Grammar
Adverbs: position
1st Part
The formation of adverbs
2nd Part
The position of adverbs
Grammar in use
- Topic : The position of adverbs
- Skills : Grammar
Use
Where should the adverb be in a sentence?
Look at the following sentences: observe where the adverb is.
Now, I must leave.
I must leave now.
I often go to the theater.
I am always tired.
I have already told you that
The position of an adverb depends on the kind of adverb and on the element it modifies.
| Modified Element | Position of the Adverb | Kind of Adverb |
|---|---|---|
| Entire sentence | beginning or end | Place Examples: 1) Stay there! 2) There you are. ——————————————————— Time Examples: 1) Today, I’m happy. 2) I’m happy today. ——————————————————— Manner Examples: 1) Slowly, she drove away. 2) She drove away, slowly. ——————————————————— Connection Examples: 1) However, I am not satisfied. 2) I am not satisfied however. ——————————————————— Viewpoint Examples: 1) Surely, I agree. 2) I agree, surely. ——————————————————— Interrogative Examples: 1) When is the appointment? 2) I want to know when. |
| Verb | before the verb, but after the first auxiliary | Frequency Examples: 1) I never lie. 2) You should never have lied. ——————————————————— Quantity Examples: 1) I totally agree. 2) We have almost completed the project. |
| Verb | after ‘to be’ | Frequency Examples: It was never easy. ——————————————————— Quantity Examples: It is completely empty. |
| Verb | after the verb | Well, early, late, right, left… Examples: 1) He paints well. 2) She arrived late. |
| Adjective, Adverb | before the modified element | Intensity Examples: I am very happy. They were terribly sorry. She drives incredibly slowly. |
These are guidelines, there can be exceptions.
Sometimes we can have two adverbs in a sentence. If there are an adverb of place and an adverb of time, the adverb of place comes first.
Example:
I went there yesterday.
| Language Tips: also / too / as well | Language Tip on Adverbs: Different Positions for Different Meanings |
| They have similar meanings but are positioned differently: – also: between the subject and the verb: I also ate a banana. – too: after the modified element: I ate a banana too. – as well: at the end of the sentence: I ate a banana as well. | For some adverbs, when the position changes, the meaning of the sentence changes as well. Example: ‘even’ is used before the modified element: Even Sue cried. = everybody cried, even Sue, who usually does not. Sue even cried. = Sue was sad to the point that she cried. |