Question

1. We went far.
2. We went a long way.

3. The restaurant is far from here.
4. The restaurant is a long way from here.

5. The restaurant is not far from here.
6. The restaurant is not a long way from here.

7. How far is it from here to the restaurant?

8. It is 100 meters.
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Which ones are not correct? Do you use 'far' and 'a long way' differently? Is the difference only for distance?

Answer 1

1-6 -- each pair is used, means the same.

"far" is an adverb, so you can ask "how far."

"A long way" involves a noun, so you cannot attach an adverb "how" to it. This is a very interesting question. The noun phrase is used as an adverb, yet cannot be modified in the usual way. You can modify the noun, as in

It was a long, dreary, lonesome way from home. The enclosed noun can take its own modifiers, but the phrase cannot.

Ain't language fun?

Have you studied diagramming sentences? If not, check it out online. It really helps with sentence structure.

One final thought on linguistic ambiguity. You may have seen this before. If not, it's an oldie but goodie.

Time flies like an arrow.
Fruit flies like a banana.

Apparently identical structure, but really worlds apart, and the first one is even grammatically incorrect, but reflects common usage.