Adverbs and adverbials · Grade 7
In Grade 7 you learn: adverbial phrases at the start of a sentence; adverbs of possibility: perhaps, surely.
Adverbs tell us more about a verb: how (quietly), when (yesterday), where (outside) or how often (never). Many adverbs are adjectives + -ly. A group of words that does the same job is an adverbial: after lunch, in the garden. An adverbial at the start of a sentence is a fronted adverbial and is followed by a comma.
Key facts
- Fronted adverbial: After lunch, we played chess. Very slowly, the cat crept forward.
Worked examples
Example 1
Move the adverbial to the front: We played chess after lunch.
Answer: After lunch, we played chess.
Example 2
Add a fronted adverbial and a comma: the fox slipped into the garden.
Answer: As the sun went down, the fox slipped into the garden.
Example 3
Choose an adverb of possibility: It will ___ rain, because the clouds are dark.
Answer: probably
Example 4
Improve the sentence by moving the adverbial: The wave crashed over the wall suddenly.
Answer: Suddenly, the wave crashed over the wall.
Example 5
Explain how the adverbs change the meaning: She hardly worked. and She worked hard.
Answer: hardly means almost not at all; hard means with a lot of effort