Adverb of Place position

Away, Everywhere, here, Nowhere, Somewhere, There Etc.

A.Usually come after verbs:
> She went away. >He lives abroad. > Bill is upstairs.
>>Adverb phrases (formed of preposition+noun/adverb) follow the same rule.
.> He lives near me.

B. Somewhere, Anywhere Follow the Same Basic Rules as Some and Any:
> I’ve seen that man somewhere.
>Nowhere, however, is not normally used in this position except in the expression
“To get nowhere” (to achieve nothing/ to make no progress).
> Threatening people will get you nowhere.
IN FORMAL ENGLISH: it can also be placed at the beginning of a sentence and is then
followed by an inverted verb.
> Nowhere will you find better roses than these.

C.here, there can be followed by be/come/go + noun subject:

> Here’s Tom. >There’s Ann. > Here comes the train. > There goes our bus. (carry more stress)
‘Here's Tom’ implies that he has just appeared or that we have just found him.
‘Here comes Tom’ implies that he is just arriving/has just arrived.
>> If the subject is a personal pronoun, it precedes the verb in the usual way:
> There he is.
>> But someone and something follow the verb:
> Theirs is someone who can help you.
Note that the same sentence, spoken without stress on There, would mean that a potential
helper exists

D.Someone phoning a friend may introduce himself/herself by name + here:

ANN (on phone): Is that you Tom? Ann here or This is Ann.
. She must not say Ann is here or Here is Ann.

E. away (= off), down, in, off, out, over, round, up etc.

Can be followed by a verb of motion + a noun subject.
> Away went the runners. > Down fell a dozen apples.
. But if the subject is a pronoun it is placed before the verb:
> Away they went. > Round it flew.
There is more drama in this order than in subject + verb + adverb but no difference in meaning.

F. adverb phrases introduced by prepositions (down, from. in, on, over, out
of, round, up etc.) can be followed by verbs indicating position (crouch, hang. He, sit,
stand etc.), by verbs of motion, by be born, die, live and sometimes other verbs:
> In the door way stood a man with a gun. > On a perch beside him sat a blue parrot.
> Over the wall came a shower of stones.
. The first two of these examples could also be expressed by a participle and the verb be:
.> Standing in the doorway was a man with a gun.
.> Sitting on a perch beside him was a blue parrot.
But a participle could not be used with the last example unless the shower of stones lasted for
some time.

Adverb of Frequency Position

A. (a) always, continually, frequently, occasionally, often, once, twice, periodically,
repeatedly, sometimes, usually etc.
(b) ever, hardly ever, never, rarely, scarcely ever, seldom
These are normally placed in mid position. (before auxiliary and after m. verb)
. > He is always in time for meals.
. > He can never understand.
Exceptions:
(a) used to and have to prefer the adverb in front of them:
> You hardly ever have to remind him; he always remembers.
(b) Frequency adverbs are often placed before auxiliaries when these are used alone, in
additions to remarks or in answers to questions:
. > Can you park your car near the shops? - Yes, I usually can.
. > I know I should take exercise, but I never do.
and when, in a compound verb, the auxiliary is stressed:
. > I never 'can remember. > She hardly ever 'has met him
>> Similarly, when do is added for emphasis:
.> I always do arrive in time!
But emphasis can also be given by stressing the frequency adverb and leaving it in its usual
position after the auxiliary:
. > You should 'always check your oil before starling.

B. Group (a) can also be put at the beginning or end of a sentence:

C. Adverbs in group (b) above, (but not ever alone), can also be put at the beginning of a
sentence, only with inversion:
.> Hardly/Scarcely ever did they manage to meet unobserved.

D. Never, ever:
never is chiefly used with an affirmative verb, never with a negative.
It normally means 'at no time':
. > He never saw her again. > I've never eaten snails.
>>never + affirmative can sometimes replace an ordinary negative:
.> I waited but he never turned up. (He didn't turn up.)
>>never + interrogative can be used to express the speaker's surprise at the non-
performance of an action:
.> Has he never been to Japan? I'm surprised, because his wife is Japanese.

ever means 'at any time' and is chiefly used in the interrogative:
.> Has he ever marched in a demonstration? ~ No, he never has.
. ever can be used with a negative verb and, especially with compound tenses, can often
replace never + affirmative:
.> I haven't ever eaten snails. (I have never eaten snails.)
This use of ever is less common with simple tenses.
. ever + affirmative is possible in comparisons and with suppositions and expressions of
doubt:
I don't suppose he ever writes to his mother.
Order of adverbs
Expressions of manner usually precede expressions of place:
.> He climbed awkwardly out of the window.
.> He'd study happily anywhere.
But away, back, down, forward, home, in, off, on, out, round and up usually precede
adverbs of manner:
.> He walked away sadly. > She looked back anxiously.
.>They went home quietly. >They rode on confidently.
here and there do the same except with the adverbs hard, well, badly:
.> He stood there silently but, > They work harder here.

Time expressions can follow expressions of manner and place:

.> They worked hard in the garden today.
.> He lived there happily for a year.
. But they can also be in front position in literary English or when it is not the main focus:
.> Every day he queued patiently at the bus stop.
Adverbs modifying whole sentences (sentence adverb)
These modify the whole sentence/clause and normally express the speaker's/narrator's opinion.
A.Adverbs expressing degrees of certainty
(a) actually (= in fact/really), apparently, certainly, clearly, evidently, obviously,
presumably, probably, undoubtedly
(b) definitely
(c) perhaps, possibly, surely
Adverbs in group (a)usually placed in mid position: (after be, after aux, before m.verb)
.> He is obviously intelligent
.> They certainly work hard.
.> They have presumably sold their house.
Can also come at the beginning or at the end of a sentence or clause: group (a)
.>Apparently, he knew the town well.
.>He knew the town well apparently.
Definitely can be used in the above positions but is less usual at the beginning of a sentence.
perhaps and possibly are chiefly used in front position, though the end position is possible.
surely is normally placed at the beginning or end, though it can also be, next to the verb. It
is used chiefly in questions:
.> Surely you could pay £1? > You could pay £1, surely?
Note that though the adjectives sure and certain mean more or less the same, the adverbs differ
in meaning.

certainly - definitely:
He was certainly there; (there is no doubt about it.)
But surely indicates that the speaker is not quite sure that the statement which follows is true.
He thinks it is, but wants reassurance.
.> Surely, he was there? (I feel almost sure that he was.)

B. Other sentence adverbs

admittedly, (un)fortunately, frankly, honestly*, (un)luckily, naturally*,
officially* etc.
. usually in the front position though the end position is possible.
. They are normally separated from the rest of the sentence by a comma.
. Starred adverbs can also be adverbs of manner.
.> Honestly, Tom didn't get the money.
(Sentence adverb, honestly here means 'truthfully’. The speaker is assuring us that Tom didn't
get the money.)
.> Tom didn't get the money honestly (adverb of manner) = Tom got the money dishonestly.

C. Adverbs of degree:
. An adverb of degree modifies an adjective or another adverb.
. It is placed before the adjective or adverb.
.> You are absolutely right. .> I'm almost ready
But enough follows its adjective or adverb:
. > The box isn't big enough. .> He didn't work quickly enough.
far requires a comparative, or too + positive:
.> It is far better to say nothing. .>He drives far too fast.
Much replace far here. It can also be used with a superlative:
.> solution is much the best.

The following adverbs of degree can also modify verbs:

(almost, barely, enough, hardly, just, (a) little, much, nearly, quite, rather, really and scarcely)
. All except much are then placed before the main verb, like adverbs of frequency.
.> He almost/nearly fell. > I am Just going.
.> Tom didn't like it much but > I really enjoyed it.

D. only can also modify verbs.

. In theory it is placed next to the word to which it applies, preceding verbs, adjectives
and adverbs.
. preceding or following nouns and pronouns:
 (a) He had only six apples, (not more than six)
(b) He only lent the car. (He didn't give it.)
(c) He lent the car to me only. (not to anyone else)
(d) I believe only half of what he said.
But in spoken English people usually put it before the verb, obtaining the required meaning
by stressing the word to which the only applies:
.>He only had 'six apples is the same as (a) above.
.>He only lent the car to '•me is the same as (c) above.
>I only believe 'half of what he said, is the same as (d) above

E. just, like only, should precede the word it qualifies:

.> I'll buy just one. I had just enough money
.> I had just enough money.
It can also be placed immediately before the verb:
.> I'll just buy one. .>I just had enough money.
But sometimes this change of order would change the meaning:
.> Just sign here. (Means This is all you have to do.)
.> Sign just here. (Means Sign in this particular spot.)

Fairly and Rather:

A. Both can mean 'moderately'
a. But fairly is chiefly used with 'favourable adjectives and adverbs (bravely, good, nice, well)
b. rather is chiefly used in this sense before 'unfavourable' adjectives and adverbs (bad,
stupidly, ugly etc.)
➢ Tom is fairly clever, but Peter is rather stupid.
➢ I walk fairly fast but Ann walks rather slowly.
Both can be used similarly with participles:
➢ He was fairly relaxed; she was rather tense.
➢ a fairly interesting film. a rather boring book
The indefinite article, if required, precedes fairly but can come before or after rather:
➢ a fairly light box. > a rather heavy box/rather a heavy box.
With adjectives/adverbs such as fast, slow, thin, thick, hot, cold etc., which are not in
themselves either 'favourable' or 'unfavourable', the speaker can express approval by
using fairly and disapproval by using rather:
➢ This soup is fairly hot. (implies that the speaker likes hot soup)
➢ This soup is rather hot. (Implies that it is a little too hot for him.)
B. rather can be used before alike, like, similar, different etc. and before comparatives.
It then means 'a little' or 'slightly':
➢ Siamese cats are rather like dogs in some ways.
➢ The weather was rather worse than I had expected.
rather is possible with certain nouns: disappointment, disadvantage, nuisance, pity, shame
and sometimes joke:
➢ It's rather a nuisance (= a little inconvenient) that we can't park here.
➢ It's rather a shame (= a little unfair) that he has to work on Sundays.
fairly cannot be used in these ways.
C. rather can be used before certain 'favourable' adjectives/adverbs
. such as amusing, clever, good, pretty, well but its meaning then changes;
. it becomes nearly equivalent to very, and the idea of disapproval vanishes:
➢ She is rather clever. ( is nearly the same as She is very clever.)
rather used in this way is obviously much more complimentary than fairly.
For example the expression
➢ It is a fairly good play. (would, if anything, discourage others from going to see it.)
➢ But > It is rather a good play (is definitely a recommendation.)
Occasionally rather used in this way conveys the idea of surprise:
➢ I suppose the house was filthy. - No, as a matter of fact it was rather dean.
D. rather can also be used before enjoy, like and sometimes before dislike, object and some
similar verbs:
➢ I rather like the smell of petrol.
➢ He rather enjoys queueing.
rather can be used in short answers to questions with the above verbs:
➢ Do you like him? - Yes I do, rather.
rather + like/enjoy is often used to express a liking
. which is a surprise to others or to the speaker himself-
. But it can also be used to strengthen the verb:
➢ I rather like Tom. (implies more interest than I like Tom.)

Uses of Quite :
A. This is a confusing word because it has two meanings.
. It means 'completely' when it is used with a word or phrase which can express the idea of
completeness
(all right, certain, determined, empty. /gin finished, full, ready, right, sure, wrong etc.)
➢ The pottle was quite empty.
➢ You were quite wrong.
when it is used with a very strong adjective/adverb such as amazing, extraordinary, means
horrible, perfect: (not clear in book, print error)
➢ It's quite extraordinary; I can't understand it at all.
B. When used with other adjectives/adverbs, quite has a slightly weakening effect,
➢ so that quite good is normally less complimentary than good.
Quite used in this way has approximately the same meaning as fairly but its strength can
vary very much according to the way it is stressed:
➢ quite 'good (weak quite, strong good) is very little less than 'good'.
➢ 'quite ^good (equal stress) means 'moderately good'.
➢ 'quite good (strong quite, weak good) is much less than 'good'.
The less quite is stressed the stronger the following adjective/adverb becomes.
The more quite is stressed the weaker its adjective/ adverb becomes
Note the position of a/an:
➢ quite a long walk.
➢ quite an old castle.
 Hardly, Scarcely, and Barely
hardly, scarcely and barely are almost negative in meaning.
hardly is chiefly used with any, ever, at all or the verb can:
➢ He has hardly any money, (very little money)
➢ I hardly ever go out. (I very seldom go out.)
➢ It hardly rained at ail last summer.
➢ Her case is so heavy that she can hardly lift it.
But it can also be used with other verbs:
➢ I hardly know him. (I know him only very slightly.)
Be careful not to confuse the adverbs hard and hardly:
➢ He looked hard at it. (He stared at it.)
➢ He hardly looked at it. (He gave it only a brief glance.)
scarcely can mean 'almost not' and could replace hardly as used above:
➢ scarcely any/scarcely ever etc.
But scarcely is chiefly used to mean 'not quite':
.> There were scarcely twenty people there, (probably fewer)
Barely means 'not more than/only just':
➢ There were barely twenty people there, (only just twenty)
➢ I can barely see if. (I can only just see it.)

Adverbs and inversion of verbs

Certain adverbs and adverb phrases, mostly with a restrictive or negative sense, can for
emphasis be placed first in a sentence or clause and are then followed by the inverted (i.e.
interrogative) form of the verb
hardly ever, on no account, hardly . . . when, only by, in no circumstances, only in this way,
neither/nor, only then/when never scarcely ever, no sooner . . . than, scarcely … when, not
only, seldom, not till, so, nowhere.
➢ I had never before been asked to accept a bribe.
Never before had I been asked to accept a bribe.
➢ They not only rob you, they smash everything too.
Not only do they rob you, they smash everything too.
➢ 'He didn't realize that he had lost it till he got home.
Not till he got home did he realize that he had lost it.
➢ This switch must not be touched on any account.
On no account must this switch be touched.
➢ He was able to make himself heard only by shouting.
Only by shouting was he able to make himself heard.
➢ He became so suspicious that …
So suspicious did he become that …