Proper Usage of «That» in English
Updated on November 26, 2019
The word ‘that’ is a common word in English that is used in many different ways. Did you notice the use of ‘that’ in the previous sentence? In this case, ‘that’ was used as a relative pronoun as a complement. Often ‘that’ can be used or left out of a sentence entirely. For example, many English students know (that) you can leave out ‘that,’ depending on the instance. This guide to the use of ‘that’ will help you understand when to use the word, as well as when it’s okay to leave it out.
‘That’ as a Determiner
‘That’ is used as a determiner at the beginning of sentences to indicate one object which is far from the speaker. Note that the plural form of ‘that’ as a determiner is ‘those.’ ‘That’ and ‘those’ is generally used with ‘there’ to indicate that the object(s) is not close to the speaker.
Examples
- That’s my friend Tom over there.
- That’s a pencil you have in your hand.
- Those paintings are by Cezanne.
- That is my house on the corner of the street.
‘That’ as a Relative Pronoun
‘That’ can be used as a relative pronoun to connect two clauses. In this case, ‘that’ can also be substituted by ‘who’ or ‘which.’
Examples: That = Which
Tom bought the apples that the man was selling.
OR
Tom bought the apples which the man was selling.
Examples: That = Who
Peter invited the boy that was new in class.
OR
Peter invited the boy who was new in class.
‘That’ in a Clause as an Object
‘That’ can be used in clauses that act as the object of a verb.
Examples
- Jennifer hinted that she would be late for class.
- Doug knew that he needed to hurry up.
- The teacher suggested that we finish our homework.
‘That’ in a Clause as a Complement to a Noun or an Adjective
‘That’ can be used in a clause following a noun or an adjective as a complement. A complement helps give additional information about the noun or adjective. It answers the question ‘why.’
Examples
- Peter is upset that his sister wants to drop out of high school.
- Mr. Johnson appreciates our efforts that have brought in a lot of donations.
- She is certain that her son will be accepted to Harvard.
‘That’ Clause as Subject of a Sentence
‘That’ clauses can introduce a phrase acting as the subject of a sentence. This use of ‘that’ clauses is somewhat formal and is not common in everyday speech.
Examples
- That it is so difficult is hard to understand.
- That Mary feels so sad is very upsetting.
- That our teacher expects us to do two hours of homework every day is crazy!
The Fact That …
Related to the use of ‘that’ clauses as a subject is the more common phrase «The fact that…» to introduce a sentence. While both forms are correct, it is much more common to begin a sentence with the phrase «The fact that….»
Examples
- The fact that he wants to see you should make you happy.
- The fact that unemployment is still high proves what a difficult economy this is.
- The fact that Tom passed the test shows how much he has improved.
Compound Conjunctions with ‘That’
There are a number of compound conjunctions (words that connect) with ‘that.’ These expressions tend to be used in formal English and include:
«in order that,» «so that,» «providing that,» «in case that,» «now that,» «given that»
Examples
- He purchased the computer so that he might improve his typing.
- Susan told him she would marry him providing that he found a job.
- Alice feels happy now that she has moved into a new home.
After Reporting Verbs
‘That’ can be dropped after reporting verbs such as say (that), tell someone (that), regret (that), imply (that), etc.
Examples
- Jennifer said (that) she was in a hurry.
- Jack told me (that) he wanted to move to New York.
- The boss implied (that) the company was doing very well.
After Adjectives
Some adjectives can be followed by ‘that’ when answering the question ‘why.’ ‘That’ can be dropped after the adjective.
- I’m happy (that) you found a new job.
- She’s sad (that) he’s going to move to New York.
- Jack is anxious (that) he didn’t pass the test.
As Object in Relative Clauses
It’s common to drop ‘that’ when it is the object of the relative clause it introduces.
- He invited the boy (that) he met on the train.
- Shelly purchased the chair (that) she had seen at the auction.
- Alfred wants to read the book (that) Jane recommended.
For a few years during elementary school, virtually every sentence my friends and I uttered included the word “like.” This awful speech habit led to plenty of well-deserved ridicule, which made me determined to stop overusing unnecessary words. I thought I was succeeding on this front for years, until I started doing freelance writing assignments for a client who wasn’t a fan of superfluous words, including “that.” Then, I learned just how guilty I was of overusing the word “that” in my writing. It was basically my new, written version of “like.”
While phasing out “like” was pretty simple, removing unnecessary uses of “that” from my writing proved challenging because this word legitimately belongs in many sentences. To help you avoid similar grief, today I’d like to share a few tips for avoiding overusing “that” and using “that” in a sentence correctly.
When to Use ‘That’ in a Sentence
First, it’s important to know when “that” is really needed in a sentence. This word frequently attaches dependent clauses to independent clauses, and it is strictly necessary if a clause begins with certain subordinating conjunctions, such as before, while and in addition to. “That” also should be used before clauses that clarify a noun.
- She said that although the sunrise workout sounded like a brilliant idea, sleeping in also sounded good.
- The notion that their project would be finished by the original deadline was laughable.
“That” additionally should appear after certain verbs, such as contend, estimate and point out. If you’re a native speaker, you can probably intuitively identify many of these verbs.
- He enthusiastically declared that he would stop procrastinating tomorrow.
You also should use “that” if a sentence would sound awkward without it. If you’re in doubt, include it, since this does less harm than incorrectly omitting it.
When to Leave Out ‘That’
To decide whether you can omit “that” from a sentence, check how naturally and intelligibly the sentence reads without it. Usually, you can drop “that” if it follows a verb that essentially means “to say.” This omission mimics natural speech and shouldn’t change the meaning of the sentence.
- The children claimed an ice cream break would help them study more effectively.
- She insisted she wasn’t responsible for the houseplant’s untimely death.
However, it’s usually better to keep “that” if other words fall between the verb and the dependent clause.
- The kids also said this morning that a television break would enhance their studying.
- She admitted begrudgingly that she might have contributed to the plant’s demise.
You also can usually omit “that” if it precedes a simple relative clause.
- Neither of them was particularly excited about the compromise (that) they reached.
Using ‘That’ Twice in a Row
When you’re trimming unnecessary uses of “that” from your writing, be sure to pay attention to sentences where it appears multiple times or even twice in a row (“that that”). These sentences can be grammatically correct but stylistically undesirable. For example, at BKA, we use Associated Press Style, which requires sentences to be constructed in a manner that eliminates consecutive uses of “that.”
- He confessed that that plan had been formulated on three hours of sleep.
- He confessed that they had only slept three hours when they formulated that plan.
Even if you’re not following a strict style guide, it’s often beneficial to try revising sentences to avoid using “that” too redundantly.
Using ‘That’ or ‘Which’
It can be tempting to cut back on “that” by replacing it with “which,” but these words aren’t actually interchangeable. “That” introduces information that is integral to the meaning of a sentence, while “which” precedes information that is non-essential and offset by commas.
- The first kindergarten class that all 31 students attended was miraculously free of mishaps.
- The first kindergarten class, which all 31 students attended, was miraculously free of mishaps.
In this example, each sentence has a distinct meaning. The first describes a specific class when all 31 students were present for the first time, while in the second, the attendance of all 31 kids is a non-essential detail.
Got All That?
Striking the right balance between overusing the word “that” and omitting it improperly takes a little thought, but with practice, it should become second nature. What other common words do people overuse? Tell us about it in the comments section! If you’re looking for help on grammar rules, check out some of our other GrammarSpot posts.
I am adding to what StoneyB said in answer to the question, «When can I remove the word “that” in a sentence?» I was asking the same question myself, about when to or not to use «that.» The sentences I was unsure of using were «I am sorry that I did not call you,» or «I am sorry I did not call you.»
While reading StoneyB’s response, I was having a hard time absorbing to «parts of speech» terminology. I never did well with that in high school — my solution was to verbalize the sentence in my mind and if it sounded correct, I went with it! This method may work okay for those who have heard and spoken Americanized English for a long time, but is not the best advice for the English Language Learner.
All I have done is to add some of my own personal examples and maybe clarify the parts of speech that StoneyB discussed in his post. I stand to be corrected by anyone, please.
Knowing when or when not to use the word «that» in a sentence when you feel that you use it too often:
Example 1 — «that» — relative pronoun:
«It’s the same meatloaf that (used as a relative pronoun) we had yesterday.»
You can leave out the «that» in the sentence above because «it acts as the direct object of the verb in the relative clause» (StoneyB, 2014).
Direct object of the verb? — Leave it out.
«It’s the same meatloaf we had yesterday.» — Correct.
However, if it is used as the »subject of the verb in the relative clause» (StoneyB, 2014), you could not leave it out:
«It’s the same meatloaf that (subject) won (verb) in the cook-off.»
Subject of the verb? — Leave it in.
«It’s the same meatloaf ___ won in the cook-off.» — Not correct.
Example 2 — «that» — subordinating conjunction:
«I am sorry that (used as a subordinator) I did not call you.»
That appears in front of the subordinate clause and behind the verb (am), in the main clause.
«I am sorry I did not call you.»
Both uses are fine.
Example 3 — «that» — subject of the sentence:
If «that» is the subject of the sentence, it cannot be left out:
«That I am inconsiderate is a matter to be discussed later.» — Correct.
Example 4 — «that» — conjunction which does not appear and is not spoken close to the main verb in the sentence:
When the verb in the main clause is separated from the subordinate clause by a lot of other words, such as those used as part of an adverbial phrase, the that must remain for clarity in writing. In spoken English, it may be okay to leave it out, but it sounds a bit lazy to me.
Formal writing: «I am sorry in so, so, very many ways that (still used as a conjunction) I did not call you.» — Correct.
Spoken English: «I am sorry in so, so, very many ways I did not call you.» — Okay, but awkward.
Example 5 — «that» — predicative complement used with a verb:
Without the predicative complement, the sentence would not tell us much — for example, «Many folks thought,» does not stand well on its own, giving very little information about what was thought.
«Many folks thought that my meatloaf was better.» — Correct.
«Many folks thought my meatloaf was better.» — Okay in speech, but not so good in writing.
Sources:
English Language Learners Stack Exchange, (2014). When can I remove the word «that» in a sentence? — asked by T2E on May 26, 2013. Answered by StoneyB on May 27, 2013, edited March 7, 2014.
Englishpage, (2015). Forum thread: English Language Questions: Predicative Complement. Asked by Camilus, Member, April 17, 2004. Answered by Pete, Super Moderator, April 19, 2004.
http://www.englishpage.net/showthread.php?655-Predicative-Complement
SHOULD
Should is a modal verb.
With modals verbs, there is only one form of it for every subject pronoun:
- I should
- You should
- He should
- She should
- It should
- We should
- They should
There is never an S at the end of should:
- He shoulds study. (NOT CORRECT)
- He should study. (CORRECT)
After Should we have the base form of the infinitive (= verb without ‘To’ e.g. Go instead of To Go)
Should + Verb (base form of infinitive)
- You should go now. (Correct)
- You should to go now. (NOT correct)
- He should wait. (Correct)
- He should waits. (NOT correct)
Example sentences with Should:
- I should eat more vegetables.
- You should take an umbrella.
- He should go to the doctor.
- She should apply for the job.
- It should be fine.
- We should study more.
- They should wait until tomorrow.
One other thing, we do not pronounce the L in the word should. (Listen to the pronunciation of should in our video)
When do we use SHOULD in English?
1. To give advice, a recommendation or a suggestion
This is to say that it is the right thing to do or the correct thing.
- You should see the new Star Wars movie. It’s great!
- He should go to the dentist if his tooth still hurts.
- The test is next week. We should study for it now.
- You should try that new restaurant on Main Street.
2. To express that a situation is likely in the present or in the future. This is a type of expectation or prediction.
- Mary should be at home now. Give her a call.
- He should have the letter now. I sent it last week.
- Our team should win the game on Saturday. (Because we have been training all month so it is our expectation, or prediction that we will win.)
- It should be sunny tomorrow.
3. Expresses an obligation that is not as strong as Must.
Sometimes Should is used instead of Must to make rules, orders or instructions sound more polite.
This may appear more frequently on formal notices or on information sheets.
- Applications should be sent before the 30th.
- He should drive more carefully.
- Everyone should wear a seatbelt in a car.
- You should pay more attention in class.
All of the above example sentences can have must instead of should making the obligation stronger and less polite.
For example: Applications must be sent before the 30th.
4. Something was expected in the past but it didn’t happen (should + have + past participle)
This expresses the idea that the subject did not fulfill their obligation in the past or did not act responsibly.
- Anna is late. She should have arrived by now.
- I should have called Fred this morning but I forgot.
- You should have given your boss the report yesterday when he asked for it.
5. Not fulfilling an obligation (should + be + verb-ing)
This expresses the idea that someone is not fulfilling their obligation or is not acting sensibly right now.
- You should be wearing your seatbelt. (The person isn’t wearing one right now)
- We should be studying for the exam. (We are not studying right now and we should be studying)
6. Sometimes should is replaced by ought to without a change in meaning. Note that ought to sounds more formal and is used less frequently.
- You ought to go home now. (= You should go home now)
- She ought to take her dog for more walks. (= She should take her dog…)
- They ought to stop doing that. (= They should stop doing that)
Shouldn’t
The negative of should is shouldn’t or should not.
We almost always use the contraction shouldn’t in spoken English.
We use shouldn’t to advise not to do something, usually because it is bad or the wrong thing to do.
- You shouldn’t eat that dessert if you are sick.
This is my recommendation not to do something, not to eat that dessert.
- She shouldn’t buy that dress, it’s too big for her.
- You look tired. You shouldn’t work so much.
- He shouldn’t talk to his boss like that.
Notice how all of these sentences are about a recommendation or advice NOT to do something.
Think + should
We do not use: I think + shouldn’t.
We use: I DON’T think + should.
- I think you shouldn’t go there. (NOT correct)
This is NOT correct because we don’t have the negative shouldn’t after I think.
Instead we make the verb THINK negative and say:
- I don’t think you should go there. (Correct)
A couple more examples:
- I don’t think he should eat that.
- I don’t think we should start yet.
Should in Questions
We use should in questions when we want advice, a recommendation, or a suggestion.
Let’s look at this affirmative sentence:
- I should go now.
How can we change this to a question?
We change the order of the modal verb should with the subject.
So the question becomes:
- Should I go now?
A couple more examples…
- Should I wear the green shirt? (I am asking for your advice or recommendation)
We can also have the W words like What, When, Why, etc. before the modal verb.
- What should we do now? (What do you suggest?)
SHOULD Summary Chart
Place of adverbs of tense in an English sentence
The place of an adverb in a sentence is determined by its meaning. There are several categories of adverbs of the time:
1. Adverbs denoting a specific time.
2. Adverbs denoting an indefinite time.
3. Adverbs denoting duration.
You can read more about these categories in the article on adverbs of the time. Today we will talk about where to put the adverb of time — at the beginning, in the middle or at the end of a sentence.
1. Place of adverbs denoting a certain time
The place of adverbs denoting a specific time, usually at the end of a sentence:
I go on holiday in August. — I go on vacation in August. We are going to discuss the plans for the weekend today. — We’re going to discuss plans for the weekend today. She called me yesterday. — She called me yesterday.
They went to the movies a month ago. — They went to the cinema a month ago.
Adverbs of tense can also appear at the beginning of a sentence, if this is not the main thing that you want to communicate in this sentence:
In August I go on holiday. — In August I go on vacation. Today we are going to discuss the plans for the weekend. — Today we are going to discuss plans for the weekend. Yesterday she called me. “She called me yesterday.
A month ago they went to the movies. — A month ago they went to the cinema.
If it is necessary to give several time indicators, then the adverbs of the exact time have the following order: time, day, date, year (from private to general):
The accident occurred at 8.20 am on Wednesday September 10th 2011. — The accident occurred at 8.20 am on Wednesday 10 September 2011.
Adverbs for indefinite tense usually appear at the end of a sentence, although sometimes they can appear before a verb:
She published her book recently. — She recently published her book. — She published her book recently.
Adverbs afterwards, eventually, formerly, immediately, lately, once, presently, recently, soon, subsequently, suddenly, then, ultimately can be placed at the beginning of a sentence to attract interest or for a contrast effect:
Suddenly, the phone rang. — Suddenly the phone rang. Immediately they ran outside. — Immediately they ran into the street.
Presently, all people use mobile phones. — Nowadays, all people use mobile phones.
Adverbs of indefinite tenses usually take place after the verb to be:
He was reсently ill. — He was sick recently.
They were eventually defeated. — In the end they lost.
The adverbs early and late appear at the end of a sentence or part of it (clause):
He came to the office too late to meet Mr. Smith. “He came to the office too late to see Mr. Smith.
I woke up early to catch the first bus. — I woke up early to catch the first bus.
The adverbs another day, one day (referring to the past or future), and some day (referring to the future) can be placed at the beginning or at the end of a sentence:
I called him another day. / Another day I called him. — I called him the other day.
Some day I’ll go to Paris ./ I’ll go to Paris some day. — One day I will go to Paris.
The adverbs already, yet, just, still have their own rules of use and certain places in the sentence, and consideration of this deserves a separate article.
3. Place of adverbs denoting duration
Adverbs since, ago, for usually appear at the end of a sentence:
I have known him since he was a child. “I’ve known him since he was a child.
We moved to London two months ago. — We moved to London two months ago.
For can be placed at the beginning of a sentence, separating it with a comma:
For eight years, he has worked for this company. — For eight years, he has been working in this company.
Adverbs of duration from to / till / until usually appear at the end of a sentence:
Source: https://enginform.com/article/position-of-adverbs
Examples of the most common adverbs in English
Today we will look at the adverb in English:
Adverb (Adverb) Is a part of speech that speaks about a sign or image of an ongoing action
This is essentially the semantic coloring of any language, its life-giving power.
- Speaking about the trait, the adverb works in the same conjunction with the adjective: Robert is quite successful broker. — Robert is a very successful brokerQuite — quite (adverb of measure and degree)
- Expressing the way of action, it is attached to the verb: She walked quickly so tired. — She walked fast, so she was tiredQuickly — fast (adverb mode of action) the importance of adverbs in English speech
The use of adverbs in English
The Adverbs education scheme is varied:
- For most adjectives, it is enough to add the suffix —ly:
- slowly — slowly
- dearly — expensive
- beautifully — wonderful
- lightly — light, etc.
- Some nouns (mostly tense) using —ly form the adverb of the frequency of action:
- day — day
- daily — daily
Features of shaping
Pay attention to these subtleties.
- When converting the noun day to the adverb daily, the letter —y changing to –I
This rule applies to all words ending in -y:- easy — easy
- easily — easy
- If the word ends with –Le, then the letter -E changing to -Y
- terrible — terrible
- terribly — terrible
- simple — simple
- simply — simply
- In some cases, the same word can be both an adjective and an adverb: the adjective does not change its form during transformation, the meaning is either the same or very close:
- bad — bad — bad
- well — good — good
- hard — hard, hard — stubborn, firm
- little — small — little
- long — long — long
- large — large — wide, etc.
- early — early — early
- Some Adverbs have two forms:
- the first — as in p. 3
- the second is obtained by adding –Ly to the original adjective can take on a different meaning:
Adjective | An adverb in an unchanged form | Adverb with the addition —ly |
сlose — close | сlose — close | closely — carefully |
late — late | late — late | lately — recently |
busy — busy | busy — busy | busily — businesslike |
short — short | short — sharply | shortly — soon |
near — close | near — close | nearly — almost |
high high | high high | highly — very |
If an adverb is indistinguishable in form from an adjective, then it is possible to determine which part of speech in front of us by meaning:
- A long way across the desert is laying before us. — The long journey through the desert lay in front of us.
- Scientists have long collected information about the ancient Incas. — Scientists have been collecting information about the ancient Incas for a long time.
In the first sentence, long is an adjective, in the second, an adverb
Division of adverbs into types according to their structure
- There are four types:
- Simple — not divisible into parts:
- above — above
- hear — here
- bad — bad
- far — far
- now — now
- Derivatives — formed by adding suffixes and prefixes:
- warmly — warm
- indeed — indeed
- downward — downward, downward (-ward — direction of travel suffix)
Source: https://englishfull.ru/grammatika/angliyskie-narechiya.html
Enjoy learning English online with Puzzle English for free
An adverb is a part of speech that denotes a sign of an action and describes where, when and how this action is performed. Often, usually and always refer to adverbs of frequency and answer the question «How often?» Where often, usually and always are put in a sentence — we will consider below.
In English, adverbs of place, time, mode of action, measure and degree, adverbs of frequency of action and adverbs-interrogative words are distinguished. Often, usually and always refer to the adverbs of the frequency of action or otherwise the frequency — Adverbs of Frequency, but are not the only representatives of this group.
Examples of adverbs of frequency of action:
These are far from all the existing Adverbs of Frequency, there are a great many of them. They can be conditionally divided into adverbs of a certain frequency (definite frequency) and adverbs of an indefinite frequency (indefinite frequency). The adverbs of both groups answer the same question: «How often?»
Adverbs of a certain frequency of action:
- Daily — daily
- Annually — annually
- Every day / hour / month / year — every day / hour / month / year
- Once a week / month / year etc. — once a week / month / year, etc.
Let us dwell on the group of adverbs of an indefinite frequency of action, since often, usually and always represent this particular group. The most common adverbs of indefinite frequency are sometimes presented as a scale on which the difference between them is clearly visible. The frequency of the action is presented as a percentage.
When using these adverbs in speech, the speaker’s subjective opinion plays an important role: for some, «often» is three times a day, and for someone — three times a month.
Action frequency adverbs, including often, usually, and always, refer to Present Simple time markers. The simple present tense is associated with periodicity, regularity, or constancy. Accordingly, the meaning of its markers-adverbs of frequency is also similar.
Statement
As a general rule, if the predicate is expressed by a single semantic verb, then the adverb of frequency should be placed before the verb.
He often visited us. — He often visited us.
I usually drink tea in the morning. — I usually drink tea in the morning.
Question
In adverb matters, frequencies also take place in the middle of a sentence, after the subject.
Did he usually have tea for breakfast? — He always drank tea for breakfast?
Also, adverbs of indefinite frequency are used in short answers to questions before an auxiliary verb, when the speaker agrees or disagrees with what was said earlier.
Mary is depressed again. — Oh, she always is.
Mary is upset again. — She’s always like that.
Tom talks only about himself. — Yes, he always does.
Tom only talks about himself. — Yes, he always does that.
Source: https://puzzle-english.com/directory/often-usually-always
Frequency adverbs in English
Adverbs play an important role in communication, they describe the way, character, image of the performed action. When we want to indicate how often a particular action is performed, we use an adverb that expresses frequency. What adverbs of frequency exist, how they differ and how to use them in speech — read further in this article.
The adverb of frequency indicates how often an action is performed (which is more often
everything is represented by a verb). There are 6 main adverbs of frequency: always — always, usually (or normally) — usually, often — often, sometimes — sometimes, rarely — rarely, never — never. They differ in the degree of frequency with which the action they describe is performed. What are the differences, see the table below.
In addition to rarely, seldom can be used, but it is gradually falling out of use in modern English.
The place of the adverb of frequency in the sentence
As you can see from the table above, the main place for the adverb of frequency in a sentence is
between the subject and the predicate, between the subject of the action and the action. Below are a few more examples:
- Sara always goes out on Saturday evenings. / Sarah always walks on Saturday nights.
- her boyfriend usually picks her up and they drive into the city center. / Her boyfriend usually picks her up by car and they drive to the city center.
- They often meet friends and have a drink together. / They often meet up with friends and go to a bar.
- In the winter they Sometimes go to the cinema. / In winter they sometimes go to the movies.
- They Rarely go in the summer because they prefer to stay outside. / In the summer they rarely go to the movies, as they prefer to stay in the fresh air.
- They never get home before midnight. / They never do not return home until midnight.
An exception to this rule is the verb to be (to be)… In sentences with this verb, the adverb of frequency comes after the verb, as in these examples:
- There are always lots of people in the city center on Saturday nights. / On Saturday evenings in the city center (available) always many people.
- It’s often difficult to find a place to park. / (This is) often difficult to find a parking place.
- But our friends are never on time so it doesn’t matter if we’re late. / But our friends (are) never [don’t come] on time, so it doesn’t matter if we’re late.
As is often the case in English, there are variations on this rule. For example,
you can put adverbs sometimes — sometimes and usually — usually at the beginning of a sentence:
- Sometimes she does her homework with friends. / Sometimes she is doing her homework with friends.
- Usually they study on their own. / Usually they do it on their own.
But, of course, the easiest way is to follow the basic rule and put all adverbs that express the frequency between the subject and the predicate, the subject of the action and the action.
Question form
To ask a question about how often an action is performed, it is usually used
How often design? — «How often?», For example:
- how often do you watch films? / How often do you watch movies
- how often does he play tennis? / How often he plays tennis?
- how often do the trains arrive late? / How often Are the trains late?
But you can simply use the desired adverb of frequency between the subject and the semantic verb:
- Do you often come here? / You often come here?
- does she always work so hard? / She always working so hard?
- do they ever pay on time? (For questions, use ‘ever’ instead of ‘never’)? / They at all someday (= as a synonym for «never») get paid on time?
If there is a modal verb in the sentence, the adverb of frequency is placed between it and the semantic (main) verb:
- you must always try your best. / You should (you should) always try my best.
- We can usually find a seat on our train. / We can usually find a seat on our train.
- They should never be rude to customers. / They can not never be rude to customers.
The same rule applies to auxiliary verbs: the adverb of frequency comes between
auxiliary and main (semantic) verbs:
- I have never visited Turkey. / I AM never have not been to Turkey.
- He’s always taking things from my desk. It’s really annoying. / He all time takes things from my desk. This is very annoying.
- you had rarely arrived late at work until yesterday. / You rarely was late for work until yesterday.
Now you have learned what frequency adverbs are and how to use them.
Reinforce your new knowledge by answering the questions below using adverbs of frequency:
- What do you usually do on Saturday nights? / What do you usually do on Saturday night?
- How often do you see your best friend? / How often do you see your best friend / girlfriend?
- Do you ever go to the theater? / Do you often go to the theater?
- How often do you play sport or go to the gym? / How often do you exercise or go to the gym?
- Do you ever watch films or TV programs in English? / Do you ever watch movies or TV programs in English?
- What time do you usually go to bed? / When do you usually go to bed?
- How often do you eat at a restaurant? / How often do you go to a restaurant?
- Are you sometimes late for work or school? / Are you sometimes late for work or school?
Source: https://www.wallstreetenglish.ru/blog/adverbs-of-frequency/
Place of an adverb in a sentence in English: before a verb or after?
The place of an adverb in a sentence in English is not fixed in many cases. The same adverb can be used at the beginning, middle or end of a sentence. We will consider the basic patterns of the arrangement of adverbs in a sentence, the features of the use of individual adverbs.
Typically, an adverb occupies one of three positions in a sentence.
After the predicate and the complement, if any.
Let’s stay here… — Let’s stay here.
Before the subject.
Yesterday we had a good time. “We had a good time yesterday.
If the predicate consists of one verb, then “in the middle” is before the verb.
He Rarely talks to his neighbors. — He rarely talks to neighbors.
If the predicate has more than one word, then “in the middle” is after the auxiliary or modal verb.
You can never rely on him. — You never you can’t rely on him.
He is always late. — He always is late.
Some adverbs can appear before an auxiliary or modal verb.
He really is the person we were looking for. — He really and there is the person we were looking for.
He Surely can drive. — He definitely knows how to drive a car.
In an interrogative sentence, “middle” is between the subject and the main verb.
Do you often help people? — You often do you help people?
Consider in which cases the adverb is at the end of a sentence, at the beginning and in the middle.
Place of adverbs of mode of action
Mode of action adverbs such as slowly — slowly, fast, quickly — quickly, immediately — immediately, well — well, are at the end of the sentence.
You have done your work well. — You did the job good.
Hold the box carefully. — Keep the box carefully.
come back immediately. — Come back immediately.
Cats can sneak very slowly. — Cats are very good at sneaking slow.
Adverbs of place
Place adverbs such as here — here, there — there, also at the end of the sentence.
We will build a church here. — We will build here church.
His office is there. — His office there.
Place of adverbs of tense in a sentence
At the end of the sentence, adverbs indicating a specific time are used: now — now, now, tomorrow — tomorrow, yesterday — yesterday, etc. Do not confuse them with such adverbs as often — often, Rarely — rarely, always — always, never — never, indicating the frequency of action — they are also called adverbs of frequency (adverbs of frequency).
Don’t forget to return the books tomorrow. “Don’t forget to return the books tomorrow.
You will be safe now. — Now you will be safe.
The same adverbs, especially if you need to emphasize them, are often used at the beginning of a sentence:
tomorrow we will put an end to it. — Tomorrow we will put an end to this.
Now you will tell me the truth. — Now you will tell me the truth.
Place of adverbs of frequency (always, never, etc.)
Frequency adverbs are a type of time adverb that indicates how often an action takes place: often — often, Sometimes — sometimes, always, ever — always, never — never, Rarely — rarely, usually — usually. They are located in the middle of the sentence.
I usually take a bus to work. — I usually take the bus to work.
You can always use my tools. “You can always use my tools.
Usually sometimes found at the beginning of a sentence.
usually, we have lunch together. “We usually have lunch together.
Please note that if the adverb of frequency indicates not an indefinite frequency (always, rarely), but a specific one (every day, on Sundays), it is usually used at the end of a sentence:
We go to the swimming pool on Sundays… — We go to the pool on Sundays.
He reads in English every day. — He reads in English every day.
Place of adverbs of measure and degree
Adverbs of measure and degree include words such as: really — really, very, very — very, extremely — extremely, quite — enough, fair — just, just now, Almost — almost. They are in the middle of the sentence.
Adverbs of measure and degree can be used with an adjective or other adverb in front of them.
- Adverb before adjective:
The noise was too loud. — The noise was too loud.
It was extremely dangerous. — It was extremely dangerously.
- Adverb before another adverb:
They can also characterize the actions and states expressed by the verb. Let me remind you that if there is one verb in a sentence, then “in the middle of the sentence” — before this verb.
If there is an auxiliary or modal verb, then “in the middle of a sentence” is after the modal or auxiliary verb.
Some reinforcing adverbs such as really — really, surely, certainly — exactly, of course, definitely — definitely, can come before an auxiliary or modal verb.
Exceptions — adverb enough (enough), it comes after the word being defined.
Source: https://langformula.ru/english-grammar/adverb-position/
Adverbs in English: rules of education and place in a sentence with tables and translation
An adverb is a part of speech that answers the question «How?» and characterizes a verb, adjective or other adverb. There are different types of adverbs — manner of action (how), place (where), time (when), degree (to what extent), frequency (how often), opinions. Consider the rules for using adverbs in English.
Formation of adverbs in English
How are adverbs formed? By structure, adverbs can be divided into the following groups:
Simple | Derivatives | Composite | Composite |
long (long) | slowly | anyhow (in any way) | at once (immediately) |
enough (enough) | wise (similarly) | sometimes (sometimes) | at last (finally) |
then (then) | forward | nowhere (nowhere) | so far (so far) |
The most common way to form adverbs is by adding the -ly suffix to the adjective. Such adverbs usually have a similar meaning to them.
Adjective | Adverb |
bad | badly (poorly) |
Beautiful | beautifully (beautiful) |
carefully | Carefully (attentively) |
quick | quickly (quickly) |
quiet | quietly (quiet) |
soft | gently (soft) |
Consider the spelling change when adding the -ly suffix:
- le changing to ly (gentle — gently)
- y changing to ily (easy — easily)
- ic changing to ically (automatic — automatically)
- ue changing to uly (true — truly)
- ll changing to eye (full — fully)
Other examples of suffixes: -ward (s), -long, -wise
- clockwise
- forward
- headlong
Adverbs are exceptions
Some adverbs can be both adjectives and adverbs in different situations without adding suffixes:
- It was a fast train. The train went fast.
- He returned from a long journey. Will you stay here long?
- The price is very low. The plane flew very low.
- We have very little time. He reads very little.
Other examples of exceptions are hard, high, deep, last, late, near, wide, early, far, straight, right, wrong.
Most common exception: good — well.
Some adverbs have two forms — one without -ly and one with it. These forms have different meanings. Examples: hard / hardly, last / lastly, late / lately, near / nearly, high / highly.
Adjective | Adverb without -ly | Adverb with -ly |
He is a hard worker | He works hard | I could hardly understand him (I could hardly understand him) |
He returned in late autumn (He returned in late autumn) | I went to bed late yesterday (I went to bed late yesterday) | I haven’t seen him lately (I haven’t seen him lately) |
He is studying the history of the Near East | He lives quite near | It is nearly 5 o’clock (Now almost 5 o’clock) |
The house is very high | The plane flew very high | It is a highly developed state |
Place and order of adverbs in a sentence
Where is the adverb in English? The position in the sentence depends on the type of adverb (read below), their number and other factors.
— before adjectives, other adverbs and participles | The task was surprisingly simple.He walked very fast.We are extremely interested in their offer. |
— usually after verbs | He speaks slowly |
— at the beginning of a sentence for emphasis | Slowly, he entered the room. Now I understand what you mean |
— when there are two or more adverbs in a sentence, they go in the following order: manner — place — time | She spoke very well here last time |
— if the sentence contains a verb of movement (go, come, leave etc.), the adverbs go in this order: place — manner — time | She arrived here by train yesterday |
Types of adverbs in English with lists
The following classification of adverbs is distinguished — the adverbs of the mode of action, time, frequency, place and direction, degree and opinion. Let’s consider all these groups in more detail.
Adverbs of manner
Such adverbs tell us how something is happening: well, badly, slowly, and so on.
- How did John behave? He behaved badly.
- Did you sleep well?
- He came very quickly
We do not use adverbs after linking verbs to be, become, feel, get, look, seem. We use adjectives after them.
- Sue felt happy
- Nobody seemed amused
- I am not sure
Mode adverbs appear before the main verb, after auxiliary verbs, or at the end of a sentence
- They quickly returned
- He was anxiously waiting for their reply
- She smiled kindly
Adverbs of time
List of adverbs of the time: When (when), now (now), then (then, then) before (before, before) after (then, after), afterwards (subsequently), once (once), fair (just now, just), still (still), already / yet (already), yet (yet, yet), since (since), early (early), lately / recently (recently), suddenly (suddenly), soon (soon), long (for a long time), August (ago), today (today), Tomorrow (tomorrow), yesterday (yesterday) etc.
Tense adverbs usually appear at the end of a sentence. They can be placed in the first place for emphasis, in other words, to give the desired stylistic coloring:
- I saw her yesterday
- Still I can’t understand what happened then (still ahead for dramatic coloring)
Some monosyllabic adverbs of the tense (soon, now, then) come before the main verbs and after the auxiliary verbs:
- I now understand what he means
- She will soon come back home
Remarks:
- We say tonight (tonight / night), tomorrow night, last night (not “yesterday night”)
- Already and yet can mean already. At the same time, already is used only in statements, and yet in questions and negations.
- The preposition for can mean “during” and is used with adverbs of time: for a long time, for 10 years.
Adverbs of frequency
They answer the question «How often?» The most common ones are: always (always), generally, normally, normally (usually), frequently, frequently (often), seldom, rarely (rarely), Sometimes (sometimes), from time to time, occasionally (occasionally), never (never).
Where to put such adverbs? Frequency adverbs come after auxiliary verbs, but before the main semantic ones:
- He has never visited us.
- Paul is often barks.
- He Sometimes comes here.
Generally, usually, normally, often, frequently, sometimes can be at the beginning of a sentence to give a stylistic coloring:
- I usually go to work by metro. — Usually, I go to work by metro.
Adverbs of place and direction
List of the main adverbs of place and direction: here (here), there (there, there), Where (where, where), somewhere, anywhere (somewhere, somewhere) nowhere (nowhere, nowhere) elsewhere (somewhere else) far away (far), near (close), inside (inside), outside (outside), above (above, above), below (below, below).
Such adverbs are usually placed at the end of a sentence:
- How long are they going to stay here?
Somewhere, anywhere, nowhere
Source: https://dundeeclub.ru/grammar/narechiya-v-anglijskom-yazyke-s-perevodom-tablitsami-i-primerami-adverbs.html
Adverbs in English sentences. Where do they belong?
Adverbs are words that describe verbs, adjectives, other adverbs, or phrases. They often answer the question «How?» (How?). For example:
She sings beautifully.
She sings beautifully. (How does she sing? Beautifully.)
He runs very Fast.
He runs very fast. (How fast does he run? Very fast.)
I occasionally practice speaking English.
From time to time I practice conversational English. (How often do I practice? From time to time.)
The place occupied by an adverb in an English sentence depends on what type this adverb belongs to. It is in this aspect that we will understand in today’s English lesson.
1. Do not put an adverb between the verb and the object of its action
In the next sentence painted is a verb and the house — an object. carefullyas you might have guessed — this is an adverb.
I Carefully painted the house. = Correctly
I painted the house Carefully. = Correctly
I painted Carefully the house. = Wrong
Here’s another example. In this sentence read Is a verb, a book Is the object of action, and Sometimes — adverb.
I Sometimes read a book before bed. = Correctly
Sometimes I read a book before bed. = Correctly
I read a book before bed Sometimes. = Acceptable, but only in informal situations
I read Sometimes a book before bed. = Wrong
Front position: at the beginning of a sentence
suddenly the phone rank.
Suddenly the phone rang.
fortunately, no one was injured.
Fortunately, no one was hurt.
Maybe I’ll go for a walk.
Maybe I’ll go for a walk.
Mid position: next to the main verb
I always exercise before work.
I always do my exercises before work.
They have Completely forgotten about our appointment.
They completely forgot about our meeting.
He was probably late for the interview.
He was probably late for the interview.
She slowly began to recover from her illness.
She slowly began to recover from her illness.
End position: at the end of a sentence
You speak English well.
You speak English well.
Please sit there.
Please sit here.
They ate dinner quietly.
They dined quietly.
Mode of action adverbs
quickly, slowly, easily, happily, well, * badly, seriously
The position in the middle of the sentence makes the adverb less expressive:
He quickly corrected his mistake.
He quickly corrected his mistake.
She easily passed the test.
She passed the test easily.
We happily
Source: https://english-bird.ru/position-of-adverbs/
The participle in English (The Participle)
According to the impersonal forms of the verb, we only have the English participle for dessert. And here I have 2 news for you. I’ll start with the good one: a participle in English can correspond to a Russian participle. Bad news: the English participle can also correspond to the Russian participle. And bonus news: the English participle can be easily confused with a gerund. And in a whisper: the English participle has several forms.
Now, don’t panic! Once you probably confused the letters «G» and «J» in the English alphabet, but this is already a distant past. We’ll figure it out, put it on the shelves and go to practice.
What is an English participle
This is another impersonal form of the verb that combines the following properties:
— verb (denotes action)
broken heart — broken heart;
— adjective (can answer the question «which»)
working machine — a working mechanism;
— adverbs (can answer the question «how?», «Where?», «Where?», «When?», «Why?», «For what purpose?», «To what extent?»)
He was rather furious asking Ann about the school marks — He was pretty angry asking Anya about her grades. (Was angry when? Asking for grades)
Forms of the English participle
There are two main types:
1. participle I (Participle I), or present participle (Present Participle):
1.1. Present Participle Simple
This is an imperfect analogue of our Russian participle or gerunds.
Walking Look at that walking man. Look at that man walking.
I can’t be serious walking with you in the street. I can’t be serious walking down the street with you.
1.2. Present participle perfect
This is a perfect analogue of the Russian gerunds.
Having done
Having done the work she went home. After completing the work, she went home.
Source: https://iloveenglish.ru/theory/anglijskaya_grammatika/prichastie_v_anglijskom_yazike
Adverbs in English (Adverbs)
The adverb is the part of speech that determines when, where, and how an action is taken. A feature of this part of speech is also that it is capable of transmitting signs of an adjective or other adverb. It is also important to remember that adverbs in English play the role of circumstances. Consider the formation of adverbs, give vivid examples and exceptions to the rules where they are put in a sentence, and also consider the degrees of comparison.
Adverbs in English: Basic Functions
It will be easy for beginner students who have just decided to study languages to master this topic, since the adverb in English performs the same functions as in Russian, and is often placed in an identical position. Therefore, the language barrier will be overcome quickly and easily.
The most commonly used types of adverbs in tables =>
Place adverbs WHERE (ADVERBS OF PLACE)
close | near |
long away | far |
inside | inside |
there | there |
everywhere | everywhere |
here | here |
Time adverbs WHEN (ADVERBS OF TIME)
late | late |
soon | soon |
early | early |
then | then |
today | today |
now | now |
On a note! When, where and why are relative adverbs. The tenses are used in any speech — business, colloquial, artistic and narrow-profile. Relative words can easily and simply explain any situation.
Action adverbs HOW (ADVERBS OF MANNER)
carefully | Carefully |
poorly | badly |
fast | solid |
simple / easy | easily |
complicated | hard |
loud | loudly |
Adverbs of measure and degree TO WHAT EXTENT (ADVERBS OF DEGREE)
rather | rather |
terribly | terribly |
almost | Almost |
too | too |
very | very |
really | really |
If you find it difficult to learn the words themselves and understand the adverbs and the rules that the table indicates, use them in sentences. By examples it is always easier to learn a rule, of all kinds.
Here are some examples:
The girl faced the difficult situation very bravely => The girl met a difficult situation very bravely. The adverb answers the question How? How?
My mom came home late because she didn’t manage to catch the bus => Mom came home late (when Mom came home, time was later) because she could not catch the bus. The adverb answers the question When? When?
The Professor explained the theory three times and extremely patiently => The professor explained the theory three times and very patiently. The adverb answers the question To what extent? To what extent?
These yummy mushrooms were everywhere => These delicious mushrooms were everywhere (everywhere). The adverb answers the question Where? Where?
Rules for the formation of an adverb in English
All adverbs in which the English language is rich are divided into 4 categories =>
- Simple (Simple Adverbs)
Source: https://speakenglishwell.ru/narechiya-v-anglijskom-yazyke-adverbs/
Suffix -LY in English
Details Karina Galchenko
: 01 August 2019
36580
: 4/5
Is there a difference between bad and badly? You need to remember forever what role it plays suffix –ly in Englishto never ask questions like this again. Bad is bad and badly is bad. These are different parts of speech, each of which plays its own, special role in the sentence.
Why is the –ly suffix needed in English?
You should know that suffix –ly in English serves to form adverbs, that is, words that answer the question «how?» Usually the word + -ly refers to an action.
Example:
They speak English fluently. — They speak English fluently.
Here fluently is fluent + — ly. Fluent translates to «fluent». We cannot in any way characterize the action with the help of this word. You get something like this:
They speak English fluent. — They speak fluent English.
It turns out that the -ly suffix in English is very important, since it serves to form words that characterize not an object / person, but an action.
examples:
His Chinese is bad. — His Chinese is bad. (bad refers to Chinese. Which Chinese? — Bad).
He speaks Chinese badly. — He speaks bad Chinese. (badly refers to speak. How does he speak? — Bad).
It turns out that we cannot do without –ly if we want to build sentences in English correctly.
The suffix -ly in English. Examples of
Let’s take a look at a few additional sentences in order to remember even better when to use suffix –ly in English.
proposal |
translation |
Amanda is an ideal teacher. She teaches children ideally. |
Amanda is the perfect teacher. She teaches children perfectly. |
The music is too loud… You listen to the music loudly. |
The music is too loud. You listen to music too loud. |
His decision is very quick… He made a decision quickly. |
His decision is very quick. He made a quick decision. |
Our speech is clear… We speak Clearly. |
Our speech is understandable. We speak clearly. |
The task is easy… I did it easily. |
The task is simple. I dealt with it easily. |
|
This is a serious responsibility. You should take this seriously. |
The project was successful… We completed it successfully. |
The project was successful. We completed it successfully. |
The suffix -ly in English. Exceptions
As always, there were some exceptions. Remember these pairs.
good — well
fast (fast) — fast (fast)
late (late) — late (late)
difficult (difficult, difficult) — with difficulty (with difficulty)
near (close) — near (close)
Want to learn more English words and learn how to build sentences correctly? Sign up to study at our school!
Waiting for you!
Source: http://fluenglish.com/stati/studentam-na-zametku/32-dlya-vsekh/438-suffiks-ly-v-anglijskom.html