Adverb phrases

from English Grammar Today

Adverb phrases: forms

An adverb phrase consists of one or more words. The adverb is the head of the phrase and can appear alone or it can be modified by other words. Adverbs are one of the four major word classes, along with nouns, verbs and adjectives.

In the examples the adverb phrases are in bold. The other words that modify the adverb are underlined:

We usually go on holiday in August.

Time goes very quickly.

The day passed quickly enough.

This works really well for its size.

Luckily for us, the cost was not so high.

We kept the new money quite separately from what we’d already collected.

In general, these patterns are similar to adjective phrases.

See also:

• Adjective phrases

Adverb phrases: types and meanings

An adverb phrase can consist of one adverb or an adverb plus other words before it (premodification) or after it (postmodification). Adverb phrases have many different meanings.

In the examples the adverb phrases are in bold. The other words that modify the adverb are underlined.

example	type	used to give information about
We walked very carefully across the floor.	manner	how something happens
Here is where I was born. That’s it. Right there.	place	where something happens
Dad got home very late.	time	when something happens
This pill will take away the paintemporarily.	duration	how long something happens
They almost never invite people to their house these days.	frequency	how often something happens
A: Want some sugar in your coffee? B: Only half a spoon, please.	focusing	something specific
That dog behaves incredibly stupidly!	degree	how much or to what degree something happens
The train will probably be late. It doesn’t necessarily mean that.	certainty or necessity	how certain or necessary something is
Unfortunately for me, I can’t speak Italian.	evaluative	the speaker’s opinion of something
Personally, I don’t see why the party has to start so early.	viewpoint	the speaker’s perspective or reaction
It rained very heavily this summer.Therefore, many of the vegetables were very small.	linking	relationships between clauses and sentences

Adverb phrases: functions

Adverb phrases + verbs

We use adverb phrases most commonly to modify verbs. In the examples the adverb phrases are in bold. The verbs that they modify are underlined:

Children grow up really quickly.

I exercise very regularly and I eat quite healthily.

Adverb phrases + be

We use adverb phrases with be. This is especially typical of adverbs of place:

I’m upstairs. I’ll only be a minute.

A:

Have you seen my gloves?

B:

They’re right there, on the table.

Adverb phrases + adjectives/adverbs

We use adverb phrases (adv) to modify adjectives and other adverbs:

I found it [ADV]extremely [adjective]difficult to talk to her.

He drives [ADV]really [ADV]carefully.

Adverb phrases + other phrases

We use adverb phrases (adv) to modify noun phrases (np) and prepositional phrases:

That’s [ADV]quite [NP]a tree. (it’s a tree that is special in some way, e.g. it’s very big)

There was [ADV]hardly [pronoun]anyone at the concert.

We climbed [ADV]right [prepositional phrase]over the top of the hill and down again.

Adverb phrases + determiners

We use adverb phrases to modify determiners, especially words like all, some, half, many (quantifiers):

Only half of my friends could come to my party.

Very few people have heard of my city. It’s very small.