1. She was deadly injured in the accident.

a) right b) wrong

2. He was dead drunk when he came home after the party.

a) right b) wrong

3. The plane goes direct from Mumbai to Chennai without stopping.

a) right b) wrong

4. That suits me finely.

a) right b) wrong

5. Hit it hardly.

a) right b) wrong

6. He can jump really highly.

a) right b) wrong

7. The show was highly amusing.

a) right b) wrong

8. Which part of the movie did you like mostly?

a) right b) wrong

9. This is the most extraordinary day of my life.

a) right b) wrong

10. They have widely differing opinions.

a) right b) wrong

Answers

1. Wrong (The sentence should read: She was fatally injured in the accident.)

2. Right

3. Right

4. Wrong (The sentence should read: That suits me fine.)

5. Wrong (The sentence should read: Hit it hard.)

6. Wrong (The sentence should read: He can jump really high.)

7. Right

8. Wrong (The sentence should read: Which part of the movie did you like most?)

9. Right

10. Right

She walked slowly. (Here the adverb slowly shows the manner in which she walks.)

He works hard.

Alice sobbed inconsolably.

John shouted loudly.

We can modify the noun (subject) by using attributes like adjectives or articles.

The boy cried loudly.

The little girl sat on the bench.

James is coming tomorrow.

The sun has already risen.

The terrible storm has at last subsided.

A gentle breeze was blowing across the meadow.

Notes

In this lesson the word adverb is generally used both for one-word adverbs (e.g. tomorrow, here, then, quickly, pleasantly) and for longer adverb phrases (e.g. in the morning, on the bench, in the corner, once every six weeks etc.)

The adverb doesn’t necessarily have to go after the verb.

Adverbs of manner (e.g. quickly, sweetly, hastily, angrily, carefully) usually go at the end of the sentence.

She drove carefully.

He spoke angrily.

Adverbs of time (e.g. tomorrow, yesterday, last week) can go either at the beginning or at the end of the clause.

John is arriving tomorrow.

Tomorrow John is arriving.

Adverbs of certainty and indefinite frequency usually go in mid-position. That means the adverb goes after the auxiliary verbs and before other verbs.

She will probably come. (NOT She will come probably.)

Students are often discouraged by the length of time it takes to learn a second language. (More natural than ‘The length of time it takes to learn a second language often discourages students.’)

Because of this we usually use a structure with ‘preparatory it’ in order to move a longer clause or infinitive structure to the end of a sentence.

It worried me that she hadn’t written in a long time. (More natural than ‘That she hadn’t written in a long time worried me’.)

It was a difficult business starting a car with such a weak battery. (More natural than ‘Starting a car with such a weak battery was a difficult business.’)

It is just silly throwing away your chances like that. (More natural than ‘Throwing away your chances like that is just silly.’)

She made it clear that she was not interested in the offer. (More natural than ‘She made that she was not interested in the offer clear.’)

Position of adverbs

We do not usually put an adverb between a verb and its object. However, if the object is very long it may come after a short adverb.

Compare:

She speaks English very well. (Here the adverbs go after the object English.)

She speaks very well almost any language you may have heard of. (More natural than ‘She speaks almost any language you may have heard of very well.’)

I will never forget the day when I first met you.

Sunday is the day when I am least busy.

Do you know the house where John lives?

That is the place where I was born.

Whenever I go to Paris I try to see Peter.

You can come whenever you like.

I take my cellphone wherever I go.

Whenever I see you I feel nervous.

Wherever you go, you will find Coca-Cola.

Notes

We usually use when and where to introduce relative clauses after nouns referring to time and place. They are used in the same way as preposition + which.

Compare:

I will never forget the day when I first met you. = I will never forget the day on which I first met you.

Sunday is the day on which I am least busy.

This is the place at which I was born.

Why can be used in a similar way after the noun reason.

I don’t know the reason why she hates me. (= I don’t know the reason for which she hates me.)

Focusing adverbs usually go in mid-position with the verb.

Study the patterns given below.

Auxiliary verb + adverb + other verb

We are only going for two days.

She has just arrived.

Is / am / are / was / were + adverb

He is my Dad, but he is also my friend.

The people at the meeting were mainly teachers.

Adverb + other verb

She just needs some practice.

Focusing adverbs can go directly before the words they modify.

Notice how the meaning of the sentence changes with a change in the position of the adverb only.

Only David may borrow the car. (David and nobody else may borrow the car.)

David may only borrow the car. (David may borrow the car, but he can do nothing else.)

David may borrow the only car. (David may borrow the only car there is.)

The focusing adverbs too and as well usually go in end position.

She not only sings; she plays the piano too. (NOT …she too plays the piano.)

We have meetings on Sundays as well. (NOT We have as well meetings on Sundays.)

Examples are: always, ever, usually, normally, often, frequently, sometimes, rarely, seldom, never etc

Adverbs of indefinite frequency usually go in mid-position.

Auxiliary verb + adverb + other verb

He has always wanted to be famous. (NOT He has wanted always to be famous.) (NOT He always has wanted to be famous.)

Adverb + other verb

We usually go there in summer. (NOT We go usually there in summer.)

Is / am / are / was / were + adverb

She is seldom late for work.

You are always bad-tempered.

When there are two auxiliary verbs, the frequency adverbs usually go after the first.

We have never been invited to one of their parties.

Some adverbs of indefinite frequency can go at the beginning or end of a clause. Examples are: usually, normally, often, frequently, sometimes and occasionally.

Usually I get up early.

The adverbs always, ever, rarely, seldom and never can only go in mid-position.

He is always ready to help. (NOT Always he is ready to help.) (NOT He is ready to help always.)

He is never on time. (NOT Never he is on time.) (NOT He is on time never.)

Grammar notes

Always and never can come at the beginning of imperative clauses.

Never ask her about her age.

1. I feel ——————————

a) Unhappy
b) Unhappily

2. I will get the car ————————–

a) Ready
b) Readily

3. She is too ————————– a person to refuse.

a) Polite
b) Politely

4. We will have to think ————————–

a) Quick
b) Quickly

5. She danced ————————– into the room.

a) Happy
b) Happily

6. She sang ————————–

a) Bad
b) Badly

7. I remember him very ————————-

a) Good
b) Well

8. Cyanide is a ———————– poison.

a) Dead
b) Deadly

9. This steak is very ———————— cooked.

a) Badly
b) Bad

10. He was ———————– in love with her.

a) Mad
b) Madly

11. They were playing ————————- fast.

a) Unusual
b) Unusually

12. I ————————– believed that you wanted to help me.

a) Wrong
b) Wrongly

Answers

1. I feel unhappy.
2. I will get the car ready.
3. She is too polite a person to refuse.
4. We will have to think quickly.
5. She danced happily into the room.
6. She sang badly.
7. I remember him very well.
8. Cyanide is a deadly poison.
9. This steak is very badly cooked.
10. He was madly in love with her.
11. They were playing unusually fast.
12. I wrongly believed that you wanted to help me.

Incorrect: He behaved cowardly.
Correct: He behaved in a cowardly manner.
Correct: He behaved like a coward.

Incorrect: He laughed silly.
Correct: He gave a silly laugh.

Incorrect: He lives miserly.
Correct: He lives in a miserly way.

In the sentences given above the words cowardly, silly and miserly are all adjectives which cannot be used to modify verbs. And because there are no adverbs for these meanings we have to use adverb phrases like ‘in a cowardly manner’ and ‘in a miserly way’ to express the same idea.

Incorrect: Just I had gone when he came.
Correct: I had just gone when he came.

Incorrect: Still I love you.
Correct: I still love you.

The adverbs still and just go before the verb. If there is an auxiliary verb, the adverb goes after the auxiliary verb and before the main verb. If there is no auxiliary verb, the adverb goes before the main verb. If there are two auxiliary verbs, the adverb goes between them.

I am still waiting for your reply. (NOT I still am waiting for your reply.) (NOT I am waiting still for your reply.)
They have just been informed. (NOT They have been just informed.)
She has just arrived. (NOT She just has arrived.)

Hardly had I reached the station when the train arrived.
Scarcely had the game started when the rain came pouring down.

No sooner had she read the telegram than she fell down fainting.
Never before had I seen such a vast crowd.

Adverb particles (e.g. up, down, in, out, on, off, away and back) can also come before the subject. The inversion is for the sake of emphasis.

Off they went on a hunting trip. (Inverted word order)
They went off on a hunting trip. (Normal word order)
Down he fell from his horse, with a heavy thud.

Rewrite the following sentences, putting the adverb first and inverting the subject and verb.

1. I have seldom heard such a beautiful voice.

2. He had hardly finished his lunch when someone knocked at the door.

3. I have never heard such utter nonsense.

4. I had hardly arrived when trouble started.

5. I was able to appreciate her only after her death.

Answers

1. Seldom have I heard such a beautiful voice.

2. Hardly had he finished his lunch when someone knocked at the door.

3. Never have I heard such utter nonsense.

4. Hardly had I arrived when trouble started.

5. Only after her death was I able to appreciate her.

1. She spoke in a loud voice.

2. He is the only fast bowler in the team.

3. He lives in the next house.

4. He made a quiet exit through the back door.

5. He can bowl really fast.

6. You must always aim high.

7. She sings well.

8. He is the only child of his parents.

9. We started early in the morning.

10. Are you an early riser?

11. There is not much truth in what he says.

12. He succeeded by dint of hard work.

Answers

1. Loud – adjective (modifies the noun voice)

2. Fast – adjective (modifies the noun bowler)

3. Next – adjective (modifies the noun house)

4. Back – adjective (modifies the noun door)

5. Fast – adverb (modifies the verb bowl)

6. High – adverb (modifies the verb aim)

7. Well – adverb (modifies the verb sings)

8. Only – adjective (modifies the noun child)

9. Early – adverb (modifies the verb started)

10. Early – adjective (modifies the noun riser)

11. Much – adjective (modifies the noun truth)

12. Hard – adjective (modifies the noun work)