Adverbials

Why do we use adverbials?

We use adverbs to give more information about the verb.
We use adverbials of manner to say how something happens or how something is done:

The children were playing happily.
He was driving as fast as possible.

We use adverbials of place to say where something happens:

I saw him there.
We met in London.

We use adverbials of time to say when or how often something happens:

They start work at six thirty.
They usually go to work by bus.

We use adverbials of probability to show how certain we are about something.

• Perhaps the weather will be fine.
• He is certainly coming to the party.

how we make adverbials

 

·         An adverbial can be an adverb:

·         He spoke angrily.
They live here.
We will be back soon.

·         or an adverb with an intensifier:

·         He spoke really angrily.
They live just here.
We will go quite soon.
We will go as soon as possible.

·         or a phrase with a preposition:

·         He spoke in an angry voice.
They live in London.
We will go in a few minutes.

where they go in a sentence

Where do adverbials go in a sentence?

We normally put adverbials after the verb:

He spoke angrily.
They live just here.
We will go in a few minutes.

or after the object or complement:

He opened the door quietly.
She left the money on the table.
We saw our friends last night.
You are looking tired tonight.

But adverbials of frequency (how often) usually come in front of the main verb:

We usually spent our holidays with our grandparents.
I have never seen William at work.

But if we want to emphasis an adverbial we can put it at the beginning of a clause:

Last night we saw our friends.
In a few minutes we will go.
Very quietly he opened the door.

If we want to emphasis an adverb of manner we can put it in front of the main verb:

He quietly opened the door.
She had carefully put the glass on the shelf.