Adverbs and adverb phrases: typical errors
Many errors with adverbs are spelling errors:
-
It happened quite accidentally.
-
Not: …
quite accidentaly. -
Actually*, I’ve been very busy.*
-
Not:
Actualy… -
It’s not something that can be done easily.
-
Not: …
that can be done easly. -
They were happily married for 20 years.
-
Not:
They were happyly married… -
The building was completely destroyed.
-
Not: …
completly destroyed. -
I felt extremely unhappy about it all.
-
Not:
I felt extremly unhappy… -
[end of a formal letter/email]
-
Yours sincerely, Mark Johnson
-
Not:
Yours sincerly… -
I am truly sorry for what happened.
-
Not:
I am truely sorry…
- Adverbs: forms
Adverbs and adverb phrases indicating frequency don’t usually go after the verb phrase. They usually go in mid position:
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He usually goes to the park after school.
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Not:
He goes usually to the park after school. -
Our next door neighbours sometimes come here for dinner. We hardly ever go to theirs.
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Not:
We go hardly ever to theirs. -
At the end of the day, do you often come home from work feeling tired?
-
Not: …
do you come often home from work…
Adverbs and adverb phrases indicating time usually go in end position:
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I’ll post the CDs to you tomorrow.
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Not:
I’ll post tomorrow the CDs to you. -
I received your email about the meeting late.
-
Not:
I received late your email about the meeting.
We don’t often put always, usually, never, etc. at the beginning of a sentence or clause:
- She was always comparing herself to other people.
- Not:
Always she was comparing herself to other people.