6A — posi on of adverbs

ini al-posi on adverbs

1. Comment adverbs: fortunately, clearly, surprisingly, basically
2. Connec on adverbs: similarly, however, consequently
3. Adverbs expressing degrees of certainty: perhaps, maybe, surely

1. Fortunately, the re services managed to put out the forest re.

2. However, vast areas of woodland were completely destroyed.
3. Maybe such events will become more commonplace as global temperatures rise.
Surely it is me we took ac on to protect our ancient woodlands.

A er comment and connec on adverbs, we normally place a comma. For emphasis, they can be placed
a er a word or in end posi on.

mid-posi on adverbs
1. Adverbs of frequency: always, o en, rarely
Some mes we put the adverb in the beginning of the sentence for emphasis. However, we never start
the sentence with always.
If we start the sentence with never, hardly ever, seldom or rarely, we invert the verb.

2. When the verb has only one part (arrive, came), the adverb comes between the subject and the verb.
When there is an auxiliary verb (have, can) or be is used as a main verb, the adverb goes a er it, or a er
the rst auxiliary verb if there is more than one.
In nega ve sentences, the adverb normally comes a er the nega ve auxiliary.

3. These other auxiliary adverbs also normally come in mid-posi on: also, already, just, nearly, almost,
currently.

4. Many adverbs expressing degree of certainty (probably, possibly, de nitely) come in mid-posi on. In
nega ve sentences, they normally come before the contracted nega ve auxiliary verb.

1. I normally take a packed lunch to school. Occasionally I’ll go to the canteen. Never had I seen such a
spectacular sight.
2. The trains never arrive on me and they are generally too crowded. He would normally have cycled to
work, but his bike had been stolen. He doesn’t usually forget my birthday, but he hasn’t always got me a
present.
3. I’ve just been to Cuba and I’m also planning another trip.
4. I’ll probably go to the party, but I de nitely won’t stay long.

end-posi on adverbs
yet, too, and though normally come at the end of the sentence

A: Have you nished making supper, yet? Or shall I help you, too?
B: I’ve nearly nished — it’ll be another half hour, though.

variable posi on adverbs

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 1. Time adverbs (yesterday, then, soon) and place adverbs (outside, upstairs, everywhere) normally come
in end-posi on, but can also come in ini al posi on for emphasis.

2. Focusing adverbs (only, mainly, simply, only) normally come before the word they refer to; in par cular,
par cularly and especially can come before it or a er it. We don’t start a sentence with especially or
par cularly.

3. In nega ve sentences really isn’t / doesn’t is stronger in meaning then isn’t / doesn’t really.

4. actually in ini al or end posi on signals something interes ng, surprising or di cult; in mid posi on it
stresses whether or not something happened in reality.

5. Adverbs of manner (con dently, carefully) normally come a er the verb or verb phrase. They can also
some mes come in other posi ons without changing the meaning, especially at the beginning of the
phrase followed by a comma for emphasis, eg. Carefully, he placed the bag on the table.

I went there yesterday. Tomorrow I’m planning to go there again.

Everywhere I looked I saw piles of rubbish.
Only Jean speaks French. Jean only speaks French.
I love classical music, Mozart in par cular.
The concert was brilliant; I especially liked the guitar solo.
I don’t really understand physics, and I really don’t understand chemistry.
I saw Ellie yesterday, actually — but I didn’t actually speak to her.
He listened a en vely. He placed the bag carefully on the table.

adverb combina ons

1. manner — place — me
2. place: direc on — loca on
3. place: smaller — larger
4. me: more speci c — less speci c

1. She worked hard in the laboratory yesterday.

2. We moved to a at in Paris.
3. We sat down on a bench in the park.
4. They arrived at ve o’clock in the morning.

6B — singular and plural agreement

nouns followed by a singular verb
1. Certain uncountable nouns ending in -s: sports (athle cs, gymnas cs), academic subjects (economics,
linguis cs), illnesses (measles, diabetes), and news
2. Countries ending in -s: Philippines, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates
3. Plural expressions of quan ty: y dollars, ten kilos, three and a half hours
4. everyone / everybody and each / every + noun: every term, every one

1. Measles is becoming more widespread in many countries.

I’m afraid the news is not good.
2. The United States is world’s third most populous country.
3. Fi y kilometres is too far to walk in one day.
4. Every student has his or her own locker.
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 nouns followed by a plural verb
1. quan ty expressions with singular noun that refer to a plural idea:
a quarter / a third, 15 / 25 % (per cent) + of + noun
a small / large / considerable / growing number + of + noun
a minority / (the vast / overwhelming) majority, a large percentage / propor on + of + noun
one in ten / four out of every ve + noun

2. greek and la n forms ending in:

-a (plural of -on / -um) criteria / phenomena, curricula
-es (plural of -is / -ix) analyses / crises / diagnoses / hypotheses, appendices
-i (plural of -us) cac / fungi / s muli
-ae (plural of -a) algae / antennae / formulae

1. Fi y percent of secondary school students go on to university.

A signi cant number of people have di culty telling right from le .
The vast majority of women go out to work.
2. The criteria for selec on are set out in the job applica on.
The formulae are quite complex.

nouns followed by either singular or plural verb

1. collec ve nouns: army, audience, class, commi ee, family, government, jury, orchestra, press, police,
public, team, the younger genera on (police is always plural)
2. a verb agrees with the subject: The best thing about the job is the holidays. A er structures with what
we can use either a singular or plural verb
3. neither, nor, either, or, any of, none of (singular is more formal)
4. nouns ending in -s: means, species, nouns with the same singular or plural form: deer, sh, salmon,
sheep, o spring
5. plural words: pyjamas, glasses, pants, scissors, shorts, ghts, trousers, take singular verb with pair and
plural without it
6. media and data are plural (but can take singular)

1. My family are coming to stay next weekend.

My family is the most important thing in the world to me.
England is/are playing in the world cup.
2. The worst part of the course is the exams.
Verb tenses are a di cult English feature.
What I like most about him is/are his good manners.
3. Neither Tom nor Look was/were able to a end the mee ng.
None of the students speak/speaks Japanese.
4. Nowadays, there are many more means of communica on than in the past.
The most common means of transport in the city is the Underground.
5. That pair of sunglasses has been reduced in the sale.
6. Mass media pla orm performs an important func on in society.
The data is/are inconclusive.
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