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I chanced upon this helpful post and would like to ask if the position of the adverb "also" is just a stylistic preference and personal choice of a speaker, and there are no stringent rules of using it.

You also are allowed to see your son.
You are also allowed to see your son.

Both of these sentences are gramatically correct, but grammar guides say that the right position of the "also" is after the verb "to be", so, from the school grammar point of view, only the second sentence is right. I also notice that in colloquial speech this rule is often broken.

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Yulia
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1 Answers1

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I would interpret these two sentences with slightly different meanings. The context would probably give a much stronger indication of the correct interpretation, though.

You also are allowed to see your son.

Also qualifies you, which means that other people are allowed to see your son, and you are as well.

You are also allowed to see your son.

Also qualifies are, and means that you are allowed to do lots of things, one of which is to see your son.

JavaLatte
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    My intuition is slightly different — I agree with the first point, but "You are also …" can absolutely mean either that you are one of the people allowed to do that, or that seeing your son is one of the things you are allowed to do. – Tuesday Apr 07 '17 at 10:51