| ENGLISH GRAMMAR for Spanish Speakers |
1. Main functions
1. To modify the main verb in a sentence
à He
ran quickly to the door
2. To modify an adjective à
very good
3. To modify another adverb à
very quickly
4. To modify an entire sentence à
Fortunately, I was there to help her
Other functions:
1. As a modifier of a preposition à The nail went right through the wall
2. As a modifier of a noun, pronoun or noun phrase à He was quite a fool
3. As a prepositional complement à from below
4. Forming phrasal verbs à
to go in
2. Adverbial Clauses
a.
According to their functions
1. Adjunct: they are parts of the basic structure of the clause or sentence in which they occur, and modify the verb à
I’ll see you tomorrow
2. Disjuncts: they are adverbs or adverbials which show the speaker’s attitude or evaluation of what is said in the rest of the sentence à
Personally, I don’t like this
3. Conjuncts: They are not part of the basic structure of a clause or sentence. They show how what is said in the sentence containing the conjunct connects with what is said in another
sentence à She’s
85, nevertheless she enjoys good health.
Note: There is no clear difference between conjuncts and conjunctions
b)
Dependent upon their meaning
Place
|
Time |
Frequency |
Manner |
Degree |
|
above abroad ahead anywhere around away back backward(s) behind below down downstairs downward(s) everywhere far forward(s) here in indoors inside inward(s) near nowhere off out outdoors outside outward(s) somewhere there up upstairs upward(s) |
after afterward(s) again ago already any more (any longer) at first at last at once before early every day/week... formerly last week/month... late lately long meanwhile now next next week/year... no longer nowadays presently since sometime soon still today tomorrow tonight then yesterday yet |
always ever frequently generally never now and then occasionally often rarely scarcely sometimes seldom usually |
aloud badly calmly carefully distinctly easily equally fast gladly how promptly quickly quietly simply together (very) well willingly wrongly |
almost awfully completely deeply enough entirely extremely fairly frightfully greatly just nearly much only perfectly quite rather slightly si terribly thoroughly too utterly very very much |
|
Quantity |
Interrogatives |
Relatives |
Probability |
Affirmation |
|
little much once twice very little very much |
how? how far? how long? how often? when? where? why? how old? (at) what time? what ... for? what ... like? |
when where why |
maybe perhaps possibly probably |
certainly decidedly indeed naturally obviously of course surely yes |
|
Negation |
Complex with ‘Here’ |
Complex with ‘There’ |
Complex with ‘where’ |
|
|
never no not (not) at all |
hitherto herein hereto heretofore herewith hereby hereafter |
therein thereto therewith thereby thereof thereafter |
wherein whereof wherefore whereon whereby whereupon |
|
3. Comparison of Adverbs
* In essence, the same rules as for
adjectives
* Irregular comparatives
|
well |
better |
best |
|
badly |
worse |
worst |
|
little |
less |
least |
|
much |
more |
most |
|
far |
further farther |
furthest farthest |
* Adverbs that are not gradable because
of their meaning à
daily, once, really ...
4. Adverbs and Adjectives that share the same form
|
dead |
fast |
cheap |
fine |
straight |
loud |
bad |
|
pretty |
slow |
direct |
silly |
bright |
good |
|
5. Position of Adverbs
1. General considerations
* In general, the position of the adverbs is linked to its function in the sentence. If they modify a verb, then come after it; and in front of any adjective, adverb or
participle that it modifies.
* Enough, follows the adjective, adverb or participle
* If the adverb or adverbial forms part of an adjunct of time or place, it is normally placed in the final position.
* In the initial position, generally for greater emphasis.
2.
Individual cases
1. Adverbs of frequency
* Generally placed between the subject and the full verb à
I often have coffee at breakfast
* For emphasis, in the final position and very occasionally in the initial position à
I do that very often // Often have I seen them.
* With compound tenses, between the auxiliary and the main verb à I've never seen him
* After an anomalous verb or an auxiliary, but the order is reversed in the emphatic position à
He's never happy // He never is happy
2. Adverbs and the direct object
* An adverb should never be inserted between a verb and its direct object. It is either placer after the
direct object or before the verb à I broke it accidentally // I accidentally broke it.
3. Adverbs and adverbials of time and place
* Generally in the final position à
I saw him yesterday
* When two adverbials, one of time and one of place, the adverbial of place generally comes first à
I went to the cinema on Monday
* If there are two adverbials of time, the smaller unit precedes the other à I went to the cinema at five o'clock on Monday
* Emphatic position: it is very common to find an adverbial of time, an sometimes and adverbial of place
as well in the initial position à
On Monday I went shopping with my mother.
* If three adverbs occur together in the same sentence, the most usual order is: manner, place, time à
It snowed heavily in London yesterday.
6. Notes on some adverbs
èAgo = 'hace ... tiempo'
* It is placed after the phrase it
modifies à Three
days ago.
è Already = 'ya'
* In affirmative sentences à
They've already finished
* In interrogatives (expecting an
affirmative answer) à
Have you finished already
Note: 'ya' in negative sentences is
translated by 'any longer / no longer'
è Yet = 'todavía' (in negative sentences)
= 'ya' (in interrogative sentences)
* Position: in the final, normally.
è Already & yet = 'ya'
* Already: in questions expecting an
affirmative answer à Have you finished already?
* Yet: in general questions, the answers
to which may be affirmative or negative à Have you finished yet?
è Still = todavía, aún
* in affirmative sentences à
He's still working
* in interrogative sentences à
Is he still working?
* emphatic negative sentences à
He still hasn't begun to work
* for negative sentences carrying no
emphasis, it is used 'yet' à He hasn't begun to work yet
è Still & yet = 'todavía
è Quite = completamente (when it is stressed) à
It's quite empty
= bastante (in the sense of 'aceptable') à That painter is quite good
è Too = demasiado (before adjectives and adverbs) à
too hot
= también (in final position) à
I like it too
è Also = también (has greater freedom of position than 'too')
è Else = otro, más (after the pronoun or adverb that it modifies) à
Who else
è Just = exactamente, justamente à
That's just what I wanted
= solamente à
We have just enough for us
= acabar de à
I've just seer her
= 0 (to reinforce the imperative) à
Just listen to me!
è Ever = alguna vez (in interrogative sentences and if-clauses) à
Have you ever been to London?
= nunca (in comparative sentences or sentences which already contain another negative) à
Harder than ever
= siempre (only in certain expressions) à For ever
è Very = muy (usually)