Grammar for English Language Teachers - Adverbs Flashcards
Adverb of Manner
How something is done
Used to qualify adjectives - these can be taught as collocations
Usually at end of a clause, but can be shifted for effect
carefully, slowly, successfully, equally
Adverb of Frequency
How often things are done or happen
Usually immediately before the main verb
always, often, never
Adverb of Time and Place
Usually at the end of a clause
When used together, place comes before time
now, here, then, there, on down
Adverb of Relative Time
Used to describe an action or event in relation to some other point in time (often, now)
Various sentence positions
already, recently, soon, just, still
Adverb of Degree
Divided into INTENSIFIERS and DOWNTONERS/MITIGATORS
Different stress on QUITE can change meaning/usage rules
Usually placed immediately before the word they qualify
extremely, rather, very, so, properly, quite
Adverb of Quantity
Used to describe ‘how much’ of something
Some rules exist regarding use in positive v negative/interrogative sentences
a lot, a little, much, many, some,
Adverb of Focusing
Used to single out information, express restriction, or refer back to something
Meaning is especially dependant on context - shared knowledge of the situation between reader/author etc…
Sentence position is particularly flexible for these adverbs
even, also, only, particularly, specifically, just, merely, purely, either, too
Adverb of Attitude Marking
Used to interpret events we describe
Usually refer to a whole clause or longer stretch of text
Can usually also function as an adverb of manner
Very flexible sentence positioning
obviously, apparently, fortunately, absolutely*, blindly, clearly, hopefully, frankly, naturally, ostensibly, really
(AKA sentence adverbs)
Where do adverbs come in a sentence?
Some are intrinsic parts of phrases - manner, degree, quantity and focusing, others are more flexible - attitude, time and place, frequency.