11.4. Chief uses of Adverbs - 부사가 명사를 수식 (2)

11.4 Chief uses of Adverbs.

Adverbs and adverb phrases are chiefly used as modifiers in phrases and as adverbial in clauses and sentences.

 

1) Adverbs as modifiers in phrases

 

a. As modifiers of verbs, e.g.

• He has already admitted his fault at the meeting.

• I can hardly agree to his proposal.

• They totally ignored my views.

 

 

b. As modifiers of adjectives, e.g.

• That was a very funny film.

• He is quite right.

• It is extremely good of you.

• He made the examination extraordinarily easy.

• There was a somewhat uneasy silence as we waited.

 

In the preceding examples the adverbs pre-modify the adjectives. One adverb post modifies adjectives and it is enough, e.g.

• His salary wasn't high enough.

 

 

c. As modifiers of adverbs, e.g.

• They are smoking very heavily.

• They didn't injure him that severely.

• He spoke extremely quickly.

• He played extremely well.

 

As with adjectives, the post modifier is enough:

• He spoke cleverly enough.

 

 

d. As modifiers of prepositions or conjunctions, e.g.

• The nail went right through the wall.

• He made his application well within the time.

• His parents are dead against the trip.

• I went to her party just because I didn't want to offend her.

 

 

e. As modifiers of determiners, e.g.

• Nearly every teacher came to the party.

• They recovered roughly half their equipment.

• He receives about double the amount he expected.

 

 

f. As modifiers of noun phrases, e.g.

• He had quite a party.

• He is such a fool.

• It was rather a mess.

 

 

g. As post modifiers of noun phrases denoting place/time, e.g.

• PLACE: the way ahead, the direction back, the hall downstairs, the noise backstage, his trip abroad, his journey home, the sentence below, the photo above, your friend here, that man there, his return home, the neighbour upstairs.

• TIME: the meeting yesterday, the meal afterwards, the day before, their stay overnight.

 

 

 

2) Adverb phrases as adverbial in clauses or sentences

The adverb phrase can take the initial, medial or end position.

 

a. Generally speaking, adverb of time may occur at all the three positions, e.g.

• Recently they had an accident.

• They recently had an accident.

• They had an accident recently.

 

 

b. By contrast, adverbs of manner appear more often at the end position:

• They live frugally.

• He always drives carefully.

 

 

c. Sometimes for rhetorical reasons, adverbs of manner may occur at the head of the sentence.

• Quietly she walked on and on.

• Noiselessly, the girl crept across the floor and stole out of the house.

 

 

d. Adverbs of place adjuncts normally appear at the end of the sentence, e.g.

• The porter will take your luggage upstairs.

• I couldn't find it though I had looked everywhere.