael Swan recommends not using indeed in this sense without very. However, this is Oxford's example that was used without very.

 

[Freeguy]

Any idea?

 

[Rover_KE]

I gave you my idea in post #5.

 

[Tdol]

Michael Swan recommends not using indeed in this sense without very. However, this is Oxford's example that was used without very.

I think the key word there is recommends. You don't have to follow a recommendation if you don't want to. Most will use very, but it's not compulsory.