Adverbial

I. Unit realizing adverbial functions:

The functions of adverbial are realized by:
1. Adverb phrases: Peter was playing aswell as he could. We'll stay there
2. Noun phrases: Peter was playing last week.
3. Prepositional phrases: Peter was playing with great skill.
4. finite verb clause: Peter was playing although he was tired.
5. Non - finite verb clauses, in which the verb is:
a. Infinitive: Peter was playing to win.
b. Ing - participle: Wishing to encourage him, the praised Tom.
c. Ed participle: If urged by our friends, we'll stay.
6. Verbless clauses: Peter was playing, unaware of the danger.
II. Classes of adverbial.
1. Adjuncts: Adverbial which are integrated to some extent in to the structure of the
clause. An adverbial is integrated to some extent in clause structure if it is affected by
such clausal processes as negation and interrogation.
Criteria: It is an adjunct if:
1) It can not appear initially in a negative declarative clause.
* Quickly, they didn't leave home.
2) It can be the focus of a question or of clause negation.
eg: Does he write to his parents b/c he wants to (or dose he write to them b/c
he needs money?).
eg: We didn't go there on Monday (but we did go there on Tuesday).
2. Conjuncts: Adverbial which are peripheral to the clause structure having primary a
connective function.
eg: We didn't have enough money then. In addition to this, we didn't have a
job.
3. Disjuncts: Adverbial which are peripheral to the clause structure and, like conjuncts,
are not affected by negation or interrogation.
eg: To my regret, they didn't win the game.
Note: Item can belong to more than 1 class.
eg: They aren't walking naturally (in a natural way).
Naturally, they are walking (of course)
III. Adverbial positions.
1. Front position: Before the subject.
eg: Every Sunday, he went to the church.
2. Mid - position.
a. Immediately before the main verb if no auxiliaries are present.
eg: Bill never goes abroad.
b. After the operator, ie the 1st auxiliary, if there is more than one verb present.
eg: Bill has never gone abroad.
Bill might never have gone abroad if you hadn't invited him.
c. After forms of "be" when "be" is a main verb .
eg: Bill is never at home these days.
Note: Occasionally, a mid - position adverbial comes before the operator for positive or
negative emphasis.
 eg: I simply don't believe what she said.
You really will have to be more careful.
3. End - position:
a. After an object or complement if there is one present.
eg: Bill took his car to the garage.
b. After an intransitive verb.
eg: Bill works very hard.
* The placing of an adverbial depends partly on its structure (adv, prep - ph, clause, etc).
Order and emphasis also play a part. Long adverbial (CLS, Prep - ph, NPs) normally
occur in end - position, though front - position is not uncommon, particularly for
emphasis or contrast.
eg: We went to Chicago on Monday.
On Monday, we went to Chicago.
He was a complete failure, as far as maths is concerned.
As far as maths is concorned, he was ...
Long adverbials rarely occur in mid - position.
Adjuncts
I. Syntactic features of adjuncts.
1. They can come within the scope of predication pro - forms or predication ellipsis.
eg: John greatly admires Bob, and so does Mary.
The proform in the 2nd clause in clauses the ajunct of the 1st clause.
John greatly admires Bob, and Mary greatly admires Bob.
2. They can be the focus of limiter adverbials such as "only".
eg: They only want the car for an hour (for 3 hour not for longer).
4. They can be the focus of a cleft sentence.
eg: It was when we were in Paris that I first saw John.
II. Adverb phrase as adjuncts: Can often
1. Constitute a comparative construction.
eg: John writes more clearly than his brother does.
2. Have premodifying "however" to form the opening of a dependent adverbial clause.
eg: However strongly you feel about it, you should be careful what you say.
3. Have premodifying "how", a pro-form for intensifiers in questions or exclamations.
eg: How often does she wash her hair?
How cautiously he drives?
4. Have premodifying "so" followed by subject - operator inversion and a correlative
clause:
eg: So monotonously did he speak that everyone left.
III. Subdassification of adjuncts.
1. View point adjuncts: Can be paraphrased by:
- If we consider what we are saying from [Adj - ph] or
- If we consider what we are saying from the point.
View point
Focusing Additive
Limiter
Emphasizer
Intensifier Amplifier
 Downtoner
Manner
Process Means
Instrument
General
Adjunct Subject Volitional
Formulaic
Place Position
Direction
When
Time Duration
Frequency
Relationship
Purpose
Others Cause, reason
.......

of view of [NP]
View poin adjuncts Adj + ly
N + wise (informal, AmE)
eg: Geographically, ethnically, linguistically Technically
- All Ly - viewpoint adjuncts + Speaking or from a [adj - Ph] point of view.
eg: Visually = Visually speaking.
Morally = From a moral point of view.
Economically speaking, As far as mathematics is concerned, looking at politically, it was
not an easy problem.
- Business wise: về kinh doanh
Weather wise: Thời tiết.
Profitwise: Lợi nhuận.
- Viewpoint adjuncts, whatever their structure, are usually in initial position.
2. Focusing adjuncts.
- Limited adjuncts: What is being communicated is limited a part that is focused.
- Additive adjuncts: a focused pat is an addition.
Exclusives: restrict what is said to the part focused.
eg: alone, just, merely, only, purely, simply
Limiters:
Particularizes: restrict what is said particularly or mainly to the part
focused.
eg: Chiefly, especially, mainly, mostly in particular.
Additives: Also, either, even, neither, nor, too, as well as, in addition.
eg: You can get a B grade just for that answer
The workers, in particular, are dissatisfied with the Govt.
We bought some beer as well.
Note: Focusing adjuncts can not be modified.
eg: Very only, extremely also.
Most of them can not be coordinated.
 eg: Just and exactly, equally and like wise.
except: He is doing it purely and simply for your benefit.
- Most limiters can either precede or follow the part on which they are focused, though it
is more usual for them to precede.
- Just merely, purely and simply must normally precede.
eg: You an get a B grade just/merely/ purely / simply for that answer.
- "A lone" follows the part on which it is focused.
eg: You can get a B grade for that answer alone.
- "A gain, also, similarly, in addition": precede a focused part in the predicate but follow
a focused subject.
eg: I know your family has expressed its support. We too / as well will do
what we can for you.
eg: Yesterday the Robinsons were here with their new baby.
They brought their other children too / as well.
eg: My father won't give me the money. He won't even lend it to me.
- They won't help him, but neither / nor will they harm him.
- They won't help him, they won't harm him either.
- Not only did he protest, he also refused to pay.
- Sentence such as:
John only phone Mary to day.
Are ambiguous, the meaning varying with the intonation
We give the sentence.
3. Intensifiers adjuncts.
Emphasizes: definitely.
Maximizes: completely
Intensifiers Amplifiers
Boosters: very much
Compromises: Kind of
Downtowers Diminishes: Partly
Minimizes: Hardly
Approximators: Almost
Emphasizes:
A- Actually, certainly, clearly, definitely, indeed obviously, plainly, really, surely, for
certain for sure, of course.
B- Frankly, honestly, literally, simply, fairly, just.
eg: I honestly don't know what he wants.
He actually sat next to her
I just can't understand it.
They literally tore his arguments to pieces (completely).
I simply don't believe it.
Amplifiers:
A- Maximizes: Absolutely, altogether, completely entirely, fully, quite, thoroughly,
utterly, in all respects.
eg: I can perfectly see why you are anxious about it we absolutely refuse to
listen to your grumbling. He quite forgot about her holiday.
B- Boosters: Badly, deeply, greatly, heartily much, so, violently, well, a great deal, a
good deal a lot, by far, how, more.
eg: I like her very much
Downtoners: have a lowering effect on the force of the verb. 4 groups:
1. Compromisers: Have only a sight lowering effect kind of / sort of (informal AmE).
Quite, rather, more or less (= Almost, approximately).
eg: I kind of like him (informal, esp AmE).
I quite enjoyed the party but I've been to better ones.
2. Diminishes: Scale downwards considerably.
Partly, slightly, some what, in part, to some extent a little.
eg: The incident some what influenced his actions in later life.
I know them slightly.
3. Minimizers: Scale downwards considerably.
A bit, barely, hardly, little, scarcely (negative).
In the least, in the slightest, at all (non - assertive).
eg: I didn't enjoy it in the least.
Do you like her? A bit.
4. Approximators: serve to express an approximation the the force of the verb.
eg; Almost, nearly, as good as, all but I almost resigned.
5. Process adjuncts: 3 types:
Manner adjuncts: - Adj + ly
+ wise
+ style minor
+ fashion
- in ... adj ... maner / way
eg: carefully, snake wise, cowboy - style, peasant - fashion.
Means and instrument adjuncts:
eg; He decide to treat the patient surgically.
He goes to school by car.
You can cut the bread with that knife.
6. Subject adjuncts: 3 types.
General subject adjuncts:
eg: Resentfully, the workers have stood by their leaders.
(The workers have stood by their leaders and were resentful about it).
With great unease. They elected him as their leader.
Volitional subject adjuncts:
eg: He left his proposals vague on purpose.
Deliberately, (un) intentionally, purposely, reluctantly, voluntarily,
willfully, (un) willingly, on purpose, with reluctance.
Formulaic adjuncts: Please, kindly
(He was kind enough to ...)
Please take a seat.
7. Place adjuncts:
Direction: She ran past the sentry.
They followed him wherever he went.
I took the papers from the desk.
Position: He lives in a small village.
The church was built where there had once been an office block.
They are not there.
Adverbs for both direction and position:
Above, along, anywhere, around, away, back, below, by, down, elsewhere, everywhere,
far here, home, in, locally, near, off, opposite, out, over, past, round, somewhere, there,
through under, up, within.
Adverbs for direction only: Aside, backwards downward (s), forward(s), inward(s),
outward(s), left, right, sideways, upward(s).
8. Time adjuncts: 4 types:
"When" adjuncts: Response to a "when" question.
A. Point of time: Last year, now, just, in 1970, when I get back home.
B. A boundary of time: soon, then, after, lunch, since then, afterwards, lately ...
"Duration" adjuncts: Response to "How long" question.
A- Length of time: Always, long, momentarily, permanently, temporarily.
B- Duration from some preceding point of time.
eg: Lately, recently, since.
"Frequency" adjuncts: Response to a "How often" question.
A- Definite frequency:
1. Period frequency: weekly, per week.
2. Number frequency: Once, again, twice.
B- Indefinite frequency.
1. Usual occurrence: commonly, generally, invariably, normally, usually.
2. Continuous / continual frequency, always, constantly, continually, continuesionly.
3. High frequency: frequently, often, regularly, repeatedly.
4. Low or zero frequency: In frequently occasionally, rarely, seldom, sometimes, never,
ever.
"Relationship" adjuncts: Afterwards, eventually finally, first, later, next, originally,
subsequently then.
* Relative positions of time adjuncts:
Duration (D) - Frequency (F) - When (W)
eg: I was there for a day or so every year during my childhood.
D F W
I am paying my rent monthly this year.
F W
Our electricity was cut off briefly to day.
D W
Relative positions of adjuncts
General principles:
1. The normal order can be change to suit the desire for end - focus.
2. A clause normally comes after other structures sine otherwise these would be
interpreted as adjuncts of the clause.
eg: We stood talking for a very long time where the fire had been.
A1 A2
3. Longer adjuncts tend to follow shorter adjuncts.
eg: I was studying earlier in the university library.
 A1 A2
- Where adjuncts cluster in final position: order: Process - Place - time
eg: He was working with his shears in the garden the whole morning
Process Place Time
disjuncts
Most disjuncts are prepositional phrases or clause. Disjuncts can be divided in to two
main classes.
I. Style disjuncts: convey the speaker's comment on the form of what he is saying,
defining in some way under what condition he is speaking.
eg: Seriously, do you intend to resign?
Personally, I don't approve of her.
Strictly speaking, nobody is allowed in here.
There are 12 people present, to be precise.
- common adverbs as style disjuncts include:
bluntly = Frankly, briefly, candidly = Honestly, Confidentially, generally, personally,
seriously.
Note Frankly, he hasn't a chance.
= In all frankness (prep - ph)
= to be frank, to speak frankly, to put it frankly (inf - CL).
= Frankly speaking, putting it frankly (ing - participle CL).
= Put frankly (ed - participle CL).
= If I may be frank, if I can speak frankly, if I can put it frankly (finite CL).
- Style disfuncts normally appear initially.
II. Attitudinal disjuncts: Comment on the content of the communication.
Comment on the content of what he is saying.
eg: Obviously, nobody expected us to be here today.
Understandably, they were annoyed when they read it.
Foolishly, she married him.
Wisely, she didn't go to class on that day.
They arrived, to our surprise, before we did.
- Common adverbs as attitudinal disjuncts.
Admittedly, certainly, definitely, indeed, surely undeniably, undoubtedly,
unquestionably.
Quite, likely, may be, perhaps, possibly, presumably, reportedly, supposedly.
Clearly, evidently, obviously, plainly.
Actually, really, theoretically. Basically, essentially, fundamentally. Naturally, Curiously,
annoyingly, fortunately, funnily enough, happily, hopefully, luckily preferably, strangely,
suprisingly, understandably, wisely, foolishly, rightly, wrongly.
Conjuncts
Most conjuncts are adverb phrases or prepositional phrases.
I. Types of conjuncts.
1. Enumerative / injumarativ/ (liệt kê)
First, second, third, firstly, secondly, one, two ...
For one thing ... (and ) for another (thing).
For a start (informal), to begin with, to start with in the first place, in the second place,
next, then finally, last, lastly, to conclude (formal).
2. Reinforcing: Also, further more, moreover then (inf), in addition, above all, what is
more.
3. Equative: equally, likewise, similarly in the same way.
4. Transitional: by the way, incidentally.
5. summative: then, (all) in all, in conclusion to sum up.
6. Apposition: namely, in other words for example, for instance, that is (ie), that is to say.
7. Result: Consequently, hence, so (inf), therefore, thus, as a result.
8. Inferential: else, otherwise, then, in other words, in that case.
9. Reformatory: Better, rather, in other words.
10. Replacive: Alternatively, rather, on the other hand.
11. antithetic: instead, then, on the contrary, in contrast, by comparison, on the (on) other
hand.
12. Concessive: Any way (inf), besides, else, however, nevertheless, still, though, yet, in
any case, at nay rate, in spite of that, after all, on the other hand, all the same.
13. Temporal transition: meantime, meanwhile, in the meantime.
Positions of conjuncts:
The normal position for most conjuncts is initial. They are usually separated from what
follows by a tone unit boundary in speach or a comma in writing.