RELATIVE ADVERBS

Relative Adverbs

Read the sentence given below.

Do you know the place where the meeting will be held?

In the sentence given above, where is an adverb as it modifies the verb will be held. It is also a relative as it connects the two clauses of the sentence and at the same time refers back to its antecedent place. Where is therefore called a relative adverb. A relative adverb connects an adjective clause to the main clause.

That was the reason why I decided to resign.

Here why is an adverb as it modifies the verb decided to resign. It is also a relative as it connects the two clauses of the sentence and at the same time refers back to its antecedent reason. Why is therefore called a relative adverb because it connects the adjective clause ‘why I decided to resign’ to the main clause ‘that was the reason’.

WHAT IS THE USE OF RELATIVE ADVERBS?

 The relative adverbs are used similarly to relative pronouns. In addition, you can use in place of relative pronouns that are accompanied by preposition.

That's the day in Which We first met.

That's the day we first met when to.

Notes:

The relative adverb when can be replaced by in which/on which; where can be replaced by in which/at which; why can be replaced by for which.

I don’t know the place where he lives. (= I don’t know the place at which he lives.)

I don’t know the reason why she hates me. (= I don’t know the reason for which she hates me.)
I still remember the day when he returned home. (= I still remember the day on which he returned home.)

Relative Adverb Clauses
"Relative adverb clauses are subject and predicate (finite verb) structures carrying out the grammatical functions attributed to an adverb modifier. They are introduced by the relative adverbs when, where, and why, expressing such meanings as time, place, and reason. They differ from relative adjective clauses only with regard to the grammatical functions that the pronouns carry out within their own clauses. Similarly, these relatives carry out the grammatical function of connector. As sentence constituents they both modify or refer back to an antecedent in the independent clause, which is a noun or its replacement."
(Bernard O'Dwyer, Modern English Structures: Form, Function, And Position, 2nd ed. Broadview Press, 2006)

"The relative adverb where begins a clause that modifies a noun of place. For example, 'My family now lives in the town where my grandfather used to be sheriff.' The relative pronounwhere modifies the verb used to be, but the entire clause modifies the noun town.

"A when clause modifies nouns of time. For example, 'My favorite day of the week is Friday, when the weekend is about to begin.'

"A why clause modifies the noun reason. For example, 'Do you know the reason why school is out today?' Sometimes the relative adverb is left out of these clauses, and the writer substitutes that instead. For example, 'Do you know the reason that school is out today?'"