In all honesty

[Strawberry girl]

Test No. incompl/inter-30 "Flying on a Plane", question 5

They ask you if you want to buy things you don't in all ......... want.

(a) truth
(b) honesty
(c) honestly
(d) truly

Test No. incompl/inter-30 "Flying on a Plane", answer 5

They ask you if you want to buy things you don't in all honesty want.

Correct answer: (b) honesty

Your answer was: incorrect
They ask you if you want to buy things you don't in all truly want.
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Hi,Alan
I have got a lot of mistakes in this test.I always confuse on where to use noun and where to use adjective or adverb.Could you give me some advice?And why choose honesty here?
Thanks!

[Alan]

Hi Strawberry,

The adverb has to qualify a verb and you could say: things you truly don't want but here you need the noun in all honesty because that expression isn't qualifying the verb want. It's a separate phrase and means: in every type of honesty (noun) you can imagine.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
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