Tower Bridge

WORD ORDER ADVERBS

An adverb is a word that modifies verbs, adjectives and other adverbs. She can run very quickly.

What are adverbs?

Definition

Adverbs are words that modify :

• a verb (He drove slowly. — How did he drive?)

• an adjective (He drove a very fast car.

— How fast was his car?)

• another adverb (She moved quite slowly down

the aisle.

— How slowly did she move?)

The difference between an adverb and an adjective is the following: •An adjective modifies a noun. Example: "John is tall." (The adjective tall modifies the noun John)

Adverbs X Adjectives

•An adverb modifies a verb, an adjective or another adverb. Examples: (That idea is simply ridiculous." (The adverb simply modifies the adjective ridiculous) "She sings nicely." (The adverb nicely modifies the verb sing) "She did it really well." (the adverb really modifies the adverb well)

Mrs Smith immediately called the police when she

saw the criminals assaulting the poor boy

aggressively. It was the most horrible scene that she

had ever witnessed in her life. She had always lived

peacefully in that neighborhood. No one had ever

disturbed her quiet nights there.

Read the passage:

The words " immediately, aggressively, peacefully, ever, always, there" are adverbs.

What are the different types of adverbs? Basically, most adverbs tell you how, in what way, when, where, and to what extent something is done. In other words, they describe the manner, place, or time of an action. Here are some examples: He speaks quietly. ( quietly is an adverb of manner.) I live here. (here is an adverb of place.) We'll leave tomorrow . (tomorrow is an adverb of time.) She never sleeps late . (never is an adverb of frequency.)

Adjective Adverb slow slowly

beautiful beautifully careful carefully violent violently

Adverb rules: 1. Regular adverbs: Adverbs in English often end in -ly. These adverbs are formed by adding -ly to the end of an adjective: Examples: Spelling rules:

Adjective + ly

Spelling rules: true → truly (the silent e is dropped and add ly) happy → happily ( y becomes i and add ly.) possible → possibly (e after a consonant is dropped and ly is added.) full → fully (after ll and add y is added.) fanatic → fanatically (after adjectives ending in -ic add -ally

Adjective Adverb fast fast hard hard late late

early early daily daily

2. Exceptions: However, this is not the only way to form an adverb. Many adverbs do not end in -ly. This is a list of adverbs that don't follow the rule:

adjective adverb good well

3. Things to remember: Many words are not adverbs although they end in -ly. Here are examples of adjectives that end in -ly. Examples: a kindly teacher a lonely girl an elderly person a friendly policeman

To decide whether a word is an adverb ask questions with how, where and when. He speaks Spanish fluently. How does James speak Spanish? They play soccer here. Where do the kids play soccer? She wrote the email immediately. When did she write the email to her husband?

Position of adverbs 1. Adverb of Manner Examples of adverbs of manner are " nicely, beautifully, slowly, carefully, awfully..." These adverbs come after the direct object or after the verb if there isn't any direct object. •He did the work efficiently. (The adverb of manner efficiently comes after the direct object the work.) •He drove the lorry carelessly. (The adverb of manner carelessly comes after the direct object the lorry.)

•He spoke fluently. (The adverb of manner fluently comes after the verb spoke.)

Adverbs of manner most often occupy the end position of a clause, where they follow an intransitive verb, or the direct object of a transitive verb.

We waited patiently for the play to begin.

I sold the strawberries quickly.

In the first example, the adverb of manner patiently follows the intransitive verb waited

In the second example, the adverb of manner quickly follows the direct object strawberries of the transitive verb sold.

Adverbs of manner

2. Adverbs of Place Examples of adverbs of place are "here, there, behind, above...“ Adverbs of place are like adverbs of manner. They come after the direct object or the verb. •I met him here. (The adverb of place here comes after the direct object him.)

•He sat there. (The adverb of place there comes after the verb sat.)

Adverbs of location occupy the end position of a clause, where they precede adverbs of time and adverbs of purpose.

I am going there tomorrow. He left his bicycle in the driveway last night. I know the office where she works. In the first example, the adverb of location there follows the verb am going, and precedes the adverb of time tomorrow.

In the second example, the adverb phrase of location in the driveway follows the object bicycle of the verb left, and precedes the adverb phrase of time last night.

In the third example, the adverb clause of location where she works follows the object office of the verb know.

Adverbs of place (location)

3. Adverbs of Time Examples of adverbs of time are " recently, now, then, tomorrow, yesterday...“ Adverbs of time are usually put at the end of the sentence but they may also come at the beginning of the sentence. •I will show you the house tomorrow. •Tomorrow, I will show you the house.

Adverbs of purpose usually occupy the end position of a clause, and follow any other adverbs, or adverb phrases or clauses. I went to the store yesterday to buy a coat. I need to buy a new coat soon because my old one is worn out.

In the first example, the adverb phrase of purpose to buy a coat occupies the end position of a clause, following the adverb of time yesterday.

In the second example, the adverb clause of purpose because my old one is worn out occupies the end position of a clause, following the adverb of time soon.

Adverbs of purpose

4. Adverbs of Frequency Adverbs of frequency come before the main verb except the main verb "to be":

I sometimes visit my uncle.

We have often seen him pass by the house.

They are seldom at work.

What are adverbs of frequency? We use adverbs of frequency to say how often we do something. Adverbs of frequency are often used with the present simple because they indicate repeated or routine activities.

Always

Usually

Often

Sometimes

Seldom/rarely

Never

They often go out for dinner.

I never go to cinema. I don't like it.

I don't mind going to the theater. I sometimes go

with my husband.

She likes dancing. She always go to the night club

to dance.

They usually quarrel. I rarely see them in good

terms with each other.

Adverbs follow this order: We waited patiently outside the theater all afternoon to buy tickets.

Manner Location Time Purpose

When the verb of a clause is a verb of motion it is usually placed immediately after the verb. The following table compares the position of adverbs following verbs of motion with the position of adverbs following other verbs. Order of Adverbs following a Verb of Motion I will go to the library by bus tomorrow to return the book.

Location + Manner + Time + Purpose

A verb of motion is a verb which describes some type of movement. The verbs come, go, arrive, leave, walk, run and fly are examples of verbs of motion.

Order of Adverbs following a Verb which is not a Verb of Motion

We waited patiently outside the theater all afternoon to buy tickets.

Manner Location Time Purpose

Notes on Adverb Order

As a general principle, shorter adverbial phrases precede longer adverbial phrases.

In the following sentence, an adverb of time precedes an adverb of frequency because it is shorter (and simpler):

Dad takes a walk before breakfast every day of his life.

A second principle: among similar adverbial phrases of kind (manner, place, frequency, etc.), the more specific adverbial phrase comes first:

My grandmother was born in a old house on the plains of northern Nebraska.