Even | English Grammar

Even a child can understand this book. (Therefore you can be sure it is a simple one.)

Position

Even most often goes in mid position (after auxiliary verbs and is/am/are/was/were; before other verbs).

• He is rude to everybody. He is even rude to the police. (NOT Even he is — or He even is —)
• It puzzled even the experts. (NOT It even puzzled — or Even it puzzled —)

Even goes at the beginning of a clause when it refers just to the subject.

• Even a child can solve this problem.

It is also possible to put even before other words and expressions that we want to emphasise.

• I work every day, even on Sundays.

Not even is used to talk about a negative extreme.

• He can’t even write his own name.

Even if and even though

We can use even before if and though.

• I will go even if (though) you forbid me to.

Even so

Even so means in spite of that, however.

• The book is expensive, but even so you ought to buy it. (NOT — even though you ought to buy it.)