Correct Usage of Adverbs :
If the word or the group of words to be qualified is an Adjective or an Adverb or a Phrase or a Clause, the qualifying Adverb is placed immediately before it.
Adjective or Participle
1. We are
half pleased and
half sorry.
2. The mango you brought was
quite ripe.
3. That box is
too heavy for you to lift.
Adverb
1. A snake creeps
very silently.
2. He stood
far apart from me.
3. He seized my hand
rather roughly.
Phrase
1. He arrived
long before the time.
2. We sat
almost in the shade.
3. He stood
just behind me.
Clause
1. Tell me
precisely how it happened.
2. I like a mango
only when it is ripe.
3. He did this
merely because he was ordered to.
There is one exception to the above rule. The word ENOUGH (when it is an Adverb and not an Adjective) is placed after the word it qualifies.
1. Your pay is good
enough for your work.
2. He spoke highly
enough of what you had done.
If the Verb to be qualified is Intransitive, the qualifying Adverb is placed immediately after it.
1. He lived
well and died
happily.
2. He laughed
heartily at that joke.
3. He spoke
foolishly about his own merits.
Adverbs denoting time are an exception to this rule. For the Adverbs always, never, often, sometimes, generally, rarely, merely and seldom are usually placed before and not after the Verb they qualify.
1. He
always laughed at a good joke.
2. He
never spoke about his own merits.
3. He
often came here to see me.
4. He
sometimes slept in my house.
5. He
merely came to return my book.
6. He
seldom stayed with me for long.
But they can be placed after as well as before the Verb TO BE.
1. He is
seldom absent.
2. He
seldom is absent.
If the Verb to be qualified is Transitive, the qualifying Adverb must not be allowed to separate the Verb and its Object.
The Adverb must therefore be placed either before the Verb or after the Object. But it is more commonly placed after the Object.
1. He bore his losses
cheerfully.
2. He did his work
patiently till sunset.
3. He
briefly explained his meaning.
Sometimes, however, if the Object is qualified by a clause or consists of a good many words, the Adverb may come between the Verb and its Object.
1. He rewarded
liberally all those who had served him well.
If the Tense of the Verb is formed by an Auxiliary Verb, the Adverb is generally placed between the Auxiliary Verb and the Principal Verb.
1. The wind has
suddenly risen.
2. I have
quite forgiven you.
3. Your son will
soon return.
4. He is
almost dying, I fear.
Similarly, the Negative Adverb NOT is always placed between the Auxiliary Verb and the Principal Verb.
1. We have
not seen him since Monday last.
2. I did
not know how ill he was.
3. We shall
not punish him severely.
RELATED PAGES :
- Correct Usage of Nouns
- Correct Usage of Pronouns
- Correct Usage of Verbs
- Correct Usage of The Conjunctions
- Correct Usage of The Adverbs - MUCH and VERY
- Correct Usage of The Adverbs - LITTLE and A LITTLE
- Correct Usage of The Adverbs - YES and NO
- Correct Usage of The Adverb - ONLY
- Correct Usage of The Adverb - TOO
- Correct Usage of The Adverb - ENOUGH
- Correct Usage of The Adverb - SINCE
- Correct Usage of The Adverb - AGO
- Correct Usage of The Adverb - BEFORE
- Correct Usage of The Adverb - ALREADY
- Correct Usage of The Adverb - THERE
- Correct Usage of The Adverb - ELSE
- Correct Usage of The Adverb - NEVER
- Correct Usage of The Adverb - QUITE
- Correct Usage of AT and IN
- Correct Usage of WITH and BY
- Correct Usage of BETWEEN and AMONG
- Correct Usage of BESIDE and BESIDES
- Correct Usage of IN and INTO
- Correct Usage of IN and WITHIN
- Correct Usage of SINCE and FROM
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