Grammar and speaking Position of adverb (grammar in use). Infinitive

Observations

- There are three typical positions for adverbs in English. Broadly speaking, they are: before the subject, between the subject and verb, and at the end of the clause.

- There are special rules for auxiliary verbs, and it is important to know when be, do and have are being used as auxiliary verbs and when they are being used as main verbs.

- In general, English adverbs do not come between the verb and the object.

Adverbs between the subject and the verb

In A we saw how adverbs can come between the subject and the main verb.

- Based on examples (a)-(f), what types of adverbs usually occur in this position?

- Why is honestly in different positions in (e) and (f)?

a) I just hope you don’t have to make that decision yourself.

b) It really hurts when you say that.

c) I’ve never noticed it until now.

d) He frequently misunderstands even simple things.

e) I don’t honestly think my kids will pay for my healthcare.

f) He believed that he had dealt honestly with his customers.

Observations

- In English clauses, there is a typical, neutral order for adverbs of different types.

- In general, adverbs come after the verb, and after the object, if there is one.

- Short adverbs, intensifying adverbs, negative adverbs, adverbs expressing indefinite frequency, and adverbs expressing the speaker’s viewpoint often come between the subject and the main verb.

- Adverbs describing the way something happens, manner adverbs, come first.

- Adverbs of place come after adverbs of manner.

- Adverbs of time come after adverbs of manner and place.

- Adverbs of definite frequency come before other adverbs of time.

- Adverbs of reason come after other adverbs.

These are very general rules, and they depend on style and on how the speaker or writer chooses to present the information.

Adverbs at the beginning of clauses

• Compare these two texts (a) and (b), also about small countries.

- Underline any adverbs which are placed at the start of sentences.

- In what way are they different?

a) [History and politics]

Niue

More than one thousand years ago Niue’s first inhabitants arrived either from Samoa or another eastern Pacific island. In 1774 Captain James Cook of Britain came to Niue, calling it Savage Island because of the hostility of the inhabitants. The island did not come under British rule until 1900. In 1901 Niue was annexed to New Zealand, and the island became a self-governing territory of New Zealand in 1974.

b) [History and politics]

Qatar

No strong central government existed in Qatar before Saudi Muslims gained control in the late eighteenth century. Ottoman Turks occupied the region from 1872 to 1916, when Qatar became a British protectorate. Although oil was discovered in 1940 on the Western side of Qatar’s peninsula, the outbreak of World War II postponed exploitation for another nine year.

Position of adverbs

Introduction

Usually, English adverbs are found in one more typical places in clauses. Read (a-i) below, which are extracts from real conversations.

- In your own words, can you describe the places where the adverbs are in the clause? (The adverbs to focus on are in bold type, and the first one is done for you.)

- Why is (i) wrong?

a) I’ve never had a holiday like it in my life. (Place of adverb: the end of the clause, after the object.)

b) In the meantime, I’d met your mum.

c) They sometimes get here early.

d) I don’t normally car seafood.

e) I’ve never had a holiday like it in my life.

f) We usually have tea for breakfast, and coffee later.

g) She’s always ready to help.

h) I’m always being accused of things I haven’t done.

i) She moved closer her chair and spoke to him in a low voice.

Some terms you might find useful when talking about adverb positions are in the following table:

clause
subject	auxiliary verb(s)	main verb	object/complement
Everyone		loves	a holiday.
Dennis	has	lost	his keys.
The man	is being	questioned.
I		am	unhappy.
She	did	forget	it.

Summary

- Adverbs can occur in most places in English clauses, but it is only in rather formal styles (especially journalism) that they are used between the verb and the object.

- When auxiliary verbs are used, the neutral position for adverbs is after the first auxiliary verb.

The position after the first auxiliary verb is commonly used for short adverbs, negative, intensifying and indefinite frequency adverbs, and for adverbs expressly signaling speaker/ writer viewpoint.

• When more than one adverb is used after the verb in the same clause, there is a normal, neutral order for their use (manner-place-time).

• The normal order can be changed for special emphasis and foregrounding. This is often done in order to organize the text in some way, for example around a time-frame, or around a series of places or locations.