Position of adverbs; adverbs of place, time, frequency, expectation, focus Position of adverbs We usually put adverbs immediately before the adjectives and adverbs they modify. 1 It's nearly complete. Is it politically correct? She did it fairly easily. He spoke very quietly. When we use adverbs to modify verbs and sentences, we can put them in front or end position of the clause or sentence (2). We can also put adverbs in mid position after be or an auxiliary verb (3) and before the main verb (4). 2 Usually I have a piece of toast and orange juice in the morning. I might have a snack later. 3 Some people are always hungry when they wake up. I've never wanted to eat breakfast in bed. 4 I really prefer to wait a while before eating. I sometimes drink coffee. Note that we don't put adverbs between a verb and its object. (NOT I-drink sometimes coffee.) Adverbs of place and time: nearby, tomorrow, etc. We use adverbs of place such as nearby and upstairs to add information on location or direction (5), usually in end position, and before adverbs of time such as recently and tomorrow (6). 5 He waited nearby while she took the money and went upstairs. I slipped and fell backwards. 6 You must leave here immediately. I'll be there tomorrow. I haven't been abroad recently. Adverbs of frequency: annually, usually, etc. We usually put adverbs of definite frequency such as annually, daily and twice in end position (7) and adverbs of indefinite frequency such as ever, often and usually in mid position (8). 7 The contract is renewed annually. Rooms are cleaned daily. I've seen that film twice. 8 We often have to work late. It usually rains in the evening. Doesn't he ever study? Expectation adverbs: already, still, etc. We use expectation adverbs to express a connection between events and expectations. We use already to indicate that an event is earlier than expected, usually in mid or end position. 9 His plane has already arrived. Mrs Black had left already. (NOT Already Mrs Black-had left:) use still to say that something is going on longer than expected, usually in mid position. We 10 We are still waiting. I still bite my nails when I'm nervous. Ford still avoids crowds. We use no longer and not ... any longer/more when an event was expected to continue, but did not. We usually put them in mid or end position (11). When we put no longer in front position (12), we must use inversion (the auxiliary verb before the subject). 11 It no longer works. We could not stay there any longer. She doesn't live here any more. 12 No longer do the fishing boats come in large groups to Loch Fyne for the herring season. We use yet (meaning 'up to now') to show that an event is or was expected. We usually put yet at the end of questions, negatives and expressions of uncertainty. 13 Have you read it yet? Classes haven't started yet. I'm not sure if he's finished yet. Focus adverbs: even, just, only We use the focus adverbs even, just and only to draw attention to one part of the sentence. 14 She was only joking. He can't even swim. Her research isn't just about English. We can change the focus and the meaning when we change the position of these adverbs. 15 Mark only works here on Fridays. (= only Fridays, not other days) Only Mark works here on Fridays. (= only Mark, not other people) Participle adjectives, compound adjectives and adjectives as nouns Participle adjectives We use adjectives derived from present participles (surprising) to describe the source or cause of an action or feeling (1). We use adjectives derived from past participles (surprised) to describe the one(s) affected by the action or feeling (2). 1 The news was surprising. The teacher drew a very confusing diagram on the board. 2 My parents were surprised. The confused students said that they couldn't understand it. We can treat people and other living things as the source of a feeling (He's boring) or the ones affected by it (I'm bored) (3). We treat non-living things as the source only (It's boring) (4). 3 Darwin was a fascinating person. I was disappointed. Why is the dog getting so excited? 4 Mars is a fascinating planet. The news was disappointing. (NOT The news was disappointed.) 11 Choose an ending (a-d) for each beginning (1-4) and add participle adjectives from these verbs. astonish exhaust irritate worry 1 I think it's very imitating(d) a are revealed in a new book. 2 Mrs Barnett seemed wormed. (C) b after they had walked ten miles. c that she might not have enough money. 3 They were really exhausted b.) d when students come in late. 4 Theostonishuyicks of magicians (C) Compound adjectives Compound adjectives can consist of an adjective, adverb or noun and either a present participle or a past participle (5). Compounds with present participles are often based on active verbs (6). Compounds with past participles are often based on passive verbs (7). 5 I'm in slow-moving traffic. Was it a well-planned trip? (NOT... a-planned well trip?) 6 'Modern Maids' is the name of a house-cleaning service. (= a service which cleans houses) 7 I'd really like a home-cooked meal for a change. (= a meal which is cooked at home) Others include: energy-saving, life-threatening, low-paid, urgently-needed, well-trained There are some compound adjectives which consist of combinations of adjectives and nouns (8) or adverbs and adjectives (9). 8 He likes fast-food restaurants. Let's try to get front-row seats. Do you have a full-time job? 9 Abortion is a highly-sensitive issue. There are a lot of politically-independent voters. Adjectives as nouns We can use some adjectives after the as nouns to talk about specific groups of people in society. These noun phrases are plural, without -s. 10 The rich aren't happier than the poor. The disadvantaged should be cared for by the wealthy. Note that we can also say poor people or a poor person. (NOT the poors or a-poor) We can also use the before adjectives describing nationality (Italians, French) to talk about the people, their governments, their national teams, etc. These noun phrases are plural, but we don't add -s to words ending in -ch, -sh, -se, -ss. 11 The Italians are here and the French have also agreed to send a peace-keeping force.. The United Nations proposal has support from the Spanish, the Japanese and the Swiss. We use some adjectives after the to talk about an abstract idea. These noun phrases are singular. sports, the unpredictable often happens. 12 The unknown isn't the same as the impossible. In Position of adverbs; adverbs of place, time, frequency, expectation, focus Position of adverbs We usually put adverbs immediately before the adjectives and adverbs they modify. 1 It's nearly complete. Is it politically correct? She did it fairly easily. He spoke very quietly. When we use adverbs to modify verbs and sentences, we can put them in front or end position of the clause or sentence (2). We can also put adverbs in mid position after be or an auxiliary verb (3) and before the main verb (4). 2 Usually I have a piece of toast and orange juice in the morning. I might have a snack later. 3 Some people are always hungry when they wake up. I've never wanted to eat breakfast in bed. 4 I really prefer to wait a while before eating. I sometimes drink coffee. Note that we don't put adverbs between a verb and its object. (NOT I-drink sometimes coffee.) Adverbs of place and time: nearby, tomorrow, etc. We use adverbs of place such as nearby and upstairs to add information on location or direction (5), usually in end position, and before adverbs of time such as recently and tomorrow (6). 5 He waited nearby while she took the money and went upstairs. I slipped and fell backwards. 6 You must leave here immediately. I'll be there tomorrow. I haven't been abroad recently. Adverbs of frequency: annually, usually, etc. We usually put adverbs of definite frequency such as annually, daily and twice in end position (7) and adverbs of indefinite frequency such as ever, often and usually in mid position (8). 7 The contract is renewed annually. Rooms are cleaned daily. I've seen that film twice. 8 We often have to work late. It usually rains in the evening. Doesn't he ever study? Expectation adverbs: already, still, etc. We use expectation adverbs to express a connection between events and expectations. We use already to indicate that an event is earlier than expected, usually in mid or end position. 9 His plane has already arrived. Mrs Black had left already. (NOT Already Mrs Black-had left:) use still to say that something is going on longer than expected, usually in mid position. We 10 We are still waiting. I still bite my nails when I'm nervous. Ford still avoids crowds. We use no longer and not ... any longer/more when an event was expected to continue, but did not. We usually put them in mid or end position (11). When we put no longer in front position (12), we must use inversion (the auxiliary verb before the subject). 11 It no longer works. We could not stay there any longer. She doesn't live here any more. 12 No longer do the fishing boats come in large groups to Loch Fyne for the herring season. We use yet (meaning 'up to now') to show that an event is or was expected. We usually put yet at the end of questions, negatives and expressions of uncertainty. 13 Have you read it yet? Classes haven't started yet. I'm not sure if he's finished yet. Focus adverbs: even, just, only We use the focus adverbs even, just and only to draw attention to one part of the sentence. 14 She was only joking. He can't even swim. Her research isn't just about English. We can change the focus and the meaning when we change the position of these adverbs. 15 Mark only works here on Fridays. (= only Fridays, not other days) Only Mark works here on Fridays. (= only Mark, not other people)