B2 and C1. Adverb and Adverbial Order

Adverbs and adverbials may be one or several words that offer information on circumstances connected to the state or activity named by the verb. Adverbs are one-­‐ word items that modify verbs. Adverbials may be single words or phrases that provide information about when, where, how, or why things happen. So adverbs fall into the category of adverbials. The difficulties around them have to do with where we should place adverbs. Adverbials belong to the predicate, and there they may be placed next to the verb or after the object (at the end **). But they may be found at the beginning of a sentence )), provided they do not separate the subject from the verb.

A general idea is this: elements in a sentence organize around the heart of the sentence, S + V, in a hierarchical manner: the more important they are, the closer they are to the heart. For instance, an object (O) is more important than an adverbial of time because it is closer to the verb, so the adverbial of time can never interfere between the V and its O, and must be placed after. Exceptions: Frequency Adverbs.

When an element that usually comes before another is long, the shorter element may come before. You probably do it intuitively. Examples: Do you go out with your friends EVERY WEEKEND? Do you go out EVERY WEEKEND with all of those really noisy friends of yours?!

Adverb Order [after V/O] MANNER + PLACE + TIME (often, TIME – SUBJECT+VERB – MANNER + PLACE)

F.A. go just before the main verb, like “also” (seldom, hardly ever, always), except if the V is “be.”

Comment/Viewpoint & Connecting Adverbials. C1.

Presumably*, … Certainly*, … Clearly*, … Undoubtedly*, … Obviously*,

… As might be expected, … Sadly, … Oddly enough, … Interestingly enough, … Generally speaking, … Wisely, … Wrongly, … To my disappointment, … To my surprise, … To be honest/fair, … To put it simply, … On average, … Financially, … Ideologically, … Morally, … Politically, … From a technical point of view, … Personally, … As a result,

… Similarly, … Unlike…

* Degree of certainty )) ** 77 Certainly, they worked hard / They certainly worked hard / They worked hard, certainly.