Adverbs and adjectives 7

Position of adverbs

There are three main positions in a clause for adverbs:

front position (before the subject):
Normally, I write for about six hours a day.
mid position (between the subject and verb, immediately after be as a main verb, or after the first or
second auxiliary verb):
I usually start work by about 8.00. I'm generally up at about 7.00. I had never been to Norway before.
If my books hadn't been successful, I would happily have stayed in teaching or ! would have happily
stayed..
end position (after the verb; either immediately after it or later in the clause):
He writes simply.
Many adverbs can go in any of these positions, depending on the context or style of writing
Gradually, they grow into real people. or They gradually grow .... or They grow gradually....

Some adverbs tend to appear in particular positions:

Always, never; adverbs of indefinite frequency (hardly ever, often, rarely, regularly, seldom); and degree
adverbs (almost, hardly, nearly, quite, rather, scarcely) are usually put in mid position:
Irarely have a clear idea. I always know how a book is going to end.
Constantly, continually, regularly; absolutely, completely, entirely, greatly, perfectly are usually put either in
mid or end position, but not in front position:
I greatly admire William Boyd. or! admire William Boyd greatly. (not Greatlyq-affmife ...)
Adverbs of place are usually put in end position:
I work upstairs. (not 44pstairs-Eweick. I I-Eipstaifs-werk.)
Adverbs of definite time and frequency are usually put in end position:
I finished my previous book last January. (not 14ast-lanveryfinished ...)
Adverbs of time or frequency consisting of more than one word (e.g. as a rule, from time to time, every so
often) are usually put either in front or end position, but not mid position:
As a rule, I prefer finding information from books. (not 4-as-a-rulaarefer ...)
We avoid putting an adverb between a main verb and a direct object, or following an -ing form or to-infinitive
Istill speak Swedish quite welt (not 1-still-speak-qtrite-well-SwedisIL)
I started writing professionally. (not l-stafted-prefessionally-writing)
Id like to go back again. (not CoLfike-te-ge-ageln-l-lock)
In end position we usually put adverbs of place before adverbs of time:
I hadn't been to Norway before. (not I hadn't been before to Norway.)

Ffl Quite, rather; already, yet, still; even, only; really

Quite, rather
The usual position for quite is before alan and an adjective, where it means 'moderately':
Elsa is quite a dominant figure
Less often, quite is used between alan and an adjective, where it means 'completely':
It's a quite remarkable story.

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 7 Adverbs and adjectives
The usual position for rather is between a/an and an adjective. Less often, but with a similar meaning, rather is
used before a/an and an adjective
My mother was a rather gentle woman. or My mother was rather a gentle woman.
Already, yet, still
Already can go in either mid or end position:
I'd already decided that I wanted to write ... or I'd decided already ...
Yet is usually put in end position in negatives, questions and expressions of uncertainty:
I don't know if I can tell you yet.
Still usually goes in mid position:
I'm still sketching out the plot
Even, only
Even and only usually go in mid position:
He can even speak Swedish.
but if they refer to the subject they usually come before it:
Sometimes even I'm surprised. Only my close family had read anything I'd written.
Really
The meaning of really can change according to its position in a sentence. Immediately before an adjective it
means 'very'. In other positions it can mean 'actually' or 'in fact':
I'd been feeling really tired.
My friends thought I was joking but I really had decided to leave teaching.

ED Position of adjectives
START POINT
His excellent novel. His novel is excellent.
Many adjectives can be used either before the noun they describe,
go or following the noun and a linking verb
such as be, become, feel and seem that connects a subject with a word or phrase that describes the subject.

The following adjectives can be used immediately after a noun:

many participle adjectives (i.e. adjectives that end with -ing or -ed. See Unit 12,2.1 for more on participle
clauses):
There'll be a lot of people waiting eagerly to get hold of it (= a lot of people who will be waiting)
Some of the geographical settings used in A Woman Alone are based on places I visited. (= settings which are
used in A Woman Alone)
adjectives used after indefinite pronouns (e.g. something nothing):
I really don't think it was anything special.
There was nothing extraordinary about my first novel.

2.4 Gradable adjectives

If an adjective is gradable, we can say that a person or thing can have more or less of the quality referred to
(e.g. ambitious, busy). Gradable adjectives can be used with adverbs such as extremely, slightly or very.
somewhat ambitious, extremely busy, slightly different, very rich, pretty strong
If an adjective is non-gradable, we don't usually imagine degrees of the quality referred to (e.g. huge, impossible).
To emphasise the extreme or absolute nature of non-gradable adjectives we can use adverbs such as absolutely,
completely or totally:
absolutely huge, completely impossible, practically unknown, almost unique, totally useless

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 Adverbs and adjectives 7
Some adjectives have both gradable and non-gradable uses:
some (e.g. common) have gradable and non-gradable uses with different meanings:
Bard reth isn't a very common surname. (gradable: common = frequent)
Elsa and my mother have certain common characteristics. (non-gradable common = similar)
some (e.g. diplomatic) have wadable and non-gradable uses with related meanings:
You're being very diplomatic (gradable because it refers to the quality the person has)
He worked as the diplomatic correspondent of a national newspaper. (non-gradable because it refers to the
type of correspondent he is)

lea Patterns after adjectives

When an adjective comes after a linking verb, we can use a number of patterns after the adjective, including a
to-infinitive or an -ing form:
I was unwilling to leave teaching
It felt fantastic having my first book published.
Some of my close friends thought I was mad to give up my job. or... was mad giving up my job.
Many adjectives can be followed by a that-clause, including some that can also be followed by a to-infinitive or
an -ing form:
I was aware that needed rest.
I was greatly relieved that my subsequent books sold quite well. or ... was greatly relieved to find ...
I felt bad that I was leaving the children or I felt bad leaving ...

Grammar exercises
lagl Complete the sentences by writing the words in brackets in the correct order. Give alternatives
where possible.

1 Not wanting to wake the children, I climbed the stairs auistig .(quietly - stairs - the)
hardly ever visits
2 She her parents. (ever - hardly - visits)
3 When I bumped into his car, he began to shout angrily
at me. (angrily - shout - to)
4 Juan thinks we should sell our car and buy bikes instead, and I absolutely agree with him.
(absolutely - agree - I)
left last week
5 Natalie is on a working holiday in New Zealand. She and should be home at
the end of June. (last - left - week)
We ocasionally go
6 for a meal after work to catch up on news. (go - occasionally - we)
7 We
seldom go out
to see a film. (so - out - seldom)
8 As I walked out of the room she started singing loudly .(loudly - singing - started)

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7 Adverbs and adjectives

10E1 Complete the sentences using the adjectives in the box. Use the same adjective in each pair of
sentences. If possible, include the adverb given in brackets.

(severely) critical (very) genuine (rather) odd

(highly) original (extremely)-pac-t-iatlet (thoroughly) professional
(somewhat) technical (pretty) wild

1 a She's gxtrerneLg partucticir about what she eats, and never touches processed food at all.
b There are so many hotels in the city to choose from. Why did you go for that
particular one
technical
2 a The launch of the space shuttle has been delayed due to a fault.
b The operating instructions were somewhat technical and difficult to understand.

3 a The vase is a genuine antique not a recent copy.

very genuine
b I'm sure Anya wouldn't lie to you - she's a person.
original
4 a After protests on the streets, the government had to reconsider its
decision to double the tax on petrol.
b He's admired around the world for his highly original style of guitar playing.
5 thoroughly professional
a She is a dedicated teacher and hard-working.
b I couldn't fix my computer myself, so I had to get some professional help.
rather odd
6 a As soon as I'd eaten the oysters, I had a feeling in my stomach.
odd
b All the houses on this side of the street have numbers.
7 critical
a The strike comes at a time for the company, which has just invested in a
major new factory.
b The report was severely critical of the Principal's management of the college, and she was
forced to resign.
wild
8 a The disease was passed on to chickens by birds.
b It's a pretty wild area of moorland, a long way from roads and settlements.

FE Complete the sentences with a to-infinitive or -ing form of the verb in brackets.

1 When the phone rang she was busy acing her homework (do)
to live inland. (live)
2 When I see pictures on TV of the flooding near the coast, I'm thankful
to fall asleep during lessons. (fall)
3 My teacher's rather old and he's inclined
4 I never felt comfortable working in the same office as Theresa. (work)
5 As soon as you're ready to leave I'll call for a taxi. (leave)

6 Maria's already lent me a lot of money and I feel awkward asking her for more. (ask)
to blame the government if anything goes wrong in the
7 Certain newspapers are always quick
country. (blame)
leaving
8 I felt bad her to do all the clearing up after the party. (leave)

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