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

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. ————————— you are not going out in that old coat?

a) Surely
b) Sure

2. She is sleeping —————————-

a) Sound
b) Soundly

3. Can you be there at six o’clock ————————-?

a) Sharp
b) Sharply

4. She looked at him —————————–

a) Sharp
b) Sharply

5. We have ———————– differing opinions.

a) Wide
b) Widely

6. I hate arriving —————————

a) Late
b) Lately

7. I haven’t been to the opera much ————————–

a) Late
b) Lately

8. I have ————————– got any clean clothes left.

a) Hard
b) Hardly

9. Isn’t that girl dressed ———————–?

a) Pretty
b) Prettily

10. Throw it as ———————– as you can.

a) High
b) highly

Answers

1. Surely you are not going out in that old coat?
2. She is sleeping soundly.
3. Can you be there at six o’clock sharp?
4. She looked at him sharply.
5. We have widely differing opinions.
6. I hate arriving late.
7. I haven’t been to the opera much lately.
8. I have hardly got any clean clothes left.
9. Isn’t that girl dressed prettily?
10. Throw it as high as you can.

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)

1.       I am very much sorry.

2.       He was very kind enough to invite us.

3.       Can you tell me the story in details?

4.       Airplanes reach America soon.

5.       Before long there was no one there.

6.       This story is too interesting.

7.       He behaved cowardly.

8.       He plays good than me.

9.       Hardly I have had any rest since morning.

10.   Never I have seen such a sight.

Answers

1.       I am very sorry. (Very is used without much before adjectives and adverbs.)

2.       He was kind enough to invite us. OR He was so kind as to invite us.

3.       Can you tell me the story in detail?

4.       Airplanes reach America quickly.

5.       Long ago there was no one there.

6.       This story is very interesting. (Too has a negative meaning. It should not be used to convey positive ideas.)

7.       He behaved in a cowardly manner. (Cowardly is an adjective. To modify verbs we use adverbs.)

8.       He plays better than me. (Than should be preceded by an adjective in the comparative degree.)

9.       Hardly have I had any rest since morning. (Sentences beginning with a negative word have an inverted word order. That means the verb comes before the subject.)

10.   Never have I seen such a sight. (Explanation same as above)

I have never watched a play.
The discussion was mainly about money. (NOT The discussion mainly was about money.)
It certainly looks like it is going to rain. (NOT It looks certainly like it is going to rain.)

When there are two or more auxiliary verbs, the adverb usually goes after the first.

He has definitely been working hard.
I have never been to the US.

When adverbs of manner go in mid-position, they are normally put after all auxiliary verbs.

I will have completely finished the work by next June.
I don’t think the repair has been properly done.

In American English, mid-position adverbs often come before auxiliary verbs and am/are/is/was/were.

He probably has arrived now. (US)
He has probably arrived now. (GB)
He ultimately was responsible for the treatment. (US)
He was ultimately responsible for the treatment. (GB)

End-position adverbs

Some verbs are incomplete without adverb complements. For example, after a verb like put, we usually say where something is put. These object complements go in end-position, before other adverbs.

We went to bed early. (NOT We went early to bed.)
They played very well yesterday. (NOT They played yesterday very well.)

1.  I am not —————– sure. (Adverb of degree or manner)

2. You will —————– see the results. (Adverb of time)

3. His books are —————– written. (adverb of manner)

4. We visit them ——————–. (adverb of time or frequency)

5. He is —————— wrong. (adverb of degree)

6. He died 2 years —————-. (adverb of time)

7. Are you ——————- prepared? (adverb of manner)

8. I could not find the book ——————. (adverb of place)

9. I still remember the day —————– I first met her. (relative adverb)

10. ——————- did you break my windows? (interrogative adverb)

11. That was —————— he hit back. (relative adverb)

12. He did not work, ——————– he failed. (adverb of reason)

13. He said the same thing ——————- (adverb of frequency)

14. My work is ——————- finished. (adverb of degree or quantity)

15. Please come ——————-. (adverb of place)

Answers

1. quite
2. now
3. well
4. often
5. quite
6. ago
7. well
8. anywhere
9. when
10. why
11. when
12. therefore
13. twice
14. almost
15. here

Notes

The given answers are only indicative and alternatives are possible. Try to do the exercise on your own and refer to the answers only when you are in doubt.