Page 191 - Advanced English Grammar in Use

A d v e r b s o f p l a c e , i n d e f i n i t e f r e q u e n c y , a n d t i m e

Adverbs of place
Adverbs of place usually go in end position, but we can put them in front position to show a
contrast or expansion (see Unit 90). This order is found mainly in descriptive writing and
reports. Compare:
• The money was eventually found under the floorboards. (= end) and
• The police searched the house and under the floorboards they found a body. {= front)
If we put an adverb of place in front position we have to put the subject after the verb be:
• Next to the bookshelf was a fireplace, (not Next to the bookshelf a fireplace was.)
We can also do this with intransitive verbs used to indicate position or movement to a position,
including hang, lie, live, sit, stand; come, fly, go, march, roll, run, swim, walk:
• Beyond the houses lay open fields, (rather than ...open fields lay.)
• Through the town square marched the band, [rather than ...the band marched.)
However, we don't do this if one of these intransitive verbs is followed by an adverb of manner,
with other intransitive verbs, or with transitive verbs:
• Above his head the sword hung menacingly, (not ...hung the sword menacingly.)
• Outside the church the choir sang, (not ...sang the choir.)
• In the garden John built a play house for the children, (not In the garden built John...)

Adverbs of indefinite frequency
Some adverbs of indefinite frequency, which say in an indefinite way how often something
happens, usually go in mid position. These include hardly ever, often, rarely, regularly, seldom,
and also never and always (but see C below):
• She regularly comes home after midnight.
Other adverbs of indefinite frequency, such as normally, occasionally, sometimes, and usually,
pcan also go in front or end position:
• • I normally (= mid) get up at six o'clock, but sometimes (= front) I have to be up by five.

In formal, literary English, adverbs of indefinite frequency which have a negative meaning can
go in front position. The subject must come after an auxiliary verb or a main verb be in
sentences like this:
• Never had we encountered such an unreasonable official, (not Never we had encountered...)
• Not once was he at home when I phoned, (not Not once he was...)
Other adverbs like this include hardly ever, rarely, seldom, and also at no time.
If there is no auxiliary verb, we use do. Compare:
• He never admitted that his team played badly, and
• At no time did he admit that his team played badly, (not At no time he admitted...)
Adverbs of time
Adverbs of time, which indicate a definite point or period in time or a definite frequency, usually
go in front or end position, but not in mid position:
ty • I went to Paris yesterday. or • Yesterday I went to Paris.
• • We play tennis twice a week. or • Twice a week we play tennis.
However, the adverbs daily, hourly, monthly, weekly etc. only go in end position:
• The train leaves Penn station hourly, (not Hourly the train leaves...; not The train hourly
leaves...)

Position of adverbs = Time adverbs; Inversion: