Unit 19: I'm really sorry...
Adverb positions
Select a unit
- 1Pop-ups
- 2Hidden talents
- 3Can't buy me love
- 4Travellers' tales
- 5The colleague from hell
- 6Jurassic mystery: unpacking the past
- 7Career changes
- 8Art
- 9Project management
- 10The dog ate my homework!
- 11The diary of a double agent
- 12Fashion forward
- 13Flat pack skyscrapers
- 14Extreme sports
- 15Food fads
- 16Me, my selfie and I
- 17Endangered animals
- 18A nip and a tuck: cosmetic surgery
- 19I'm really sorry...
- 20Telling stories
- 21Fakes and phrasals
- 22Looking to the future
- 23Becoming familiar with things
- 24From rags to riches
- 25Against the odds
- 26Our future on Mars?
- 27Where is it illegal to get a fish drunk?
- 28Dodgy dating
- 29Annoying advice
- 30I'll have been studying English for thirty weeks
Session 2
Following on from Unit 15 we take a further look at adverbs and where they are used. This time we look at different groups of adverbs and how we use them with adjectives and other adverbs.
Activity 2
More about adverbs and where to put them
What do adverbs look like?
There are many different kinds of adverb and unfortunately there is nothing about their form that definitely identifies them as adverbs.
Some adjectives can be turned in adverbs by adding -ly.
It was a slow journey. (adjective)
We drove slowly when it started to rain. (adverb)
-ly adverbs are sometimes called adverbs of manner. They describe the way someone does something. Note though that not all words that end in –ly are adverbs, not all adverbs of manner end in -ly and not all adjectives can made into adverbs this way!
Not just a single word
Although many adverbs are just one word there are also adverbial phrases. These are groups of words that act as adverbs.
We plan to leave the day after tomorrow.
I'll meet you at the bus stop.
He left without making a sound.
Read the text and complete the activity
More adverb positions
Let's take look at a couple of other groups of adverbs and where we put them in sentences.
Adverbs of place and adverbs of definite time and frequency
These usually go in the third position. Some examples of these adverbs are:
downstairs, over there, on the table, last week, daily
I ride my bike daily.
I'm sure I put my wallet on the table, but I can't find it now.
Adverbs of indefinite frequency and degree adverbs
These are frequently used in the second position. Some examples of these adverbs are:
always, never, hardly ever, often, rarely, regularly, seldom, almost, hardly, nearly, quite, scarcely
I will always love you.
I had never seen anything like it.
Adverbial phrases of time or frequency
Use these adverbs in the first or third positions, but not the second. Some examples of these adverbials are:
from time to time, as a rule, every so often
From time to time I buy things online.
I buy things online from time to time.
Right or wrong?
5 Questions
Read each sentence carefully and decide if the adverb shown in brackets is in the right place. Then drag the sentence to the appropriate column.
Help
Activity
Read each sentence carefully and decide if the adverb shown in brackets is in the right place. Then drag the sentence to the appropriate column.
Hint
'Always' is an adverb of indefinite frequency. Where do we usually put these?Help
Activity
Read each sentence carefully and decide if the adverb shown in brackets is in the right place. Then drag the sentence to the appropriate column.
Hint
'Usually' is an adverb of indefinite frequency. Where do we usually put these?Help
Activity
Read each sentence carefully and decide if the adverb shown in brackets is in the right place. Then drag the sentence to the appropriate column.
Hint
'As a rule' is an adverbial phrase of frequency. Which positions can they usually go in?Help
Activity
Read each sentence carefully and decide if the adverb shown in brackets is in the right place. Then drag the sentence to the appropriate column.
Hint
'On the kitchen table' is an adverb of place. Where do we usually put these in a sentence?Help
Activity
Read each sentence carefully and decide if the adverb shown in brackets is in the right place. Then drag the sentence to the appropriate column.
Hint
'Hardly ever' is an adverb of indefinite frequency. Where can we put these in a sentence?Question 1 of 5
Correct
Not correct
Excellent!Great job!Bad luck!You scored:
Right or wrong?
5 Questions
Read each sentence carefully and decide if the adverb shown in brackets is in the right place. Then drag the sentence to the appropriate column.
Help
Activity
Read each sentence carefully and decide if the adverb shown in brackets is in the right place. Then drag the sentence to the appropriate column.
Hint
'Always' is an adverb of indefinite frequency. Where do we usually put these?Question 1 of 5
Help
Activity
Read each sentence carefully and decide if the adverb shown in brackets is in the right place. Then drag the sentence to the appropriate column.
Hint
'Usually' is an adverb of indefinite frequency. Where do we usually put these?Question 2 of 5
Help
Activity
Read each sentence carefully and decide if the adverb shown in brackets is in the right place. Then drag the sentence to the appropriate column.
Hint
'As a rule' is an adverbial phrase of frequency. Which positions can they usually go in?Question 3 of 5
Help
Activity
Read each sentence carefully and decide if the adverb shown in brackets is in the right place. Then drag the sentence to the appropriate column.
Hint
'On the kitchen table' is an adverb of place. Where do we usually put these in a sentence?Question 4 of 5
Help
Activity
Read each sentence carefully and decide if the adverb shown in brackets is in the right place. Then drag the sentence to the appropriate column.
Hint
'Hardly ever' is an adverb of indefinite frequency. Where can we put these in a sentence?Question 5 of 5
Excellent!Great job!Bad luck!You scored:
Session Grammar
About adverbs
Adverbs can be single words or phrases.
Although adverbs of manner often end in -ly there is nothing about the form of a word that identifies it as an adverb.
Adverbs of place and adverbs of definite time and frequency
For example: downstairs, over there, on the table, last week, daily
Where: third postion, after the verb clause
I left my phone downstairs.
I went there last week.Adverbs of indefinite frequency and degree adverbs
For example: always, never, hardly ever, often, rarely, regularly, seldom, almost, hardly, nearly, quite, scarcely
Where: second position, before the main verb.
I had never seen anything like it.
These adverbs usually go before the main verb.Adverbial phrases of time or frequency
For example: from time to time, as a rule, every so often
Where: first or third postion, but not second.
From time to time I buy things online.
I buy things online from time to time.
