Adverbs phrases in English

Welcome to another lesson, English enthusiasts! This lesson will help you master everything about adverb phrases in English, also known as adverbial phrases.

What are adverb phrases? How are they any different from adverbs in English? How to find an adverb phrase?

We will be answering these and some more questions in detail.

What are adverb phrases in English?

An adverb phrase in English is a group of words that modifies the main verb of a sentence. Just like an adverb, an adverb phrase also tells us why, where, when, and how an action takes or took place.

Look at the following examples:

• Ashish teaches English.
• Ashish teaches English here.
• Ashish teaches English right here without any book.

The first sentence has a subject (Ashish), a verb (teaches), and the object of the verb teaches (English).

The second sentence, apart from having a subject, a verb, and an object, has an adverb of place: here. It is modifying the verb teaches and tells us where the action of teaching happens.

The third example has two adverb phrases that are giving more details about the action teaches. Right here, the first adverb phrase is telling us where the action of teaching happens, and the second adverb, without any book, tells us how the action of teaching happens.

Now, do we really have to answer why adverb phrases are important to use? We just saw how using adverb phrases makes our sentences more detailed by telling us the details of the action.

Adverb phrases examples

• Jon played the guitar surprisingly well. (Describes how the action happened)
• My sister prepares food very quickly. (Describes how the action happens)
• That day, you performed extremely beautifully. (Describes when and how the action happened)
• Jimmy is sleeping on the floor. (Describes where the action is happening)
• You should avoid going around that place. (Describes where the action should not happen)
• I am doing everything to make people happy. (Describes why the action is happening)
• He started listening to English to learn it better. (Describes why the action happened)
• You will get a call from the company after a few days. (Describes when the action happens)

If you notice, these examples have prepositional phrases and infinitive phrases working as adverbs, modifying the main verb in the sentence.

Adverb phrases of time (WHEN)

Adverb phrases of time describe ‘when’ the action takes/took place in a sentence.

Some adverb phrases of time

• After the match
• In the next 3 years
• Within a few months
• As soon as possible
• Very soon
• Last night
• The day before yesterday
• Any time
• In the evening

Adverb phrases examples in sentences

• Let’s meet after the match.
• He wants to have his own brand in the next 3 years.
• If you start listening to English, your listening and speaking skills will improve within a few months.
• We will reach out to you as soon as possible.
• She is getting married very soon.
• We had a crazy party last night.
• Your cousin Riya called me the day before yesterday.
• You can call me at any time.
• Let’s meet in the evening.

These adverb phrases of time (in red) are modifying the verb of the sentences by talking about the time of the action.

Adverb phrases of place (WHERE)

Adverb phrases of place describe ‘where’ the action takes/took place in the sentence.

Some adverb phrases of place

• Behind our school
• At the station
• By the police station
• In front of my house
• Under the bed
• Behind the curtains
• In the face
• On the lips

Adverbial phrases examples in sentences

• We used to fight behind our school.
• Don’t wait for me; I’ll see you at the station directly.
• He lives by the police station.
• Some people are fighting in front of my house.
• Jimmy is hiding under the bed.
• She could hide behind the curtains too.
• Joey smacked him in the face and knocked him out.
• Last night, she kissed me on the lips. It was beautiful.

The adverb phrases (colored red) are modifying the verbs by talking about where they are taking place.

Adverb phrases of reason (WHY)

Adverb phrases of reason describe ‘why’ the action takes/took place in the sentence.

Some adverb phrases of reason

• To succeed in life
• To pursue higher education
• To pay their loans
• To make my family happy
• To eradicate poverty from the world
• To impress others
• To be calm and composed
• To educate others

Adverbial phrases examples in sentences

• Most people don’t push themselves enough to succeed in life.
• Max is going to London to pursue higher education.
• People are selling themselves to pay their loans.
• I am working day and night to make my family happy.
• We need to educate every single human being living on the planet to eradicate poverty from the world.
• People buy stupid things to impress others.
• To be calm and composed, I meditate daily.
• To educate others, they are running a school for free.

The adverb phrases (colored red) are modifying the verbs in these sentences by talking out why they are taking place. Adverb phrases of reason are often infinitive phrases.

Adverb phrases of manner (HOW)

Adverb phrases of manner describe ‘how’ the action takes/took place in the sentence.

Some adverb phrases of manner

• Very well
• Lightning fast
• Extremely carefully
• Very easily
• In a low voice
• With a lot of zeal and compassion
• Like a grown-up man

Adverbial phrases examples of sentences

• You cook very well.
• Max kicks lightning fast.
• You have to do it extremely carefully.
• Some people can convince you very easily. I want this power too.
• Max answered my call in a low voice.
• Jenny always talks with a lot of zeal and compassion.
• You need to behave like a grown-up man.

These adverb phrases (colored red) are telling in what manner the action is happening.

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Types of adverb phrases

1. An adverb and an intensifier

We can form adverb phrases/adverbial phrases using a regular adverb and an intensifier (words that make adverbs stronger) or a mitigator (words that make adverbs weak).

Common intensifiers = very, extremely, completely, highly, rather, really, so, too, totally, utterly, etc.
Common mitigators = fairly, pretty, slightly, quite, somewhat, etc.

2. Prepositional phrases

Prepositional phrases can function as both adjectives and adverbs. They start with a preposition and are followed by the object of the preposition.

Preposition = behind
The object of the preposition = our school
Fight where? = Behind our school

Preposition = in
The object of the preposition = a low voice
Answered the call how? = in a low voice

Both prepositional phrases are working as adverb phrases as they are modifying the main verb in the sentence. The first adverb phrase tells us where the action would happen, and the second tells us how the action happened.

3. Infinitive phrases

Infinitive phrases also function as adverbs; they modify verbs too. They start with an infinitive (TO + V1).

Infinitive = to pay
The object of the infinitive = their loans

Infinitive = to succeed
The modifier of the infinitive = in life

4. Participle phrases

Participle phrases can function both adjectivally (as adjectives) and adverbially (as adverbs). Let’s see how participle phrases function as adverbs.

(Thinking about his old days at the hostel is a present participle phrase that telling us the reason why the action in the main clause took place. It is functioning as an adverb.)

(Here, having returned Alex’s money is a perfect participle phrase that is modifying the main verb of the main clause, telling us why the subject I felt relieved.)

How to find adverb phrases in a sentence?

I know you guys, now, know how to find adverb phrases in a sentence. 😉

Still, let me show you how to do it. Find the main verbs in the following sentences and ask WHY/WHERE/WHEN/HOW to them. The result will be your adverb phrases.

• The girl is sitting on the table.
  Sitting where?
  Adverb phrase = on the table

• He eats like a pig.
  Eats how?
  Adverb phrase = like a pig

• My friend Monu got me a phone to make me happy.
  Got me a phone why?
  Adverb phrase = to make me happy

• She will call me after 10 p.m.
  Call WHEN?
  Adverb phrase = after 10 p.m.

Important points

1. Punctuate adverb phrases correctly.

If you start a sentence with an adverb phrase, offset it using a comma after it. But when it comes at the end of a sentence, don’t use a comma.

• To earn more money, Max is doing night shifts these days.
• In my childhood, I used to trouble my mother a lot.

Using a comma after the adverb phrase (when it comes at the beginning of a sentence) helps us understand where it ends, and it also creates a dramatic effect.

• Max is doing night shifts these days to earn more money.
• I used to trouble my mother a lot in my childhood.

2. Don’t get confused between adverb phrases and adjective phrases.

If you misplace your adverb phrases, you could end up having adjective phrases. Look at the following example:

• Let’s check out the bike in the next room.

Is the prepositional phrase modifying the verb ‘check out’ or the noun ‘bike’? Shall we go to the next room to check out the bike or check out the bike that is in the next room?

Confused? 😉

The prepositional phrase is intended to modify the verb, but it seems to be modifying the noun, logically. In such a case, rephrasing or rewording is the best way to avoid confusion.

3. You can have multiple adverb phrases in your sentence.

If you wish to, you can use multiple adverb phrases in your sentence. Let me show you an example:

• After the match, we will have a party at my house to celebrate our victory.

We have three adverb phrases in the above sentence (bold).

Adverb phrases vs adverb clauses

Don’t confuse adverb clauses with adverb phrases or the other way around.

An adverb clause is a group of words that has a subject-verb combination and works as an adverb in a sentence, and an adverb phrase is a group of words (doesn’t have the subject-verb combination) that works as an adverb.

So both, adverb phrases and adverb clauses, modify a verb in a sentence. But adverb phrases don’t have a subject-verb combination; that’s why they are called phrases, not clauses. One more difference is that adverb clauses always start with a subordinating conjunction which adverb phrases do not.

(Because he is crazy about money is the adverb clause that’s giving the reason why the subject is doing the action: looting. It starts with a subordinating conjunction (because) and has a subject (the guy), and a verb (does). The presence of the subject-verb combination makes it a clause, and since it modifies the main verb, it becomes an adverb.)

(Because of money is the adverb phrase in the sentence. It doesn’t have a subject-verb combination in it; hence, it is a phrase, not a clause. Because of money is a prepositional phrase that’s working as an adverb, modifying the verb looting.)

More examples of adverb clauses:

• She is laughing as if there is no one in the class.
  (An adverb clause of manner = describes HOW the action is happening)

• Most people do all the crazy things before they get married.
  (An adverb clause of time = describes WHEN the action happens)

• My dog Jimmy follows me wherever I go.
  (An adverb clause of place = describes WHERE the action happens)

• Max did not come to play with us yesterday as he was hospitalized.
  (An adverb clause of reason = describes WHY the action did not happen)

So, that is what adverb phrases, commonly known as adverbial phrases, are. Please don’t keep the knowledge to yourself; empower others by sharing it with them.

Adverb phrases vs Adverbial phrases

Are adverb phrases and adverbial phrases the same? A lot of people think they are, but there is a subtle difference between them. Adverbial phrases are phrases that function as adverbs, that include regular adverb phrases (formed out of a regular adverb) and other phrases (headed by a preposition, infinitive, or participle). And an adverb phrase is a phrase headed by a regular adverb.

So, all adverb phrases are adverbial phrases and always function as adverbs, but adverbial phrases can function differently. Also, note that adverb phrases are formed out of a regular adverb (a word that always functions as an adverb), and adverbial phrases may be formed or headed by a preposition, participle, or infinitive.

Adverb phrases

• He hit the ball very hard.
• My sister Richael sings extremely well.
• I used to run lighting fast in my college days.

Notice that all these adverb phrases are headed by a regular adverb (hard, well, fast). These words can only function as adverbs.

Adverbial phrases

• We hid his keys under a pillow.
• Jon is coming here to help us with our doubts.
• Hearing about the news of Jacob’s death, we started crying.
• You did it very gracefully.

The first three adverbial phrases are formed without using a regular adverb. These include a prepositional phrase, an infinitive phrase, and a participle phrase working as an adverb. But the fourth one is a regular adverb phrase. All of these will be termed adverbial phrases as they are working as adverbs in these sentences.

Note 1: prepositional phrases, infinitive phrases, and participle phrases can function as adjectives, but a regular adverb phrase can’t; it always functions as an adverb.

Note 2: a regular adverb is a word that is meant to be used as an adverb. Examples – fast, slowly, cowardly, etc.

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