Page 68 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

alone, lonely, lonesome and lone 44
2 other meanings
We can use almost to mean 'similar to, but not exactly the same', and to make statements less definite. Nearly is not used like this.
Jake is almost like a father to me.
Our cat uru:lerstands everything - he's almost human. (NOT ••• he's netlrly
hlttntln.)
My aunt's got a strange accent. She almost sounds foreign. (NOT •••-BIte netlFly S6ltntis }'6reign.)
I almost wish I'd stayed at home. (NOT : netlrly wish ...)
3 never, nobody, nothing etc
We do not usually use nearly before negative pronouns or adverbs like never, nobody, nothing. Instead, we use almost, or we use hardly with ever, anybody, anything etc.
She's almost neverI hardly ever at home. (NOT ••• neal'ly neWF •••J Almost nobody I hardly anybody was there.
4 everybody, everything, anybody, anything etc
We also prefer almost before everybodyl-onel-thing/-where, and almost is much more common than nearly before anybodyl-onel-thing/-where.
She likes almost everybody. Almost anybody can do this job. He's been almost everywhere. He eats almost anything.
5 practically
Practically can be used in the same way as almost.
I've practically finished. Jake is practically like a father to me. She's practicaUy never at home.
44 alone, lonely, lonesome and lone
Alone means 'without others around'. Lonely (and informal ArnE lonesome) means 'alone and unhappy because of it'. Compare:
I like to be alone for short periods.
But after a few days I start getting lonelyllonesome. Alone can be emphasised by all.
After her husband died, she was all alone.
Alone is not used before a noun (see 12.3). Lone and solitary can be used instead; lone is rather literary.
The only green thing was a lone/solitary pine tree.
45 along
The preposition along is used with nouns like road, river, corridor, line: words that refer to things with a long thin shape.
I saw her running along the road. His office is along the corridor.
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