How to place Adverbs in a sentence
The Place of Adverbs
Here are some common places for adverbs of manner in a sentence with explanations:
Adverb after the verb (simple sentence):
Example: She sings beautifully.
Explanation: In a simple sentence with a transitive verb and a direct object, the adverb of manner typically comes after the verb and before the object.
Adverb before the main verb (simple sentence):
Example: He carefully crafted a wooden box.
Explanation: In a simple sentence, the adverb of manner can come before the main verb, regardless of whether it is a transitive or intransitive verb.
Adverb after the main verb (transitive verb with object):
Example: He played the guitar skillfully.
Explanation: When the verb is transitive and has an object, the adverb of manner can be placed after the main verb and the object.
The adverb before the adjective or adverb:
Example: The extremely talented artist painted a masterpiece.
Explanation: Adverbs of manner can modify adjectives or other adverbs. In such cases, they are usually placed before the adjective or adverb they are describing.
Adverb at the beginning of the sentence (for emphasis):
Example: Quickly, hide behind the tree!
Explanation: Placing the adverb of manner at the beginning of the sentence adds emphasis to the action or the manner in which it is performed.
Adverbs in adverbial phrases or clauses:
Example: Surprisingly, she passed the exam with ease.
Explanation: Adverbs of manner can be expressed through adverbial phrases or clauses, which can be placed at different positions in the sentence for stylistic or rhetorical effect.
Adverbs in phrasal verbs:
Example: They turned down the music loudly.
Explanation: In phrasal verbs, the adverbial particle is often placed after the main verb, and the adverb of manner follows the particle.
Adverbs in compound sentences:
Example: He danced gracefully, and she sang beautifully.
Explanation: In compound sentences, adverbs of manner can be placed in each clause independently, depending on the intended emphasis.
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The place of frequency adverbs:
Most of the adverbs, such as always, often, seldom, just, never, yet, already, generally, sometimes, still, soon, once, ever, and others, can indeed be used before the main verb in a sentence.
Before the main verb (simple sentence):
He always arrives early.
They often go to the park.
She seldom visits her grandparents.
I have just finished my homework.
Before the main verb in negative sentences:
She never gives up.
They haven’t yet decided.
I can’t already believe it.
Before the auxiliary verb (in compound verb tenses):
They have generally been very helpful.
He is sometimes late for class.
I had still not seen the movie.
After the main verb (with direct objects):
She plays the guitar skillfully.
They performed the dance routine beautifully.
At the beginning of the sentence (for emphasis or stylistic effect):
Often, they would go hiking in the mountains.
Always remember to be kind to others.
Sometimes, I wonder about the future.
In mid-position (before or after the subject):
She often goes to the gym.
They frequently complain about the weather.
In mid-position (before or after the object):
He has just left the room.
They have already finished their meal.
In adverbial phrases or clauses:
After the party, they still felt energised.
Once in a while, he travels abroad.
but these adverbs come after the verb to be.
Frequency Adverbs after “to be”:
Adverbs of frequency like always, often, seldom, sometimes, and adverbs like just, never, yet, already, still, generally, soon, ever, and others typically come after the verb to be.
Here are some examples:
She is always happy.
They are often late for meetings.
I am seldom in a bad mood.
He is just arriving at the airport.
We are never late for appointments.
Has she finished her work yet?
Has the movie already started?
They are still waiting for the bus.
It is generally sunny in this region.
The concert will be soon.
Adverbs between the main and auxiliary verbs:
When a verb is complex, and consists of two or more parts (such as in compound verb tenses), adverbs typically stand between the auxiliary verb and the main verb. This placement applies to adverbs that modify the action of the main verb and are not part of a verb phrase or adverbial phrase.
Here are some examples of adverbs placed between the auxiliary and main verb in compound verb tenses:
He has always been a good student. (has been is the verb complex; always is the adverb.)
They had never seen such a beautiful sunset. (had seen is the verb complex; never is the adverb.)
She will probably arrive late. (Will arrive is the verb complex; probably is the adverb.)
We have already finished the project. (Have finished is the verb complex; already is the adverb.)
They had just left the house when it started raining. (Had left is the verb complex; just is the adverb.)
In each of these examples, the adverb appears between the auxiliary verb and the main verb, providing additional information about how the action is performed or when it occurred in relation to the past, present, or future.
Adverbs between Modals and the Infinitive:
Adverbs of indefinite time often stand between the modal verb and the infinitive in English sentences. These adverbs provide information about the timing or frequency of the action expressed by the infinitive verb.
Here are some examples:
He can always find a solution to the problem.
She should never leave her belongings unattended.
They might eventually change their minds.
We must quickly finish this task.
He would gladly help you with your project.
She could easily solve the puzzle.
Adverbs with “to have”:
When the action expressed by the verb to have is followed by an infinitive verb, adverbs typically come before have. This construction is used to express actions that are completed or performed before the main verb in the infinitive form. Here are some examples:
She often has to work late. (Often is the adverb.)
They never have to wake up early on weekends. (Never is the adverb.)
He sometimes has to travel for business. (Sometimes is the adverb.)
We always have to remember to lock the door. (Always is the adverb.)
He rarely has to ask for help. (Rarely is the adverb.)
Adverbs with “need + infinitive”:
When the action expressed by the construction need + infinitive is used to indicate necessity or obligation, adverbs typically come before need. The adverb modifies the entire action expressed by need+infinitive.
Here are some examples:
She urgently needs to finish her assignment. (Urgently is the adverb.)
They really need to improve their communication skills. (Really is the adverb.)
He quickly needs to submit the report. (Quickly is the adverb.)
We seriously need to address this issue. (Seriously is the adverb.)
She frequently needs to consult with her supervisor. (Frequently is the adverb.)
The place of the adverb “yet”:
The adverb yet is quite versatile in its placement in a sentence. It can be used in different positions, depending on the structure of the sentence.
Here are the three common positions for the adverb yet:
Before the verb:
He hasn’t yet finished his assignment.
Have you yet seen the new movie?
After the particle, not:
They did not yet arrive at the party.
She has not yet made a decision.
After the verb (with an object):
He finished his assignment yet again.
She will complete the project yet this week.
The place of the adverb ”sometimes”:
The adverb sometimes can be used in different positions within a sentence. It is quite flexible in its placement.
Here are the three common positions for the adverb sometimes:
Before the verb:
Sometimes, he goes to the gym to work out.
Sometimes, they cook dinner together.
After the subject:
He sometimes goes to the gym to work out.
They sometimes cook dinner together.
At the end of the sentence:
He goes to the gym to work out sometimes.
They cook dinner together sometimes.
The place of the adverbs of time:
Adverbs of time such as tomorrow, today, and yesterday can be placed either at the beginning or at the end of a sentence, depending on the emphasis and style the speaker or writer wants to convey. Here are examples of both placements:
At the beginning:
Tomorrow, we are going to the beach.
Today, I finished my work early.
Yesterday, they had a great party.
At the end:
We are going to the beach tomorrow.
I finished my work early today.
They had a great party yesterday.
Both placements are grammatically correct and convey the same essential information about the time of the action.
The place of the adverbs: before, lately, recently:
Adverbs like before, lately, and recently are often placed at the end of a sentence. These adverbs provide information about the timing or sequence of the action and are commonly used in this position.
Here are some examples:
I met her before. (before at the end)
He has been busy lately. (lately at the end)
They visited Europe recently. (recently at the end)
The place of the adverb modifiers:
Adverbs that modify adjectives or other adverbs usually come before the word they are modifying. These adverbs provide more information about the degree or manner of the adjective or adverb they are associated with.
Here are some examples:
Modifying an adjective:
She is very tall. (very modifies the adjective tall)
The movie was quite interesting. (quite modifies the adjective interesting.)
He seems extremely happy. (extremely modifies the adjective happy)
Modifying another adverb:
She ran very quickly. (very modifies the adverb quickly.)
They played quite well. (quite modifies the adverb well.)
He spoke extremely softly. (extremely modifies the adverb softly.)
The place of the adverb “enough”:
The adverb enough can stand after adjectives, adverbs, and verbs, and it functions to express sufficiency or adequacy.
Here are examples of enough used in each position:
After an adjective:
She is smart enough to solve the problem.
The soup is hot enough for me to eat.
After an adverb:
He ran quickly enough to catch the train.
They sang loudly enough to be heard from afar.
After a verb:
I didn’t study enough for the test.
Have you practiced enough for the performance?
The adverbs “too” and “either”:
Too and either are adverbs that can come in different positions within a sentence. They are not limited to appearing at the end of a sentence. Let’s take a look at their different placements:
Too:
Before an adjective or adverb: She is too young to drive. (before the adjective young)
Before a verb: I ate too much at dinner. (before the verb ate)
At the end of the sentence (less common): He is tired today, too. (at the end)
Either:
At the end of the sentence (less common): I don’t want to go, either. (at the end)
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