lingua house

TM

Innovation in Learning

A A A A ENGLISH GRAMMAR

Word order 2 - Verb + adverb

Lesson code: EK3M-N3Z8-RU53 INTERMEDIATE

1 Presentation
In English, there are a number of rules about the position of adverbs in a sentence.

Adverbs that tell us how something happens go after the verb or after the object:
Alison is speaking very quietly. He plays football well.
Sometimes the adverb can be placed before a verb + object to add emphasis:
It started to rain, so he quickly opened his umbrella. She slowly got out of bed.
But if there is no object, the adverb usually goes after the verb:
She sings beautifully. She beautifully sings.
These common adverbs are almost always placed AFTER the verb:
well badly hard fast

Other adverbs, including adverbs of frequency, follow different rules. These adverbs include:
always often usually probably definitely never ever
almost always hardly ever both all even already

Context Position and examples

with one-word verbs Before the verb:
Jacob always gets home very late.
I never drink coffee in the evening.
She hardly ever speaks to me.

with the verb `be' After the verb:

Carol is always late. Are you ever ill?
Jack was probably at home this morning.

with multiple-word verbs After the first verb:

I can never understand her. Have you ever been to Japan?
Look at her. She's definitely been working too hard.
Note: the adverb probably goes before a negative:
I probably won't see you at the party tonight.
(NOT: I won't probably see you.)
LE

1/2
AB

You can review this worksheet online at www.linguahouse.com/ex

Review your flashcards at least 3-5 times a week for 20 minutes to keep the material fresh in your memory.
PI

O
c
Linguahouse.com OC
P H OT
 lingua house
TM
Word order 2 - Verb + adverb
Innovation in Learning

A A A A ENGLISH GRAMMAR

2 Practice 1
Decide if the word order in each sentence is right or wrong. Correct the incorrect sentences.

1. John can run really fast. RIGHT

2. Can you fast type? WRONG - Can you type fast?
3. Marcus easily doesn't agree.
4. I can't hear you very clearly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5. Thomas can easily beat me at chess. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6. Florence badly plays the violin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7. Their team brilliantly played yesterday. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8. She generously lent him the money he needed to buy a new laptop.
.......................................................................................
9. They've been hard training for tomorrow's match. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
10. He smartly dresses every day. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
11. Martin can cook wonderfully. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
12. Helen's German is excellent. She fluently speaks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3 Practice 2
Rewrite the sentences to include the word in brackets:

1. I have sushi for lunch. (often) I often have sushi for lunch.
2. Vivek doesn't reply to emails. (always) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. What do you do at the weekend? (usually) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. Angela is at home at this time of day. (almost always) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5. John isn't working right now. (probably) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6. How long have you been living together? (both) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7. I will come to your wedding. (definitely) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8. The shop is closed on Saturdays. (normally)
9. After only a few months in Russia, Jim is speaking Russian. (already) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
10. I won't forget my first day at school. (ever) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
11. Jola needs English lessons. (definitely) She can't say `How are you?' (even)
. ......................................................................................
LE

2/2
AB

You can review this worksheet online at www.linguahouse.com/ex

Review your flashcards at least 3-5 times a week for 20 minutes to keep the material fresh in your memory.
PI

O
c
Linguahouse.com OC
P H OT