'Loudly' is used (like 'loud') to talk about the strength of a noise. The opposite of 'loudly' is quietly'.
When they are arguing, they talk so loudly that the people in the next flat can hear every word.
'Aloud' is often used with the verbs 'read' and 'think', to say that words are spoken, not just 'said' silently in the head.
S/he has a very good pronunciation when s/he read aloud.
'What did you say?' - 'Oh, nothing, I was just thinking about.'
Typical mistakes:
All along the journey she kept complaining.
Along the story, we learn how...
'Along' is used with nouns like road, river, corridor, line: words that refer to things with a long, thin shape.
I saw her running along the road.
His office is along the corridor.
With more abstract words (or nouns that refer to time or activities), we use 'through'.
Right through the meal...
Through the story, we learn how...
All through the journey...
With words that refer to time, the structure 'all...long' is used.
I'd like to live somewhere where the sun shines all year long.
I could sit and look at you all day long.
Also notice the special use of 'along' as an adverb in expression like 'Come along' (= Come with me) or 'walking along (= walking on one's way).
Typical mistakes:
I go often to the theatre.
She often is late.
We always have lived in this house.
This job will be never finished.
1. In general, mid-position adverbs go before the verb, but they go after am, are, is, was, were even when these are main verbs.
I often go to the theatre.
She suddenly stood up and started singing.
She is often late.
I was never happy at home.
2. When a verb has several parts (e.g. will be finished, have lived, should have been working), the most common position is after the first auxiliary verb.
We have always lived in this house.
This will never be finished.
You should definitely have been working this morning.
Other positions are possible, particularly when the first part of the verb phrase is a 'modal auxiliary', or used to or have to.
You often must be bored (or: you must often be bored).
She could have easily been killed (or: She could easily have been killed).
We always used to go to the seaside in May (or: we used always to go... or: we used to always go...).
When an auxiliary verb is used alone instead of a complete verb phrase, the adverb comes before it.
'Don't trust politicians.' - 'I never have, and I never will.'
'Are you happy?' - 'I certainly am.'
When adverbs of manner (which say how something is done) go in mid-position, they ae normally put after all auxiliary verbs.
Don't you think the repair has been properly done?
When I saw her, she was being well looked after.
When do you think you will have completely finished?
3. In emphatic sentences, many adverbs are put before the first auxiliary verb (and before am, are, is, was, were).
I certainly do like you.
'You should always be polite.' - 'I always am polite.'
You really will get a surprise one day.
He said he would never tell them, and he never has told them.
4. In negative sentences, some adverbs come before not and others after, depending on the meaning. Compare the following:
I certainly do not agree. I do not often have headache.
Both positions are possible with some adverbs, often with a difference of meaning. Compare the following:
I don't really like her. I really don't like her.
When adverbs come before Not, they may also come before the first auxiliary verbs; they always come before Do.
I probably will not be there (Or: I will probably not be there).
He probably does not know (Not: He does probably not know).
Only one position is possible before a contracted negative.
I probably won't be there.
5. The determiners All, Both and Each can come in the same position as mid-position adverbs.
They must have both been caught.
You ae all being silly.
Always you make the same mistake.
Never I will understand this.
I a couple of days ago ordered some seeds for the garden.
Mr. Harrison on Tuesday called a meeting of the directions.
I like very much skiing.
She speaks well English.
Verb and object
It is unusual to put adverbs between the verb and its object. These are not generally separated in an English sentence.
She speaks English well.
I very much like skiing (Or: I like skiing very much).
Normal positions for adverbs
There are three normal positions for adverbs:
Mid-position (before the verb, or part of the verb)
He suddenly drove off.
We have never been searched by the customs.
End-position (at the end of a clause)
He drove off suddenly.
Jam arrived late.
Initial position (at the beginning of a clause)
Suddenly he drove off.
Yesterday I had a bad headache.
Not all adverbs can go in all three of these positions. Only certain kinds of adverbs can go in initial position. Most kinds of adverb can go in both mid-position and end-position, but there are some that can only go in one or the other. See the following paragraphs for details. The exact place of mid-position adverbs depends on the verb form, and also on the kind of adverb. When several adverbs come in end-position, the order is not completely free.
Adverbs and adverb phrases
Most adverbs can go in both mid-position and end-position.
Do you often come here?
Do you come here often?
I angrily walked out of the room.
I walked angrily out of the room.
I walked out of the room angrily.
I don't completely agree.
I don't agree completely.
However, 'adverb phrases' (groups of words that function as adverbs) cannot usually go in mid-position. Compare the following:
Mr. Donald then called a meeting of the directors.
Mr. Donald called a meeting of the directors on Tuesday (Not: Mr. Donald on Tuesday called...).
I recently ordered some seeds for the garden.
I ordered some seeds for the garden a couple of days ago.
There are a few short common adverb phrases (e.g. at once, very often) which can go in mid-position.
I have very often wondered why people read advertisements.
Adverbs that cannot go in mid-position
Adverbs of place do not normally go in mid-position. They generally come at the end of the clause; some of them can also come at the beginning.
She' sitting outside.
We drove northwards.
Adverbs of definite time (which say exactly when something happens) do not go in mid-position. They can be put at the beginning or end of a clause.
I met her yesterday (Not: I yesterday met her).
Tomorrow we're leaving for Canada (Not: We're tomorrow leaving for Canada).
Adverbs of definite frequency (which say exactly how often something happens) do not usually go in mid-position; they are normally put at the end of a clause.
Milk is delivered daily.
We have meeting monthly.
Adverbs of indefinite time and frequency can go in mid-position.
I've recently become interested in gardening.
We often play bridge on Sunday nights.
Adverbs which are used to evaluate (to say how well something is done) normally go in end-position, not mid-position.
You've organized that well (Not: You've well organized that).
She sings badly (Not: She badly sings).
But these adverbs can come before past participles in passive structures.
It's been well designed.
The wall was very badly built.
Adverbs of manner (that say how something is done) can go in mid-position.
He was happily playing with his toys.
He was playing with his toys happily.
But adverbs of manner must go at the end of clauses when they give important information. Compare the following:
She slowly opened the door and looked inside.
The light was bad, so he drove slowly (Not: ...he slowly drove).
Adverbs that cannot go in end-position
Some adverbs cannot usually go in end-position. 'Focusing' adverbs (which direct our attention to one part of the clause) usually go in did-position.
I only like cowboy film.
She was simply trying to apologize.
My mother was particularly impressed by the dancing.
We must also buy some gas cylinders.
(Adverbs like these can focus our attention on the verb, the complement, a direct or indirect object, or another adverb. Sometimes the same sentence can be understood in different ways.
Louise only ate fish on Fridays.
We also washed the car.
In the first example, the meaning may be that only fish was eaten on Friday, or that fish was eaten only Fridays. In the second example, we can understand either that something else was done (besides washing the car), or that something else was done to the car (besides washing), or that something else was washed (besides the car). Normally sentences like these are understood without difficulty because of the context and (in speech) because of the intonation and stress.)
There are a few 'focusing' adverbs which do not go in mid-position. 'Too', 'either', and 'as well' usually go at the end of a clause.
Rady wants a bath too.
I don't like him either.
We'd better get some butter as well.
'Only' and 'even' go in initial position when they refer to the subject.
Only George could make a mistake like that.
Even the baby realized what was going on.
Some adverbs (like probably, certainly) say how certain something is to happen or to be true. These do not normally go in end-position. 'Probably', 'certainly' and 'definitely' go in mid-position.
They've probably forgotten the time.
I definitely saw a flash of lightning.
'Perhaps' and 'surely' usually go in initial position.
Perhaps we're going to have a storm.
Surely you don't think she's beautiful.
Adverbs of degree (like nearly, almost, quite, hardly, scarcely) cannot go in end-position. Mid-position is normal.
I nearly stopped and asked what he wanted.
You can hardly expect her to smile at you after what you said.
Adverbs that can go in initial position
Most adverbs of time can go in initial position.
Yesterday I got up late.
In January it rained all the time.
Once I wanted to be a doctor.
These adverbs can also go in end-position - see above.
Some adverbs of frequency can also go in initial position.
Occasionally I try to write poems.
Sometimes we have parties in the garden.
Note that, however, that 'always' and 'never' cannot go in initial position, except in imperative sentences.
I will never understand this (Not: Never I will...).
You always make the same mistake (Not: Always you make...).
Some adverbs of place can go in initial position, especially in a descriptive style. E.g. I opened the box. Inside was another box.
'Here', 'there' and (in literary writing) other 'directional' adverbs can also go in initial position.
Here comes your bus.
There goes Mrs. Reagan.
Down came the rain.
Some adverbs of manner can go in initial position.
Slowly we approached the top.
Gently she examined the child's leg.
'Discourse markers' (adverbs which show our attitude to what we are saying, or which connect it with what came before) often come in initial position.
Frankly, I think she's lying.
Actually, you're mistaken.
Typical mistake: Everest is high 9,000 meters.
Examples:
Six feet high Ten feet down ten years old Two miles long Six feet deep
Notice the difference between ten feet square (= 10 ft x 10 ft) and ten square feet (= 2 ft x 5 ft, or 10 ft x 1 ft).
When expressions like these are used as attributive adjectives (before the noun), the measurement noun is normally singular: Compare the following: a bole six feet deep Vs a six-foot-deep bole
Typical mistakes:
She sang beautiful.
I am terrible tired.
She's a typically Englishwoman.
Examples of adjectives: beautiful, tired, typical, old, complete, surprising. Adjectives say what something is or seems like. They can be used in 2 ways:
1. before nouns. This is called 'attributive position'. E.g. a beautiful song, a tired expression, a typical EnglishwomanShe sang beautifully.
I am coming soon.
You always misunderstand me.
Adverbs can also be used in other ways:
To modify (affect the meaning of) adjectives. E.g. I'm terribly tired. A typically English artist...
To modify other adverbs: He went terribly quickly.
To modify a whole sentence: Actually, I can't come.
To modify a prepositional phrase: You're completely out of your mind. It's right on top of the cupboard.
Note that very many different kinds of words are called 'adverbs'...
There are a large number of problems connected with the use of adjectives and adverbs. Most of them are explained in the following section, a few are dealt with in other parts of this blog. The problems include:
