Lesson 13

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Adverbs and Adverbials Lesson 13

English Grammar

G Terms

• Adverb: describes or limits verbs, adjectives, other adverbs or entire sentences.

• descriptive adverbs • conjunctive adverbs • relative adverbs

• Qualifier • A word which modifies an adverb or adjective. eg. very, much, etc.

English Grammar

G Terms

• Adverbial: a group of words (phrase) which function like an adverb (Prepositional Phrase)

• Adjunct: “any word, phrase or clause joined to

another word or phrase to qualify or modify it”

• Conjunct: an adjunct that states the logical relationship between ideas.

• Disjunct: an adjunct that adds parenthetical information to the sentence.

English Grammar

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Formation

• Derivation: suffix -ly • quickly, happily, slowly, clearly, etc. • n.b. not all words that end in -ly are adverbs. e.g. motherly, orderly

• Conversion: (no ending) • fast, hard, fair, late

English Grammar

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Position of adverbs A

S Ax V O B

C

English Grammar

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Position of adverbs A

C

Definite time: now, today, yesterday Frequency phrases: every day, once a week

Manner (phrase): on foot, by car Place: to the store Time: at five o’clock, last night

B

Frequency: usually, often, never, always Manner: slowly, quickly, quietly

English Grammar

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Versatile adverbs

• Some adverbs may take all three positions naturally

• now, soon, at once, at last, at first, afterwards, here, still

• Some adverbs may be emphatic in other positions

• Negative adverbs cause an inversion of subject and verb in the initial position

English Grammar

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Position of adverbs with infinitives A

B

to V O B

C

a split infinitive

English Grammar

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Specific cases

• very vs. much • only (adv. vs. adj.) • early vs. soon • still vs. yet

English Grammar

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VERY vs. MUCH

• VERY is used to modify adjectival participles • He was very tired after the hike • (this is not passive voice) • MUCH is used to modify verbal participles • He was much liked by all his fellow students.

• They all liked him very much.

English Grammar

G ONLY

• ONLY as an adjective • She watches only three hours of television every day.

• ONLY as an adverb • She could only sing when she was by herself.

English Grammar

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EARLY vs. SOON

• EARLY • Before the scheduled time • SOON • In a very short while • “The class will end early today.” (even though it just started)

• “The class will end soon.” (it is almost over)

English Grammar

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STILL vs.YET

• STILL refers to an action that continues. • He still writes all of his notes out. • STILL/YET may be an adversive conjunt. • Still/Yet, he never gets tired of it. • YET refers to an action which has not yet begun. • He has yet to complain about it. • Have you been to class yet?

English Grammar

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Adverbs and Adverbials Lesson 13

English Grammar