4. Adverbials of duration.

Position of adverbials of duration.

Duration (periods of time) can be expressed by adverbs (e.g. ago, all (day) long, (not) any more, (not) any longer, no longer, no more), and by prepositional phrases functioning as adverbials (beginning with e.g. by, during, for, from … to/till, since, throughout). Not … any more, not … any longer and no longer are used to show that an action with duration has stopped or must stop. They come at the end of a sentence or clause: Hurry up! I can’t wait any longer/any more.

No longer can come before a full verb or at the end of a sentence: I’m sorry, Professor Brown no longer lives here.

Exercise 142. Translate from Russian into English:

1. С трёх до пяти меня не будет дома. 2. Дождь шёл всю ночь. 3. Весь май стояла чудесная погода. 4. Встретимся здесь через два часа. 5. Я не уйду пока не съем торт. 6. Они жили там три дня. 7. Я знаю его с детства. 8. Пять дней назад ты говорил, что любишь её. 9. Сожалею, но он больше здесь не работает. 10. Он закончил работу к вечеру. 11. С каких пор ты здесь живёшь? 12. В течение всего лета было мало дождей. 13. Извини, но я больше не могу тебя ждать. 14. Не переживай. Я останусь здесь до лета, а потом мы переедем в Минск.

5. Adverbs of frequency.

a) Adverbs of definite frequency and their position.

These include words and phrases like the following: once, twice; three/several times (a day/week/month/year); hourly/daily/weekly/fortnightly/monthly/yearly/annually; every (day/week/month/year), every (morning/afternoon/evening/night); and in combinations like every other day, every three years, every few days, every third day; on Mondays/weekdays, etc. These adverbials usually come at the end of a sentence: There is a collection from this letterbox twice daily.

b) Adverbs of indefinite frequency.

These adverbs give general answers to How often? Here are some of the most common, arranged on a ‘scale of frequency’: always (i.e. ‘all of the time’); almost always, nearly always; generally, normally, regularly, usually; frequently, often; sometimes, occasionally; almost never, hardly ever, rarely, scarcely ever, seldom; not … ever, never (i.e. ‘none of the time’).

Negative frequency adverbs (almost never, hardly, scarcely, barely) cannot be used with not: I hardly ever see him these days.

Other adverbials that suggest indefinite frequency are again and again; at times; every so often; (every) now and again; from time to time; (every) now and then; and ordinary -ly adverbs such as constantly, continually, continuously, repeatedly.

Position of adverbs of indefinite frequency.

Adverbs of frequency: affirmatives/questions: mid-position.

The position of most adverbs of indefinite frequency is ‘after an auxiliary or before a full verb’. This means: after be when it is the only verb in a sentence: I was never very good at it. After the first auxiliary verb when there is more than one verb: You can always come here with your friends. Before the main verb when there is only one verb: He often goes to the cinema with us. These adverbs come before used to, have to and ought to: They never used to import so much sugar. In questions, they come after the subject: Do you usually have tea?

Adverbs of frequency: negative sentences: mid-position.

Not must come before always and it commonly comes before generally, normally, often, regularly and usually: He isn’t always very reliable. She doesn’t usually do her homework in the morning. Not must come after sometimes and frequently: She is sometimes not responsible for what she does.

Some frequency adverbials such as almost always, nearly always and occasionally are not used in the negative.

Exercise 143. Put the adverbs in brackets in the correct place:

1. Тоm is late for classes. (never) 2. They have dinner at two. (usually) 3. She goes to bed at twelve. (seldom) 4. I speak English with my son. (often) 5. They work in the lab after their lessons. (always) 6. Do you think that he is ill? (still) 7. I think he is at home. (already) 8. I see them in the park. (sometimes) 9. They come to this place. (seldom) 10. Do you do your homework in the library? (often) 11. I can understand you. (never) 12. The article’s been translated. (already) 13. He has a few mistakes in his test. (always) 14. He can agree to that. (never) 15. They have seven lessons a day. (usually) 16. Mrs. Reeds’ daughter is ill. (often) 17. You are kind to him. (always) 18. I meet her in the library. (seldom) 19. I am very busy. (generally) 20. She will believe it, I’m sure. (never) 21. My friend stays long with us. (seldom) 22. We are going for a walk. (just) 23. Have you been to Greece? (ever) 24. What time do you get up? (generally) 25. Where do you spend your summer holidays? (usually) 26. Did he come so late? (often) 27. When does she start working? (usually) 28. Do they quarrel with each other? (often) 29. Has your teacher mentioned this fact? (ever)

Exercise 144. Put the verbs given in brackets in their proper places.

1. He has a lot of friends. (always) 2. You must follow the doctor’s advice. (always) 3. I can remember to do it in time. (never) 4. We have six lessons a day. (always) 5. I know what to speak to her about. (never) 6. You may take my things. (always) 7. I have my breakfast at 7 o’clock. (seldom) 8. I am glad to join you. (always) 9. Polly is ill. (often) 10. You can do it in time. (always) 11. Old. Mr. Smith goes out. (seldom) 12. Is Olga in at this time of the day? (rarely) 13. Does her daughter-in-law visit her? (often) 14. Are you late? (never) 15. Does she stay at home? (usually) 16. Must you bring the dictionaries for the lessons? (always) 17. Does she introduce her friends to her parents? (always) 18. Does he come home so late? (often) 19. Do you have dinner at two o’clock? (usually) 20. Does he smoke in bed? (ever) 21. Is he glad to see you? (always) 22. They go to work by bus. (seldom) 23. On Sundays people get up late. (usually) 24. Have you seen such a wonderful rainbow? (ever) 25. He goes to the library on Fridays. (usually)

Exercise 145. Put the adverbs in brackets in their proper places:

1. May I come to see you? (sometimes) 2. Do you go through the park? (sometimes) 3. Tom is late for school. (often) 4. Maria goes to bed before midnight. (rarely) 5. Have you been here? (ever, before) 6. He isn’t late, but he was late last night. (generally, nearly) 7. Have you spoken to her about it? (ever) 8. If you have read this book you must remember these words. (ever) 9. I have seen him looking so red. (never) 10. When do you read newspapers? (usually) 11. He can remember his car registration number. (never) 12. Her sister is horrible to her. (sometimes) 13. He forgets about his promise. (often) 14. Have you been to Athens? (ever)

Exercise 146. Put the adverbs in brackets in their proper places:

1. Aren’t you ready (yet)? 2. He doesn’t understand the rule (still). 3. She’s late for her lectures (often). 4. I can understand him (never). 5. Do you go through the park (sometimes)? 6. The buses are full in the morning (usually). 7. Have you been here (ever, before)? 8. I shall have to see his ugly face again (never). 9. He isn’t late (generally), but he was late last night (nearly). 10. You must get up early (always). 11. I have to do it myself (nearly always). 12. I am going for a walk (just). 13. None of them had been there before (ever) and they wanted to go there again (never). 14. He can help you (always). 15. May I come to see you (sometimes)? 16. He comes to his mother to help her with the garden (nearly never).

Exercise 147. Put the adverbs given in brackets in their proper places:

1. Does she wear this hat (always)? 2. Have you seen him (today, anywhere)? 3. It rains in this part of the country (seldom). 4. Have you seen such a vast forest (before, ever)? 5. Will you be working if I come at four (still)? 6. Do you go (there sometimes)? 7. He, as usual, was working (at night, late). 8. She spoke the last words (out, loudly). 9. We are waiting for you. Aren’t you ready (still, yet)? 10. He gets up at seven. Has he got up (already, usually)? 11. You can be sure how to behave in her presence (never). 12. You must speak like that to your mother (never). 13. Can she do it (easily)? 14. Have you met him (before, here, ever)? 15. Let’s go there (tonight, there). 16. She keeps us waiting a long time (seldom). 17. She doesn’t take sugar in her tea (usually). 18. I made spelling mistakes when I was at school (generally) 19. The train arrived (yesterday, late). 20. Our students are very busy (generally).

6. Adverbs of degree.

Quite.

The meaning of quite depends on the kind of word it modifies. With adjectives and adverbs which are gradable quite means ‘less than the highest degree’, or it can mean ‘better than expected’. The lecture was quite good. However, with ungradable words (dead, perfect(ly), unique(ly), amazing(ly), astounding(ly)), quite means ‘absolutely’ or ‘completely’: He plays quite amazingly. Not quite, roughly meaning ‘not completely’, is normally used with ungradable words only: Your answer is not quite right.

Fairly. It suggests ‘less than the highest degree’ and often combines with adjectives/adverbs that suggest a good state of affairs. It is less ‘complimentary’ than quite: The lecture was fairly good. He lectured fairly well.

Rather. It can be stronger than quite and fairly and suggests ‘inclined to be’. It can combine with adjectives, which suggest a good state of affairs or a bad one. This coat is getting rather old. Rather a/an combines with a noun: His Dad is rather a bore.

Much, far and a lot. Much and far combine with comparative/superlative forms: much bigger, far better, far the best; and a lot combines with comparatives: a lot more expensive.

A (little) bit, a little, somewhat. A bit (or a little bit), a little and somewhat combine with: adjectives: It’s a bit/a little/somewhat expensive. Adverbs: He arrived a bit/a little/somewhat late. Comparatives: He is a bit/a little/somewhat taller than Peter. Verbs: I have turned up the oven a bit/a little/somewhat. Not a bit is often used for extra emphasis: She wasn’t even a bit upset when she heard about it.

Enough. Enough and fairly shouldn’t be confused. Enough, as an adverb, follows an adjective or adverb and suggests ‘for some purpose’: The water in the river is fairly warm. The water in the river is warm enough. Enough is used before nouns: We have enough bread.

Too. It goes before adjectives and adverbs. It conveys the idea of ‘excess’, ‘more than is necessary’. I came to the station too late. (I missed the train.)

Hardly, barely and scarcely. These adverbs are similar in meaning. They can be used in front of: adjectives: This soup is hardly/barely/scarcely warm (enough). Adverbs: She plays hardly/barely/scarcely well enough. Hardly, barely and scarcely are negative words and do not combine with not or never. They combine with ever and any: I’ve got so little time, I hardly ever read newspapers. There’s hardly any cheerful news in the papers.

Exercise 148. Put the adverbs in brackets in their proper places:

1. Thanks. There’s sugar in my coffee. (enough) 2. The car is big for all of us. (enough) 3. You can recognize him. (hardly) 4. They speak Greek well. (fairly) 5. It’s funny, but he seems to be right again. (quite) 6. The child is young to walk. (too) 7. She is an experienced teacher. (quite) 8. The cat will come home today. (barely) 9. She came to the university early. (enough) 10. She learnt badly at school. (rather) 11. She is lazier than Tamara. (a bit) 12. This book is more interesting than that one. (far)

Exercise 149. Underline the highlighted word(s) which can be used. In some sentences all words might be possible.

1. Ann has four children, and they’re all quite/rather/fairly/pretty well behaved. 2. That was quite/rather/fairly/pretty an interesting speech Jane gave. I was quite/rather/fairly/pretty impressed. 3. Life is quite/rather/fairly/pretty more difficult now than it was in the past. 4. It was quite/rather/fairly/pretty obvious that he was lying. 5. Ken is quite/rather/fairly/pretty a good painter and quite/rather/fairly/pretty imaginative too. 6. The supermarket stocks quite/rather/fairly/pretty a wide variety of imported products but they are quite/rather/fairly/pretty expensive. 7. It’s quite/rather/fairly/pretty colder today than it was yesterday. Be quite/rather/fairly/pretty sure to dress up well. 8. She’s quite/rather/fairly/pretty an arrogant woman. I find her quite/rather/fairly/pretty difficult to get on with. 9. Can we stop for a bite to eat soon? I’m feeling quite/rather/fairly/pretty hungry. 10. The exercise took quite/rather/fairly/pretty longer than I expected. 11. This exercise is quite/rather/fairly/pretty difficult but I’m quite/rather/fairly/pretty sure you can do it. 12. The journey takes quite/rather/fairly/pretty a long time but the ticket is quite/rather/fairly/pretty cheap.

Exercise 150. Rewrite the sentences making all necessary changes.

1. Ferries sail to the island. (weekly, twice, only, during the winter) Ferries sail to the island only twice weekly during the winter. 2. He does the shopping. (reluctantly, at the supermarket, every week) 3. She waited for her test results. (worriedly, in the hospital, all day) 4. The clock strikes twelve times. (exactly, in the hall, at midday) 5. My mother used to read to me. (aloud, always, in the evenings) 6. The soldiers marched. (to the battlefield, bravely, yesterday) 7. They go by car. (at weekends, to the leisure centre, sometimes) 8. We arrived after a bumpy flight. (in Scotland, eventually, safely, extremely) 9. The detective had been following the suspect. (all day, carefully) 10. She walks. (quickly, every morning, to the station) 11. The little boy ran. (excitedly, from the room, suddenly) 12. She turned up looking annoyed. (at the party, unexpectedly, terribly) 13. He studied. (hard, all morning, in his bedroom) 14. She looked at her reflection. (for ten minutes, carefully, in the mirror) 15. The children sit and play. (in their room, for hours, happily) 16. He waved goodbye. (to his friend, at the airport, sadly) 17. The old boat sailed into the harbour. (slowly, through the water, this afternoon) 18. He ran to answer the phone. (down the stairs, to the hall, quickly) 19. She sat reading a book. (all day, lazily, by the fire) 20. He looked to see if anyone was there. (out the window, nervously, this morning)

Exercise 151. Rewrite the text putting the adverbs in the correct place.

Have you thought about your child’s future? (carefully) Have you thought about sending your child to boarding school, but have been worried about how your child would react to being away from you? (particularly) On the 22nd and 23rd of this month, we at St James are opening our doors to parents like you. St James is located near Chatwick main station and sits on a mountainside overlooking the Menta Lakes. (conveniently/picturesquely) Students sleep in twin rooms that have been redecorated and are designed to be as comfortable as possible. (tastefully/specially) Students work hard and are supervised by experienced teachers. (all day) In the evening they can sit in our comfortable canteen for a very nutritious meal prepared by our resident chef who selects only fresh ingredients. (daily/expertly) Once you’ve spent the day with us, we can guarantee you and your child will want to reserve a place. (at once)