Adverbs and prepositions

grammar - adverbs and prepositions - adverbs 001

ADVERBS and PREPOSITIONS

ADVERBS are words or groups of words telling frequency, manner, place, or time and primarily used as modifiers of VERBS, ADJECTIVES or other ADVERBS.

PREPOSITIONS are usually followed by objects in PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES that can also be used to show duration, frequency, manner, place, reason, time, or to demonstrate CONTRAST.

Whilst many of the common English PREPOSITIONS have related ADVERBS, or PREPOSITIONAL ADVERBS, there are other types of ADVERB which are often derived from ADJECTIVES.

EXAMPLES

ADVERB: Emily is quite sad.PREPOSITION: Emily is at home, but her keys are in the hall.PREPOSITIONAL ADVERB: Emily is standing outside. She is waiting alone. Still wet from the shower, Tracey threw her keys down to her. Emily could then get in.

NOTICE: The use of "in" as PREPOSITION and PREPOSITIONAL ADVERB.

NOTICE: Do not use an ADVERB as the subject of a PREPOSITION

Correct IncorrectI went somewhere else. I went to somewhere else.I was still busy late last night. I was still busy at late last

night.The ship is moored downstream. The ship is moored in

downstream.

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John got home yesterday. John came to home on yesterday.

His office was moved downtown. His office was moved to downtown.

NOTICE: When "Downtown" is used as a noun, the second example is correct. Take care with words such as "home", "downtown", "today", "last night", "next week" and so on, as they can be used as both ADVERBS and NOUNS.

ADVERB NOUNShe will return tomorrow. They say that tomorrow is

another day.She went home alone last night. Where is her home?You should go to see her next week. Next week is my vacation.

ADVERBS

ADVERB POSITIONSWhere an ADVERB modifies either an ADJECTIVE ["quite careless"] or another ADVERB ["quite carelessly"], it appears immediately before the word it is modifying. Where an ADVERB modifies a VERB the positioning can be quite versatile, but its positions within the sentence can change its meaning:"Softly she whispered to the child." [Keeping her voice down so that she did not disturb other people]"She whispered softly to the child." [Keeping her voice down to soothe the child or not to disturb it]"She softly whispered to the child." [Describes the type of whisper she used]

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ADVERB FUNCTIONSFrequency: "frequently", "often", "rarely", "sometime".Manner: "happily", "quickly", "slowly", "unwillingly".Place: "anywhere", "everywhere", "here", "nowhere", "over there", "there".Time: "today", "tomorrow", "yesterday", "the day after".

Frequency Adverbs

The most common frequency adverbs in English are:

AlwaysFrequentlyUsuallyOftenSometimesOccasionallySeldomRarelyNever

100% of the timeabout 90% of the timeabout 80% of the timeabout 70% of the timeabout 50% of the timeabout 40% of the timeabout 20% of the timeabout 10% of the time 00% of the time

Note: The percentages here are rough estimates and should be used for guidance only.

FREQUENCY ADVERBS can be placed at various points in the sentence, but are most commonly used before the main VERBS and after "be" VERBS.I always come to work on time. They are seldom home when we call.He's usually eating breakfast at this time.She's never been to Dublin.

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A: Do you come here often?B: No. I'm here occasionally.A: What do you usually do here?B: Sometimes I just sit and ponder the meaning of life.Note: The adverbs seldom, rarely, never and hardly ever are considered negative.A: Do you always carry a briefcase?B: (Yes,) I usually do. No, I usually don't. No, I rarely do. No, I hardly ever do.

Other FREQUENCY ADVERBS and EXPRESSIONS are as follows:Every day/week/monthEvery other day/weekOnce a week/month/yearTwice a year/day, etc.(Every) once in a whileEvery so often

These expressions are used at the beginning and end of sentences, not before main VERBS.Every once in a while I visit my grandmother in Minnesota.I visit my grandmother in Minnesota every once in a while.I every once in a while visit my grandmother in Minnesota. (Incorrect)RegularlyNormallyTraditionally

(according to schedule)(commonly nowadays)(commonly in the past)

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These words can come at various points in the sentence.I regularly floss my teeth.I floss my teeth regularly.Traditionally, that was considered child's play.I normally get up around 6 o'clock.Normally, I get up around 6 o'clock.

ADVERBS OF MANNER (HOW?)

absolutely almost alone barely carefully fast hard hardly mostly pretty quickly quite really slowly together very well

ADVERBS OF PLACE (WHERE?) (Note: Do not use these with "to.")

anywhere away

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back* downtown* everywhere here home* nowhere out over there there

*These are also used as nouns and sometimes adjectives.

ADVERBS OF TIME (WHEN?)

already immediately last night lately later next week now recently right now soon still then this morning today tomorrow tonight yesterday

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yet . . . ago

ADVERB FORMSMany ADVERBS, particularly MANNER ADVERBS, can be formed by adding "-ly" to an adjective ["dependably", "easily", "happily", "quickly", "slowly", "willingly"], however, not every word that ends "-ly" is an ADVERB [ to be "friendly", to be "neighbourly"] and there are many common ADVERBS which do not end "-ly" ["almost", "just", "still", "not"].

ADVERBS versus ADJECTIVESSometimes a word can be both and ADVERB and an ADJECTIVE. To tell the difference in use, it is important to considered the context and function of the word within the sentence.

"The fast train to Cardiff leaves Paddington at three o'clock."Here, "fast" is an ATTRIBUTIVE ADJECTIVE, modifying the noun "train", which follows it in the sentence structure.

"The train took the curve too fast."Here, "too fast" is an ADVERB which modifies the VERB "to take".

"The bed was hard and the Princess got no sleep at all."Here, "hard" is a PREDICTIVE ADJECTIVE following the VERB "to be" but still modifying a NOUN, in this case "the bed".

"Tripping over his feet, Oscar fell, hitting the ground hard."Here the ADVERB "hard" modifies the VERB "to hit".

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The COMPARATIVE INFLECTION "-er" and SUPERLATIVE INFLECTION "-est" combine with both ADVERBS and ADJECTIVES, although to a lesser degree. To make the COMPARATIVE FORM of "-ly" adverbs add "more" before the word and not "-er" to the end. Because it is comparatively unusual the SUPERLATIVE FORM which adds "most" before the word and retains the "-ly" ending, become the focus or stress of the sentence and draw attention to the emphasis."I was most favourably impressed by your appearance."

Below is a list of ADVERBS and you can use them to create these forms.

ADVERB LISTAaboardabnormallyaboutabroadabsentmindedlyabsolutelyabundantlyaccidentally accordinglyactivelyactuallyacutelyadmiringlyaffectionatelyaffirmativelyafterafterwardsagreeablyalmostalreadyalwaysamazinglyangrilyannoyingly

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annuallyanxiouslyanyhowanyplaceanywayanywhereappreciablyappropriatelyaroundarrogantlyasideassuredlyastonishinglyawayawfullyawkwardlyBbadlybarelybashfullybeautifullybeforebegrudginglybelievablybewilderedlybewilderinglybitterlybleaklyblindlyblissfullyboldlyboastfullyboldlyboyishlybravelybrieflybrightlybrilliantlybrisklybrutallybusilyCcalmlycandidlycarefully

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carelesslycasuallycautiouslycertainlycharminglycheerfullychieflychildishlycleanlyclearlycleverlycloselycloudilyclumsilycoaxinglycoincidentallycoldlycolourfullycommonlycomfortablycompactlycompassionatelycompletelyconfusedlyconsequentlyconsiderablyconsideratelyconsistentlyconstantlycontinuallycontinuouslycoollycorrectlycourageouslycovertlycowardlycrazilycrosslycruellycunninglycuriouslycurrentlycustomarilycutelyD

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dailydaintilydangerouslydaringlydarklydastardlydearlydecentlydeeplydefiantlydeftlydeliberatelydelicatelydelightfullydenselydiagonallydifferentlydiligentlydimlydirectlydisorderlydivisivelydocilelydopilydoubtfullydowndramaticallydreamilyduringEeagerlyearlyearnestlyeasilyefficientlyeffortlesslyelaboratelyeloquentlyelegantlyelsewhereemotionallyendlesslyenergeticallyenjoyablyenormously

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enoughenthusiasticallyentirelyequallyespeciallyessentiallyeternallyethicallyevenevenlyeventuallyevermoreeveryeverywhereevidentlyevocativelyexactlyexceedinglyexceptionallyexcitedlyexclusivelyexplicitlyexpresslyextensivelyexternallyextraextraordinarilyextremelyFfairlyfaithfullyfamouslyfarfashionablyfastfatallyfavourablyferociouslyferventlyfiercelyfieryfinallyfinanciallyfinitely

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fluentlyfondlyfoolishlyforeverformallyformerlyfortunatelyforwardfranklyfranticallyfreelyfrequentlyfreneticallyfullyfuriouslyfurthermoreGgenerallygenerouslygenuinelygentlygenuinelygirlishlygladlygleefullygracefullygraciouslygraduallygratefullygreatlygreedilygrimlygrudginglyHhabituallyhalf-heartedlyhandilyhandsomelyhaphazardlyhappilyhastilyharmoniouslyharshlyhastily

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hatefullyhauntinglyhealthilyheartilyheavilyhelpfullyhencehighlyhithertohonestlyhopelesslyhorizontallyhourlyhowhoweverhugelyhumorouslyhungrilyhurriedlyhystericallyIicilyidentifiablyidioticallyimaginativelyimmeasurablyimmediatelyimmenselyimpatientlyimpressivelyinappropriatelyincessantlyincorrectlyindeedindependentlyindoorsindubitablyinevitablyinfinitelyinformallyinfrequentlyinnocentlyinquisitivelyinstantly

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intelligentlyintenselyintentlyinterestinglyintermittentlyinternallyinvariablyinvisiblyinwardlyironicallyirrefutablyirritablyJjaggedlyjauntilyjealouslyjoviallyjoyfullyjoylesslyjoyouslyjubilantlyjudgmentallyjustjustlyKkeenlykiddinglykind-heartedlykindlyknavishlyknowinglyknowledgeablykookilyLlastlylatelatelylaterlazilylesslightlylikelylimplylithely

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livelyloftilylonginglylooselyloudlylovinglyloyallyluckilyluxuriouslyMmadlymagicallymainlymajesticallymarkedlymateriallymeaningfullymeanlymeantimemeanwhilemeasurablymechanicallymedicallymenacinglymerelymerrilymethodicallymightilymiserablymockinglymonthlymorallymoremoreovermortallymostlymuchmysteriouslyNnastilynaturallynaughtilynearbynearlyneatly

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negativelynervouslyneverneverthelessnextnicelynightlynoisilynormallynosilynotnownowadaysnumblyOobedientlyobliginglyobnoxiouslyobviouslyoccasionallyoddlyoffensivelyofficiallyoftenominouslyonceonlyopenlyoptimisticallyorderlyordinarilyoutdoorsoutrageouslyoutwardlyoutwardsoverconfidentlyoverseasPpainfullypainlesslyparadoxicallypartiallyparticularlypassionately

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patientlyperfectlyperiodicallyperpetuallypersistentlypersonallypersuasivelyphysicallyplainlyplayfullypoeticallypoignantlypolitelypoorlypositivelypossiblypotentiallypowerfullypresentlypresumablyprettilypreviouslyprimlyprincipallyprobablypromptlyproperlyproudlypunctuallypuzzlinglyQquaintlyqueasilyquestionablyquestioninglyquickerquicklyquietlyquirkilyquitequizzicallyRrandomlyrapidlyrarely

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readilyreallyreasonablyreassuringlyrecentlyrecklesslyregularlyreliablyreluctantlyremarkablyrepeatedlyreproachfullyresponsiblyresentfullyrespectablyrespectfullyrestfullyrichlyridiculouslyrighteouslyrightfullyrightlyrigidlyroughlyroutinelyrudelyruthlesslySsadlysafelyscarcelyscarilyscientificallysearchinglysecretivelysecurelysedatelyseeminglyseldomselfishlyselflesslyseparatelyseriouslyshakilyshamelessly

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sharplysheepishlyshoddilyshortlyshrillysignificantlysilentlysimplysincerelysingularlyshylyskilfullysleepilyslightlyslowlyslylysmoothlysosoftlysolelysolemnlysolidlysolicitouslysomehowsometimessomewhatsomewheresoonspeciallyspecificallyspectacularlyspeedilyspirituallysplendidlysporadicallyspasmodicallystartlinglysteadilystealthilysternlystillstrenuouslystressfullystrictlystructurally

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studiouslystupidlystylishlysubsequentlysubstantiallysubtlysuccessfullysuddenlysufficientlysuitablysuperficiallysupremelysurelysurprisinglysuspiciouslysweetlyswiftlysympatheticallysystematicallyTtemporarilytenderlytenselytepidlyterriblythankfullythentheretherebythoroughlythoughtfullythustightlytodaytogethertomorrowtoototallytouchinglytremendouslytrulytruthfullytwiceU

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ultimatelyunabashedlyunanimouslyunbearablyunbelievablyunemotionallyunethicallyunexpectedlyunfailinglyunfavourablyunfortunatelyuniformlyunilaterallyunimpressivelyuniversallyunnaturallyunnecessarilyunquestionablyunwillinglyupupbeatunkindlyupliftinguprightunselfishlyupside-downunskilfullyupwardupwardlyurgentlyusefullyuselesslyusuallyutterlyVvacantlyvaguelyvainlyvaliantlyvastlyverballyverticallyvery

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viciouslyvictoriouslyvigilantlyvigorouslyviolentlyvisiblyvisuallyvivaciouslyvoluntarilyWwarmlyweaklywearilyweeklywellwetlywhenwherewhilewhole-heartedlywhollywhywickedlywidelywigglywildlywilfullywillinglywiselywoefullywonderfullyworriedlyworthilywronglyYyearlyyearninglyyesterdayyetyouthfullyZzanilyzealouslyzestfullyzest

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EXERCISE:Practice using these ADVERBS by adding them to descriptions of people or places you know well. Be creative, not truthful. Exaggerate and use your imagination.

The next section explains the use of PREPOSITIONS.

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Education

Adverbs and prepositions