I’d be lost without you, not in a scary sense, but in a respectful sense.

Is this adverb phrase (prep) o.k.? And also it almost seems to modify two parts of speech: lost without you (adj, prep)

And would it be better to make it two sentences?

I’d be lost without you. It would not be in a scary sense, but in a respectful sense.

I’d be lost without you, not in a scary sense, but in a respectful sense.

Not sure exactly which phrase you’re referring to.

What about, “Without you, I’d be lost—not in a scary sense, but in a respectful sense.”

(And shouldn’t you say lonesome instead of respectful?

Thanks Sapparis.

Respectful-the fact that you would be lost without him/her shows that you respect him or her.

But yea, lonesome is better, as is your sentence.

I’m finding adverb phrases attached to the main sentence by a comma. They all prevent flow, but they seem unable to be bound to the word they modify. Why are some unable to be bound, while others are?

Remember the adjectives restrict the meaning of what they modify (car vs. new car, man vs. man that I work for) and therefore need to be close to the noun—and often bound. Adverbs modify verbs primarily and are don’t need to be in one particular location to do so.

Quietly, he crept into the room.
He crept quietly into the room.
He crept into the room quietly.

Boy, was he creepy.

Yea, thinking in this way makes it clearer, thanks!