Adverbs of place, time and frequency, order of adverbs
Adverbs of place and time
In the English language, adverbs of place and time are always to be found at the beginning or end of a sentence. Furthermore, notice the following English grammar rule at the end of a sentence: "place before time".
- Yesterday my dad bought me some blank CDs.
- My dad bought me some blank CDs yesterday.
- Upstairs it is much warmer.
- It is much warmer upstairs.
- Let's meet again here tonight!
Adverbs of frequency
Adverbs of Frequency answer the question "How often?" or "How frequently?" They tell us how often somebody does something.
Adverbs of frequency come before the main verb (except the main verb "to be"):
- We usually go shopping on Saturday.
- I have often done that.
- She is always late.
Occasionally, sometimes, often, frequently and usually can also go at the beginning or end of a sentence:
- Sometimes they come and stay with us.
- I play tennis occasionally.
Rarely and seldom can also go at the end of a sentence (often with "very"):
- We see them rarely.
- John eats meat very seldom.
Order of several adverbs at the end of a sentence
Usually, the adverb of manner can be found at the very end of a sentence. When adding other adverbs one has to consider the following English grammar rule below. It is easy to remember as they are listed in alphabetical order: manner - place – time.
| manner | place | time |
|---|---|---|
| how? | where? | when? |
Jenny paints and draws beautifully. - how?
The children played quietly outdoors. - how? where?
Tom cried silently in her bed last night. - how? where? when?
Anna walked home slowly today. - how? when?