Adverbs as a parts of speech

2.2 Parts of Speech Adverbs.

Words which are normally considered conjunctions, such as and, but, for, nor, yet, and or are considered linking adverbs when they begin a sentence. Conjunctions cannot be used to begin a sentence, because they link two words or two clauses, not two sentences. But words which look like conjunctions, when acting as linking adverbs, can be so used. For instance:

She hated cricket. And she hated soccer even more. r_arrow.gif She hated cricket. She hated soccer even more.
And is a linking adverb not a conjunction. It, unlike a conjunction, can be omitted without drastically affecting the sentences. Also, unlike a conjunction, it does not link two words or clauses, but links two sentences.
Because they link sentences, not clauses, linking adverbs are always preceded by a full stop or a semicolon. For instance:
Bob does not like sport; hence, he isn't coming to the game. r_arrow.gif Bob does not like sport; he isn't coming to the game.
Or
Bob does not like sport. Hence, he isn't coming to the game. r_arrow.gif Bob does not like sport. He isn't coming to the game.
In the above sentences, we can omit the linking adverb, hence, and the sentences remain grammatical and still make sense. (Of course, we also need to omit the comma, and need to capitalise the first word of the sentence).
Stance
These often show the speakers attitude or emotion and include:
probably, perhaps, surely, oddly, actually, officially, obviously, clearly, wisely, morally, disgustingly
Adding in Positive and Negative Sentences
Some adverbs have the effect of adding or subtracting.
I went fishing. So did Harry.
I went fishing. Harry went too.
I went fishing. Harry went also.
The adverbs so, also and too add some of the meaning of the first sentence in the pairs above to the second one. They have the idea of in addition.
In these sentences:
Teresa did not go. Nor did I. (I, too, did not go.)
Teresa did not go. Neither did I.
Teresa did not go. I didn't either.
The words nor, neither and either also have the idea of in addition (too), and are used in negative expressions.
Words used like this include:
neither, nor, too, so, either, else, also
Prepositional Adverbs (or Particles)
Prepositional adverbs have the word form of a preposition, but function as an adverb, that is they modify verbs, often saying where the action takes place. For example:
Some shady characters were hanging around.
We stayed in.
Put that down!
It was living inside.
She lives opposite.
We examined it through and through.
All the words in bold above are prepositional adverbs. They differ from prepositions in that they modify a verb (adverbial) and they do not stand before a noun.
Prepositional adverbs are used to form phrasal verbs. When they do this, they change the meaning of the verb. That is, act as an adverb by modifying a verb. For instance:
Phrasal Verbs
Example Alternative
I looked the word up. I looked up the word.
She brought up an interesting point in the meeting. She brought an interesting point up in the meeting.
Oh! Have they fallen out [had a quarrel] again? (No object)
They have decided to give smoking up. They have decided to give up smoking.A verb plus prepositional adverb is a phrasal verb only when the verb's meaning changes. Also it is often possible to place the object of the verb (if there is one) between the verb and the prepositional adverb. Phrasal verbs differ from prepositional verbs in the previous mentioned two ways.
See comparison of phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs.
Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verbs are composed of a verb and a prepositional adverb. The prepositional adverb, which has the word form of a preposition, modifies the verb and changes its literal meaning. In addition, the prepositional adverb can be precede the object as a Noun Phrase, or follow it, as in the examples in the table below. If the object is a pronoun, it must come before the particle (prepositional adverb).
Phrasal Verbs
Example Alternative
The lift has broken down. (No object)
She brought up an interesting point in the meeting.
She brought up it in the meeting. x.gif She brought an interesting point up in the meeting.
She brought it up in the meeting. tick.gif
Oh! Have they fallen out [had a quarrel] again? (No object)
They have decided to give smoking up.
They have decided to give it up.tick.gif They have decided to give up smoking.
They have decided to give up it.x.gif
His children are grown up. (No object)
I looked the word up.
I looked it up. tick.gif I looked up the word.
I looked up it. x.gif
She put the meeting off.
She put it off. tick.gif She put off the meeting.
She put off it. x.gif
They ran the dog over. They ran over the dog.
We turned off the tv. We turned the tv off.The phrasal verbs, shown in bold, differ in meaning from the literal form of the verb. They differ from prepositional verbs.
See comparison of phrasal verbs and prepositional verbs.
The function of the adverb is that of an adverbial modifier. An adverb may modify verbs (verbals), words of the category of state, adjectives and adverbs.
Annette turned her neck lazily, touched one eyelash and said: "He amuses Winifred." (Galsworthy)
And glancing sidelong at his nephew he thought... (Galsworthy)
For a second they stood with hands hard clasped. (Galsworthy)
And now the morning grew so fair, and all things were so wide-awake. (Dickens)
The man must have had diabolically acute hearing. (Wells)
Harris spoke quite kindly and sensibly about it. (Jerome)
As to their structure adverbs are divided into:
(1) Simple adverbs (long, enough, then, there etc.);
(2) Derivative adverbs (slowly, likewise) forward, headlong etc.); (The most productive adverb-forming suffix is -ly. There are also some other suffixes: -wards, -ward, -long, -wise.)
(3) Compound adverbs (anyhow, sometimes, nowhere etc.);
(4) Composite adverbs (at once, at last etc.).
Some adverbs have degrees of comparison.
(a) If the adverb is a word of one syllable, the comparative degree is formed by adding -er and the superlative by adding -est.
fast — faster — fastest
hard — harder — hardest
(b) Adverbs ending in -ly form the comparative by means of more and the superlative by means of most.
wisely — more wisely — most wisely
beautifully—more beautifully—most beautifully
(c) Some adverbs have irregular forms of comparison:
well —better—best
badly — worse —- worst
much — more — most
little — less — least
According to their meaning adverbs fall under several groups:
(1) Adverbs of time (today, to-morrow, soon etc.);
(2) Adverbs of repetition or frequency (often, seldom, ever, never, sometimes etc.);
(3) Adverbs of place and direction (inside, outside, here, there, backward, upstairs etc.);
(4) Adverbs of cause and consequence (therefore, consequently, accordingly etc.);
(5) Adverbs of manner (kindly, quickly, hard etc.);
(6) Adverbs of degree, measure and quantity (very, enough, half, too, nearly, almost, much, little, hardly, rather, exceedingly, quite, once, twice, firstly, secondly etc.).
Three groups of adverbs stand aside: interrogative, relative and conjunctive adverbs.
Interrogative adverbs (where, when, why, how) are used in special questions.
Conjunctive and relative adverbs are used to introduce subordinate clauses.
Some adverbs are homonymous with prepositions, conjunctions and words of the category of state.
Adverbs of time – yesterday, then, yet, now, today, tomorrow, etc. – are placed at the end of the sentence or at the very beginning of it.

I went to the theatre yesterday.YesterdayI went to the theatre.

Adverbs of repetition and frequency – often, never, seldom, sometimes, usually, still etc. - precede the principal verb.
They never do this. He often goes there.
But with the verb to be they follow the verb.
She is still in bed. The girl is often ill
Adverbs of manner – kindly, badly, well, etc. and of place – here, there etc. – are usually placed after the direct object or after the verb.
Mr. Black’s wife plays the piano well.
If an adverb of time and an adverb of place are used together the latter precedes the former.
I’ll go there tomorrow.
Adverbs of degree (almost, nearly, quite, just, too, very etc.) are generally placed before adjectives or other adverbs.
I find him very clever. We know him quite well.
Mind that enough comes after the adjective.
This hat is good enough for me.