Page 108 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

83 at all
1 at all with a negative
We often use at all to emphasise a negative idea.
I didn't understand anything at all. (= I didn't understand even a little.) She was hardly frightened at all
2 questions etc
At all can also be used in questions, and with 'non-affirmative' words like if, ever and any.
Do you play poker at all? (= ... even a little?) He'll come before supper ifhe comes at all
You can come whenever you like - any time at all.
3 Not at all
The expression Not at all is used (especially in British English) as a rather
formal answer to Thankyou (see 545.19) and to Do you mind if...? (see 351).
84 at first and first
We use at first to talk about the beginning of a situation, to make a contrast with something different that happens/happened later. At first . .. is often followed by but.
At first they were very happy, but then things started going wrong.
The work was hard at first, but I got used to it. In other cases, we usually prefer first.
That's mine - I saw it first! (NOT ••• 1'stlW it titflrst.)
We lived there when we were first married. (= ••• in the early days of our
marriage.) (NOT ••• when we were titflrs, married.)
First, I want to talk about the history ofthe problem; then I'll outline the
situation today; and then we'll discuss possible solutions. (NOT Atflrst, : want f6 t-aHe •.•)
Note that at last is not the opposite of at first - see 204. For first(ly) as a discourse marker, see also 157.10.
85 auxiliary verbs
1 the need for auxiliary verbs
In English sentences, a lot of important meanings are expressed by the verb phrase - for example questioning, negation, time, completion, continuation, repetition, willingness, possibility, obligation. But English verbs do not have many different forms: the maximum (except for be) is five (e.g. see, sees, seeing. saw, seen). So to express all these meanings, 'auxiliary' (or 'helping') verbs are added to other verbs. There are two groups.
at all 83
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