Adverbs: formation and position in a clause

FORMATION OF ADVERBS

• Adverbs are words that modify verbs, adjectives and clauses, providing further information such as frequency, manner, degree, etc. • Adverbs are often formed by adding the suffix -LY to an adjective or less frequently to a noun, with a few spelling alterations in some cases:

ADJECTIVE

usual / surprising / unexpected / hour

probable / simple / gentle / true happy / noisy / easy / shy

automatic / heroic / public

+ -ly (changes)

no alteration

-e is dropped -y ➝ -ily

-ic ➝ -ically ADVERB

usually / surprisingly / unexpectedly / hourly probably / simply / gently / truly happily / noisily / easily / but: shyly (monosyllable) automatically / heroically / but: publicly (exception)

• When an adjective ends with -ly you must use the adverbial phrase in a (adjective) way / manner: friendly ➝ in a friendly way / silly ➝ in a silly way • Some adverbs have the same structure as adjectives. The main ones are late, early, daily, hard, live, long, high, low, right, wrong, fast, close, wide. • In some cases these adverbs/adjectives may have other same-rooted adverbs with different meanings. Here are the most frequent pairs: late ➝ Am I late? (not on time) hard ➝ I studied hard yesterday (a lot) close ➝ The school is quite close (near) lately ➝ I haven’t seen him lately. (recently) hardly ➝ I hardly studied yesterday (almost not) closely ➝ Study this example closely (in detail)

• There are 3 main positions for adverbs: initial position (at the beginning of a clause), mid-position (before or around the verb) and end-position (at the end of a clause). • Several adverbs can be placed in more than one position, but never put an adverb between the main verb and a direct object.

POSITION OF ADVERBS place there, around, outside, nearby, somewhere, upwards, abroad

➝ My brother often travels abroad. mostly at the end of the clause time yesterday*, tomorrow*, now*, today*, later, yet, early, soon ➝ I haven’t met Jack yet, but I saw Alice yesterday. mostly at the end of the clause (* = beginning, too)

already, just, still, ever

➝ Have you ever seen him? No, I’ve never seen him. between auxiliary and the Past participle

frequency

hardly ever, never, always, sometimes*, usually*, often* ➝ It hardly ever snows in winter here. ➝ I usually go by bus, but sometimes I walk. before the main verb, after be or auxiliary and modal (* = beginning, too) occasionally, frequently, normally (end or before verb) ➝ I go to the opera occasionally (or: I occasionally go...) end of the clause or before the main verb

degree

certainty

extremely, quite, very, really, so, slightly, almost, nearly, too* ➝ It’s too late, and I’m quite tired. (‘too’ means ‘excessively’) ➝ I’m 18 years old, too (‘too’ means ‘also’) right before the adjective or adverb they modify. * When too means ‘also’, it is placed at the end. enough (after adjective or adverb, before noun) ➝ You aren’t tall enough to play basketball. ➝ Have we got enough flour to make pizza? after adjective or adverb but before nouns. surely, of course, probably*, maybe, perhaps ➝ Perhaps there will be a strike on Monday. ➝ I’ll probably leave tomorrow. (or: Probably I’ll leave...) ➝ Surely you can speak English. mostly at the beginning (* = before main verb, too)

viewpoint and obviously, unfortunately, luckily, personally, clearly

comment ➝ Obviously, my brother was late. ➝ He was clearly embarrassed. ➝ Dogs are definitely my favourite pets. Viewpoint adverbs are usually at the beginning with a comma, or before the main verb (or after be).

manner well, fast, hard, badly, quickly, heavily, sofly, loudly, fluently

➝ She can run fast. (after intransitive verb) ➝ Walter speaks English fluently. (after object) ➝ I did well in the test. (after verb, before preposition) These adverbs are mostly placed at the end of a clause, after the object or after intransive verbs.

happily, gently, quickly, angrily, quietly, selfishly, generously

➝ He closed the door gently. ➝ He gently closed the door. (more formal) These can either go at the end of the clause but also before the main verb.** **When the clause with the adverb is followed by another short clause the position of the adverb may slightly change the meaning of the sentence. Compare these sentences: ➝ I quietly asked him to leave. (quietly refers to asking, more formal) ➝ I asked him quietly to leave. (quietly refers to asking) ➝ I asked him to leave quietly. (quietly refers to leaving)

Note!

Adverbial phrases with so / very / really / quite / rather + adverb are usually placed at the end of the clause. ➝ I don’t go to the theatre very often.

Write the adverb or adverbial phrase from the adjectives and nouns below. 1 full _____________________ 2 particular _____________________ 3 practical _____________________ 4 early _____________________ 5 lonely _____________________ 6 dry _____________________ 7 subtle _____________________ 8 sudden _____________________ 9 busy _____________________ 10 hour _____________________ 11 month _____________________ 12 organic _____________________

Underline the adjective / adverb / adverbial phrase to complete the following sentences. 1 Anine has a very soft / softly voice. 2 Your daughter dances lovely / in a lovely manner. 3 They didn’t answer very polite / politely. 4 They came back home quite late / lately. 5 I’m slight / slightly taller than you. 6 You’re driving too fast / fastly: slow down. 7 I can hard / hardly see anything. 8 The girl ran towards her father happy / happily. 9 Sam is near / nearly there. 10 He’s a particular / particularly clever boy.

Look at the sentences and put a tick (3) where the adverbs in brackets must be placed. I do my homework in the afternoon . (rarely) 1 You speak English . (very well) 2 The teacher took all the children (outside). 3 He has been to Korea twice. (already) 4 I’ve finished the book . (almost) 5 There aren’t eggs : we must buy a few . (enough)

4 Say if the adverbs in italics refer to time (T), frequency (F), viewpoint (V) or manner (M). T F V M 1 This train is hardly ever on time. 2 Actually, I can’t swim. 3 Don’t worry. We’ll be back soon. 4 The kittens ate all the fish greedily. 5 I go to the theatre occasionally. 6 He surely tried to get a discount. 7 My German aunt seldom comes to the USA. 8 Today it’s a bit windy. 9 Stupidly, I left my umbrella at home. 10 I’ll think about it tomorrow. 11 He quickly put the money in his pocket. 12 The kid waited for his mother patiently.

First Choose A, B, C or D to complete these sentences. 1 My children go out with their school friends ___.

A quite rarely B hardly ever C seldom 2 I think this film is ___ .

A boring enough B quite boring C almost boring 3 We can walk there. It’s very ___.

A closely B close C nearby 4 You didn’t work ___ to pass the test.

A so hard B hardly enough C so hardly 5 You ___ won’t need this spare battery.

A maybe B of course C probably 6 Don’t get me ___. I quite like it.

A badly B bad C wrong 7 Don’t be afraid. You can speak ___.

A freely B free C surely 8 I ___ met her parents. A still haven’t B haven’t still C yet haven’t

D never

D boring too

D nearly

D hard enough

D already

D wrongly

D clear

12

First Listen to the 4 conversations and choose A, B or C to answer the questions below.

1

2

3

4

Jenny hasn’t seen much of Rob because A he’s been working hard for his exams. B he’s going to do other things for a while. C he’s hardly studied anything for his exams. The lady explains that A she has had a baby girl lately. B she had a baby girl late in her life. C she was always late when her daughter was a baby. The man says that A he watched the whole tea making process carefully. B he was close to Mrs Watanabe as she demonstrated how to make tea. C the Japanese lady closed the ceremony by pouring some tea into the cups. The two friends A will have to leave home soon. B will have to leave home early. C will have to leave home fast.

Study these sentences, which are both grammatically possible, and choose the one that has the most suitable position for the adverb. 1 a He told me to get ready quickly because we were already late. b He quickly told me to get ready because we were already late. 2 a I told him frankly that I was fed up with the job. b Frankly, I told him that I was fed up with the job. 3 a She gently asked me to wake the baby up so as not to make her cry. b She asked me to wake the baby up gently so as not to make her cry. 4 a Personally, I’d rather you spoke to him. It’s a confidential thing. b I’d rather you spoke to him personally. It’s a confidential thing.

Look at the picture and complete its description with the correct adverbs from the box.

cheerfully clearly just loudly maybe perhaps probably slightly

These boys and girls are (1) ________________ students. (2) ________________ they’re going to school or (3) ________________ they’ve (4) ________________ finished their lessons and they’re going home. They’re all smiling (5) ________________ so they’re (6) ________________ having fun. I think that the girl on the left, who is (7) ________________ taller than the boy next to her, is laughing (8) ________________.