02 The position of adverbials

Question 1

The shop on the corner is closed.
Who’s the girl with short hair?
Those people outside are getting wet.

Answer 1

An adverbial which modifies a noun usually goes after it.

Question 2

That’s very kind of you. We heard the signal fairly clearly.

Answer 2

An adverb which modifies an adjective or adverb usually goes before it.

Question 3

Really, I can’t say.
I can’t really say.
I can’t say, really.

Answer 3

When an adverbial modifies a verb or a whole clause, there are three main places we can put it.

Question 4

I really can’t say.

Answer 4

Sometimes we can also put an adverbial after the subject.

Question 5

Sure enough, the police car stopped us.
Just hold on a moment.
In the end our efforts will surely meet with success.

Answer 5

Front position

Question 6

You were getting impatient. And then you decided to overtake.

Answer 6

We often put an adverbial in front position when it relates to what has gone before.

Question 7

The police are always looking for people at this time.
This stereo is definitely faulty.
I usually enjoy maths lessons.

Answer 7

Mid position is after an auxiliary verb, after the ordinary verb “be” on its own, or before a simple-tense verb.

Question 8

It doesn't often rain in the Sahara.
We've just booked our tickets.
The news will soon be out of date.
You were probably right.
You probably made the right decision.
I always get the worst jobs.

Answer 8

Mid position is after an auxiliary verb, after the ordinary verb “be” on its own, or before a simple-tense verb.

Question 9

We’ve just been queuing for tickets.

The shops will soon be closing.

Answer 9

If there are two auxiliaries, then mid position is usually after the first one.

Question 10

We’ve been patiently queuing for tickets.

You could have completely spoilt everything.

Answer 10

But adverbs of manner and some adverbs of degree go after the second auxiliary.

Question 11

It probably doesn’t matter very much.

You really are serious, aren’t you?

Answer 11

This happens especially with a negative (probably doesn’t) or when there is stress (really ‘are).

Question 12

I never have to wait long for a bus.

Answer 12

An adverb also goes before “have to”, “used to” and “ought to”.

Question 13

They deliberately didn’t leave the heating on.

They didn’t deliberately leave the heating on.

Answer 13

(They left it off on purpose.)

They left it on by mistake.

Question 14

I hadn’t had a drink for days.
The police were driving very slowly.
They’re doing this on purpose.

Answer 14

End position: Most types of adverbial can come here, especially prepositional phrases.

Question 15

I wrapped the parcel carefully

We’ll finish the job next week

Answer 15

NOT: I wrapped carefully the parcel.
NOT: We’ll finish next week the job.

Question 16

I wrapped carefully all the glasses and ornaments.

Answer 16

But a short adverbial can go before a long object.

Question 17

I carefully wrapped all the glasses and ornaments.

Answer 17

Here the adverb of manner can also go in mid position.

Question 18

There was a police car in front of us. It was going very slowly.

Answer 18

We often put an adverbial in end position when it is new and important information

Question 19

Sam waited impatiently outside the post office.
We sat indoors most of the afternoon.
They inspected the car thoroughly in a very officious manner.

Answer 19

Sometimes there is more than one adverbial in end position. Usually a shorter adverbial goes before a longer one.

Question 20

There was an accident last night on the by-pass.

There was an accident on the by-pass last night.

Answer 20

Phrases of time and place can often go in either order.

Question 21

I can find my way around quite easily, usually.

Sarah gets up early occasionally.

Answer 21

Manner, time and place usually come before frequency.

Question 22

I can usually find my way around quite easily.

Answer 22

In more careful English, the adverb of frequency would come in mid position.

Question 23

Phil’s had to stay late at work, perhaps.
Someone handed the money in at the police station, incredibly.
Wendy is a member. She doesn’t go to the club very often, however.

Answer 23

When a truth, comment or linking adverb comes in end position, it is usually last, a kind of afterthought.