Position of Adverbs of manner, time and place
Position of Adverbs of manner
Concept 1
Adverbs of manner (they answer the question ‘How?‘) are generally placed after the verb or after the object if there is one.
E.g., well, fast, quickly, carefully, calmly.
So, these patterns are possible:
Verb + Adverb of manner
It is raining heavily.Verb + Object + Adverb of manner (if object is short)
She speaks English well.
He does his work carefully.Adverb of manner + Verb + Object (if object is very long)
He carefully writes a novel that he is supposed to submit by Sunday.Adverb of manner + Verb (for emphasis)
Concept 2
Adverb of manner comes before adjective
Adverb of manner + Adjective
She is unreasonably anxious. (unreasonably – adverb; anxious - adjective)
He is ill mannered. (ill – adverb; mannered – participle adjective $V_3$)
Concept 3
Away/Out/In/Off/On/Back/Forward/Home + Adverb of manner
Meenakshi looked back anxiously.
Jennifer walked away sadly.
Position of Adverbs of place and time
Concept 1
Adverbs (or adverb phrases) of place and of time are generally placed after the verb or after the object if there is one.
I looked everywhere. (looked – verb; everywhere - adverb)
I met her yesterday. (her – object; yesterday- adverb)
Concept 2
For emphasis, adverb of time or place can be used at the beginning (before the verb or a sentence).
There goes my brother.
Yesterday, I saw a movie.
Here it is.
Concept 3
We also put adverbs of place in front position to show a contrast or expansion.
The child was eventually found under the bridge. (adverb at end position)
The police searched the locality and under the bridge they found a body. (adverb at front position to show expansion)
Concept 4
Concept 4a
If we put an adverb of place in front position we have to put the subject after the verb ‘be’.
Next to the tree a pothole was. (incorrect)
Next to the tree was a pothole. (correct)
Concept 4b
We can also put the subject after the verb in case of intransitive verbs used to indicate position or movement to a position (e.g. hang, lie, live, sit, stand; come, fly, go, march, roll, run, swim, walk)
Through the town square the army marched. (incorrect)
Through the town square marched the army. (correct)
However, we don’t do this:
- if one of these intransitive verbs is followed by an adverb of manner,
- with other intransitive verbs (that do not indicate position or movement to a position), or
- with transitive verbs.
Above his head hung the sword menacingly. (incorrect)
Above his head the sword hung menacingly. (correct; hung – an intransitive verb indicating position or movement to a position; menacingly - adverb of manner)
Outside the temple sang the singer. (incorrect)
Outside the temple the singer sang. (correct; sang – an intransitive verb not indicating position or movement to a position)
At the beach built Saurabh a castle for the children. (incorrect)
At the beach Saurabh built a castle for the children. (correct; built – transitive verb)
Concept 5
The following types of adverbs of time usually go in front or end position, but not in mid position:
- Those which indicate a definite point or period in time or
- Those which indicate a definite frequency.
I went to Delhi yesterday. (correct; yesterday - adverb of time indicating a definite point in time)
Yesterday I went to Delhi. (correct)
We play football twice a month. (correct; twice a month - adverb of time indicating a definite frequency)
Twice a month we play football. (correct)
Mutual order of Adverbs of manner, place and time
When there are two or more adverbs after a verb (and its object), the normal order is adverb of manner, adverb of place, adverb of time.
The President spoke earnestly at the meeting yesterday. (earnestly - adverb of manner; at the meeting – adverb phrase of place; yesterday – adverb of time)
She played well in the stadium. (well – adverb of manner; in the stadium – adverb phrase of place)
Extra Books and Tools
If you prefer to learn via books, or want some good English Grammar books for reference purposes, you may read this article which enlists some of the books recommended by us.