Learning English

Callum
Hello and welcome to 6 Minute Grammar with me, Callum.

Catherine
And me, Catherine. Hello.

Callum
I was just admiring your hat Catherine.

Catherine
Oh, do you like it?

Callum
Well, it's interesting, really interesting. It's quite brightly coloured, isn't it? And very shiny.

Catherine
Thank you, I think.

Callum
Anyway, moving on. In today's programme we're going to be looking at adverbs and we'll focus on how they are used with adjectives, other adverbs and also look at a couple of categories of adverbs and their usual positions. Catherine, could you remind us what adverbs do and why they are important?

Catherine
Certainly Callum. Adverbs give us more information about verbs, adjectives and other adverbs. And they're important because they help us to answer questions such as where? When? How? And how often? And adverbs can add colour and depth to what we say and write. For example, listen to this sentence.

Finn
He picked up his coat and left. He picked up his coat and left.

Catherine
Now, this is a perfectly good sentence, it's clear and grammatically correct. It tells us what happened but it's not very descriptive. Now listen again, only this time we're going to add some adverbs.

Finn
He calmly picked up his coat and left without making a sound. He calmly picked up his coat and left without making a sound.

Catherine
OK, so the adverb calmly is very descriptive. It tells us how the person did the action. And there's an adverbial phrase as well, did you spot it? Listen again.

Finn
He calmly picked up his coat and left without making a sound. He calmly picked up his coat and left without making a sound.

Catherine
So, did you spot the adverbial phrase?

Callum
It was 'without making a sound'.

Catherine
Exactly. So these adverbs give us lots of information which, depending on the context, can be very dramatic and atmospheric.

IDENT
You're listening to BBC Learning English.

Callum
This is 6 Minute Grammar and today we're taking a look at the position of adverbs. Catherine, I want to take you back to your hat.

Catherine
Really, must you?

Callum
I'm afraid I must, but it's all in the cause of education.

Catherine
OK then.

Callum
Can you remember how I described it?

Catherine
OK. If I remember rightly you said my hat was really interesting, quite brightly coloured and very shiny. Aah, Callum, I see what you've done there. You've given examples of adverbs being used with adjectives and adverbs.

Callum
You see, I'm not just a pretty face.

Catherine
Mmm. Anyway, when we use adverbs to describe adjectives or other adverbs, they must go before the adjective or adverb being modified. So, interesting is an adjective, and the adverb you used was really. The adverb goes before the adjective so the correct form is really interesting. And it's the same with the adjective shiny. You used the adverb very. So very shiny is correct.

Callum
And we also had an example of using an adverb to add information to another adverb, didn't we?

Catherine
We did Callum. You said my hat was very brightly coloured. Again the modifying adverb, in this case, very, must go before the adverb being described.

IDENT
You're listening to BBC Learning English.

Callum
I think we've got a little time to look at some different categories of adverbs.

Catherine
We have, so let's start with adverbs like always, never, often, regularly and hardly ever. We call these adverbs of indefinite frequency and these are frequently used – oh, there's another one, frequently– these are frequently used before the main verb. There are two in this example, never and always.

Finn
I have never met anyone like you. I think I will always love you.

Catherine
Now let's compare adverbs of indefinite frequency to adverbs of definite frequency, like this week, this year, daily. Listen out for the position of daily in this example.

Finn
I ride my bike daily.

Catherine
So, these adverbs usually go in the third position, after the verb and object clause and not directly before the main verb.

Callum
Thanks Catherine. Now time for a short quiz to check some of today's points.

Catherine
We're going to give some example sentences. What are the adverbs and are they in the correct place? Here's the first one.

Finn
He plays tennis well very.

Catherine
The adverbs there are well and very. But the adverb very is in the wrong place. It should go before well. The correct sentence is: He plays tennis very well. Next example, please.

Finn
It was a dark blue car that nearly hit me.

Catherine
The adverb there is dark and it was in the correct place. Final sentence, please.

Finn
I every day take the train to work.

Catherine
And the adverb there, every day, is not in the correct place. It needs to go after the verb clause. So: I take the train to work every day.

Callum
You can find more about adverbs on our website bbclearningenglish.com.

Catherine
And please join us again for more 6 Minute Grammar.

Both
Goodbye.

Callum
One more question Catherine. Just why are you wearing a fluorescent purple cycle helmet in the studio?

Catherine
That's a very good question...