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?'"

INTERROGATIVE ADVERBS

Interrogative Adverbs answer the questions How? When? Where? and Why?, but these words themselves are adverbs. They may be used as interrogative adverbs at the beginning of direct questions. 

How was the movie?
When does the play begin?
Where is the new mall being built?
Why don't you like her?

• Notice that an inverted word order is used in these questions. That is, the subject follows the simple past or simple present of the verb to be or the first auxiliary verb used with that form. If a different verb is used, there comes after the first auxiliary verb, which must be a form of to do. 

Why did he run away?
When does Aunt Tilly leave for home?
How is the pie?
Where was your wallet?

• Note that the verbs run and leave, the subjects (he, Aunt Tilly) come AFTER the auxiliary verbs (did, does). The subjects pie and wallet follow a form of the verb to be (is, was). 

Write these indirect questions as direct questions.
EXAMPLES:
Explain how the game is played. becomes: How is the game played?
I need to know where the car keys are. becomes Where are the car keys?

Notice that how can be used in four different ways:

1. meaning 'in what way?':

• How did you make this sauce?
• How do you start the car?

2. with adjectives:

• How tall are you?
• How old is your house?

3. with much and many:

• How much are these tomatoes?
• How many people are coming to the party?

4. with other adverbs:

• How quickly can you read this?
• How often do you go to London?

Interrogative Adverbs of Time

Examples are: when, how long, how early, how soon etc.

When will you finish this job?
How long will you stay here?
How often do you visit them?
How soon can you begin work?

Interrogative adverbs of Place

Where do you live?
Where has she come from?
Where can I find him?

Interrogative adverbs of number

Examples are: how many, how often, how much

How many students are there in the class?
How often does the committee meet?

Interrogative adverb of manner

Examples are: how

How did you arrive at the conclusion?
How are you doing?
How was the experience?
How did you do it?

Interrogative adverbs of degree or quantity

Examples are: how much, how far, how high etc.

How much did you pay?
How far can you go?
How much more do you want?

Interrogative adverbs of reason

Example: why

Why are you crying?
Why did you quit?
Why do you hate her?
Why do you want to go there?

AFFIRMATIVE ADVERBS

• Affirmative Adverb (yes)- examples of this adverb includes: yes, surely, certainly, indeed.

Example: I hope my parent just for once will say yes to my latest idea.

Example: You must have heard about the haunted house surely?

Example: Certainly we'll try to rid this place of the foul odour.

Example: It would indeed help if I had a bodyguard.

Adverbs of affirmation are those adverbs that are used to indicate that a statement is true or that in some other way to affirm it. They can be used within sentences, often as a way of adding emphasis, but they are often used alone as the answer to a question.

Perhaps the most common adverb of affirmation, one familiar to all beginning Spanish speakers, is sí. It is the simple affirmative answer to a question, usually translated as "yes":¿Te gustan las fresas? —Sí. "Do you like the strawberries?" "Yes."

Unlike the English word "yes," however, sí is commonly used even when a question hasn't been asked or implied:

• Of course!
•  He didn't believe it, but I did.
• I believe (or think) so.
• Now you're really going to know what is good.
• I really like chocolate.

Here are some of the other common adverbs (or adverbial phrases) of affirmation:

Ciertamente is the equivalent of "certainly."Ciertamente Carlos es un bailarín glorioso. Carlos is certainly a magnificent dancer.

Claro is often translated as "clearly." Claro, no tiene experiencia política. Clearly, she doesn't have political experience.

Obviamente is often translated as "obviously." El primer consejo, obviamente, debe ser escuchar. The first piece of advice, obviously, ought to be to listen.

Por supuesto is often translated as "of course." Por supuesto nuestro cliente participa activamente. Of course, our client actively participates.

También typically means "also." También habla francés. He also speaks French.

ADVERBS OF FREQUENCY

Adverbs of Frequency are Adverbs of Time that answer the question "How frequently?" or "How often?". They tell us how often something happens. Here are some examples:

1. daily, weekly, yearly
2. often, sometimes, rarely

E - Adverbs of definite frequency

Examples:

·         hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly

·         every second, once a minute, twice a year

·         once, twice, once or twice, three times

Adverbs of definite frequency, like all adverbs of definite time, typically go in END position. Look at these examples:

·         Most companies pay taxes yearly.

·         The manager checks the toilets every hour.

·         The directors meet weekly to review progress.

Sometimes, usually for reasons of emphasis or style, some adverbs of definite frequency may go at the FRONT, for example:

·         Every day, more than five thousand people die on our roads.

E.1 - Adverbs of indefinite frequency

Examples:

·         never, seldom, sometimes, often, always

Adverbs of indefinite frequency mainly go in MID position in the sentence. They go before the main verb (except the main verb "to be"): 

·         We usually go shopping on Saturday.

·         I have often done that.

·         She is always late.

Occasionally, sometimes, often, frequently and usually can also go at the beginning or end of a sentence:

·         Sometimes they come and stay with us.

·         I play tennis occasionally.

Rarely and seldom can also go at the end of a sentence (often with "very"):

·         We see them rarely.

·         John eats meat very seldom.

Adverbs of frequency chart.

ADVERBS OF DEGREE OR QUANTITY

Adverbs of Degree tell us the degree or extent to which something happens. They answer the question “how much?” or “to what degree?”. Adverbs of Degree can modify verbs, adjectives and otheradverbs.

·         She entirely agrees with him. (How much does she agree with him?)

·         Mary is very beautiful. (To what degree is Mary beautiful? How beautiful is Mary?)

·         He drove quite dangerously. (To what degree did he drive dangerously? How dangerously did he drive?)

Almost, nearly, quite, just, too, enough, hardly, scarcely, completely, very, extremely.

Adverbs of degree are usually placed:

1. before the adjective or adverb they are modifying:
   e.g. The water was extremely cold.
2. before the main verb:
   e.g. He was just leaving. She has almost finished.
3. 
   

Examples

• She doesn't quite know what she'll do after university.
• They are completely exhausted from the trip.
• I am too tired to go out tonight.
• He hardly noticed what she was saying.

Enough, very, too

Enough as an adverb meaning 'to the necessary degree' goes after adjectives and adverbs.

Examples

• Is your coffee hot enough? (adjective)
• He didn't work hard enough. (adverb)

It also goes before nouns, and means 'as much as is necessary'. In this case it is not an adverb, but a 'determiner'.

Examples

• We have enough bread.
• They don't have enough food.

Too as an adverb meaning 'more than is necessary or useful' goes before adjectives and adverbs, e.g.

• This coffee is too hot. (adjective)
• He works too hard. (adverb)

Enough and too with adjectives can be followed by 'for someone/something'.

Examples

• The dress was big enough for me.
• She's not experienced enough for this job.
• The coffee was too hot for me.
• The dress was too small for her.

We can also use 'to + infinitive' after enough and too with adjectives/adverb.

Examples

• The coffee was too hot to drink.
• He didn't work hard enough to pass the exam.
• She's not old enough to get married.
• You're too young to have grandchildren!

Very goes before an adverb or adjective to make it stronger.

Examples

• The girl was very beautiful. (adjective)
• He worked very quickly. (adverb)

If we want to make a negative form of an adjective or adverb, we can use a word of opposite meaning, or not very.

Examples

• The girl was ugly OR The girl was not very beautiful
• He worked slowly OR He didn't work very quickly.

BE CAREFUL! There is a big difference between too and very.

• Very expresses a fact:
  He speaks very quickly.
• Too suggests there is a problem:
  He speaks too quickly (for me to understand).