Position of Adverbs

Adverb of Manner

(e.g.: slowly, carefully, awfully)

These adverbs are put behind the direct object (or behind the verb if there's no direct object).

subject	verb(s)	direct object	adverb
He	drove	the car	carefully.
He	drove		carefully.

Exercise on adverbs of manner

Adverbs of Place

(e.g.: here, there, behind, above)

Like adverbs of manner, these adverbs are put behind the direct object or the verb.

subject	verb(s)	direct object	adverb
I	didn't see	him	here.
He	stayed		behind.

Exercise on adverbs of place

Adverbs of Time

(e.g.: recently, now, then, yesterday)

Adverbs of time are usually put at the end of the sentence.

subject	verb(s)	indirect object	direct object	time
I	will tell	you	the story	tomorrow.

If you don't want to put emphasis on the time, you can also put the adverb of time at the beginning of the sentence.

time	subject	verb(s)	indirect object	direct object
Tomorrow	I	will tell	you	the story.

Exercise on adverbs of time

Adverbs of Frequency

(e.g.: always, never, seldom, usually)

Adverbs of frequency are put directly before the main verb. If 'be' is the main verb and there is no auxiliary verb, adverbs of frequency are put behind 'be'. Is there an auxiliary verb, however, adverbs of frequency are put before 'be'.

subject	auxiliary/be	adverb	main verb	object, place or time
I		often	go swimming	in the evenings.
He	doesn't	always	play	tennis.
We	are	usually		here in summer.
I	have	never	been	abroad

Adverbs of Frequency

Rewrite the sentences and put the adverbs in correctly.

1. I have been to London. (often) → I have often been to London.
2. Have you been to Boston? (ever) → Have you ever been to Boston?
3. He plays golf on Sundays. (sometimes) → He sometimes plays golf on Sundays.
4. The weather is bad in November. (always) → The weather is always bad in November.
5. It rains in California. (never) → It never rains in California.
6. We have fish for dinner. (seldom) → We seldom have fish for dinner.
7. She will see him. (rarely) → She will rarely see him.
8. Peter doesn't get up before seven. (usually) → Peter doesn't usually get up before seven.
9. They do not play tennis on Sundays. (always) → They do not always play tennis on Sundays.
10. Mary watches TV. (hardly / ever) → Mary hardly ever watches TV.

Adverbs Mix

Rewrite the sentences and put the adverbs in correctly.

1. We were in London. (last week) → We were in London last week.
2. He walks his dog. (rarely) → He rarely walks his dog.
3. She waited. (patiently) → She waited patiently.
4. My father goes fishing. (always) → My father always goes fishing.
5. Your bedroom is. (upstairs) → Your bedroom is upstairs.
6. We don't go skiing. (in summer) → We don't go skiing in summer.
7. Cats can hear. (well) → Cats can hear well.
8. I saw him. (there) → I saw him there.
9. The girl speaks English. (fluently) → The girl speaks English fluently.
10. I have seen that film. (never) / (before) → I have never seen that film before.