position of adverbs

1. Position of adverbs
Unit 3B

2. Adverbs and adverb phrases
They describe an action:
He walks slowly
They modify adjectives or other adverbs:
It’s incredibly expensive
He works very hard
The can either be one word (the examples above) or a
phrase (e.g once a week)

3. THE BASICS … End position – after the verb, or at
the end of the sentence
Front position – before the subject
Mid position – between the subject
and the verb (after be; after
auxiliary and before the main verb)

4. Adverbs of manner (how?)
• After the verb or phrase they modify
I don’t understand you when you speak quickly
• In mid-position with passive verbs
The driver was seriously injured

5. Adverbs of frequency (how often?)
• Before a main verb
I usually work on Saturdays
• After “to be”
She’s always late
• Sometimes/usually/normally can go at the beginning
of a sentence too

6. Adverbs of time (when?) and place (where?)
Normally, at the end of a sentence (place before
time)
They’ll be here soon
It rained all day yesterday
Time: at the beginning of a sentence for emphasis
Soon it will be Christmas!

7. Adverbs of degree (how much?)
• Extremely/incredibly/very: before the adjective they go with
We’re incredibly tired
• Much/a lot: after the verb or verb phrase they go with
Britons drink a lot
• A little/a bit: before an adjective, after a verb or verb
phrase
I’m a little tired
She sleeps a bit in the afternoon

8. Comment adverbs (opinion)
• Luckily, clearly, obviously, apparently … : at the
beginning of the sentence or clause
Unfortunately, we arrived half an hour late
Ideally, we should leave at 10.00
Unfortunately, we arrived half an hour late
Ideally, we should leave at 10.00

9. Other adverbs
• Most other adverbs go in mid-position (before
the main verb, but after an auxiliary verb)
I just need ten more minutes
She didn’t even say goodbye

10. Some more advanced stuff …

11. Three
positions …
End position – after the verb, or at
the end of the sentence
Front position – before the subject
Mid position – between the subject
and the verb (after be; after
auxiliary and before the main verb)

12. End
position
• Put the adverb immediately after the
verb. Try not to separate the verb from
its object – unless the object is very
long.
• Do not put an adverb between a verb
and a to-infinitive or –ing form.
• When there is more than one adverbial,
the order is usually manner - place –
time.
• Longer adverbials go at the end.
• Some definite time, definite frequency,
and place adverbs always go at the end.

13. Examples
We considered the problem briefly
(not – we considered briefly the problem)
but
We considered briefly the long-term solution to
the problem

14. Examples
He began running quickly
(not – he began quickly running)
or
She tried to leave quietly
(not - she tried quietly to leave)

15. Examples
In the accident he was thrown violently forward
We arrived safely here on Saturday
They welcomed the guests warmly at the reception last Sunday
St. Patrick went around Ireland patiently after being a slave.
manner place
place time
place
manner time
manner
place manner time

16. Front
position
•Connecting adverbs.
•Comment and viewpoint
adverbs.
•Time and place adverbs
which complement
previous information.

17. Examples
The value of the Yen has fallen. As a result,
Japan faces a crisis.
Her sister is ill. Presumably, she’ll want to go
home.
Tomorrow the weather will be much cooler.

18. Mid
position
•Degree adverbs
•Sequencing adverbs
•Frequency adverbs

19. Examples
I greatly admire your job.
I first met her in 1987.
We hardly ever meet these days.