Unit 110: Word order 2 - adverbs with the verb

English Grammar in Use With Answers » Unit 110: Word order 2 - adverbs with the verb

Some adverbs (for example, always, also, probably) go with the verb in the middle of a sentence:

Helen always drives to work.
We were feeling very tired and we were also hungry.
The concert will probably be cancelled.

If the verb is one word (drives/fell/cooked etc.), the adverb goes before the verb:

	adverb	verb
Helen	always	drives	to work.
I	almost	fell	as I was going down the stairs.

I cleaned the house and also cooked the dinner. (not cooked also)
Lucy hardly ever watches television and rarely reads newspapers.
'Shall I give you my address?' 'No, I already have it.'

Note that these adverbs (always/often/also etc.) go before have to ... :

Joe never phones me. I always have to phone him. (not I have always to phone)

But adverbs go after am/is/are/was/were:

We were feeling very tired and we were also hungry.
Why are you always late? You're never on time.
The traffic isn't usually as bad as it was this morning.

If the verb is two or more words (for example, can remember / doesn't eat / will be cancelled), the adverb usually goes after the first verb (can/doesn't/will etc.):

	verb 1	adverb	verb 2
I	can	never	remember	her name.
Clare	doesn't	often	eat	meat.
	Are you	definitely	going	away next week?
The concert	will	probably	be	cancelled.

You've always been very kind to me.
Jack can't cook. He can't even boil an egg.
Do you still work for the same company?
The house was only built a year ago and it's already falling down.

Note that probably goes before a negative (isn't/won't etc.). So we say:

I probably won't see you. or I will probably not see you. (not I won't probably)

We also use all and both in these positions:

We all felt ill after the meal. (not we felt all ill)
My parents are both teachers. (not my parents both are teachers)
Sarah and Jane have both applied for the job.
We are all going out tonight.

Sometimes we use is/will/did etc. instead of repeating part of a sentence (see Unit 51):

Tom says he isn't clever, but I think he is. (= he is clever)

When we do this, we put always/never etc. before the verb:

He always says he won't be late, but he always is. (= he is always late)
I've never done it and I never will. (= I will never do it)

110.1 Are the underlined words in the right position or not? Correct the sentences where necessary.

Helen drives always to work.
.
I cleaned the house and also cooked the dinner.
.
I have usually a shower in the morning.
__________ .
We soon found the solution to the problem.
__________ .
Steve gets hardly ever angry.
__________ .
I did some shopping and I went also to the bank.
__________ .
Jane has always to hurry in the morning.
__________ .
I never have worked in a factory.
__________ .
I never have enough time. I always am busy.
__________ .

110.2 Rewrite the sentences to include the word in brackets.

Clare doesn't eat meat. (often)
⁽¹⁾ .
Katherine is very generous. (always)
⁽²⁾ __________ .
I don't have to work on Saturdays. (usually)
⁽³⁾ __________ .
Do you watch TV in the evenings? (always)
⁽⁴⁾ __________ ?
Martin is learning Spanish and he is learning Japanese. (also)
Martin is learning Spanish and he ⁽⁵⁾ __________ .
a) We were on holiday in Spain. (all) ⁽⁶⁾ __________ .
b) We were staying at the same hotel. (all) ⁽⁷⁾ __________ .
c) We enjoyed ourselves. (all) ⁽⁸⁾ __________ .
a) The new hotel is very expensive. (probably) ⁽⁹⁾ __________ .
b) It costs a lot to stay there. (probably) ⁽¹⁰⁾ __________ .
a) I can help you. (probably) ⁽¹¹⁾ __________ .
b) I can't help you. (probably) ⁽¹²⁾ __________ .

110.3 Complete the sentences. Use the words in brackets in the correct order.

⁽¹⁾ (remember / I / never / can) her name.
⁽²⁾ __________ (take / I / usually) sugar in coffee.
⁽³⁾ __________ (am / usually / I) hungry when I get home from work.
Mark and Amy ⁽⁴⁾ __________ (both / were / born) in Manchester.
Lisa is a good pianist. ⁽⁵⁾ __________ (sing / she / also / can) very well.
Our cat ⁽⁶⁾ __________ (usually / sleeps) under the bed.
They live in the same building as me, but ⁽⁷⁾ __________ (never / I / have / spoken) to them.
This shop is always very busy. ⁽⁸⁾ __________ (have / you / always / to wait) a long time to be served.
My eyesight isn't very good. ⁽⁹⁾ __________ (I / read / can / only) with glasses.
⁽¹⁰⁾ __________ (all / were / we) tired, so ⁽¹¹⁾ __________ (all / we / fell) asleep.
A: Are you tired?
B: Yes, ⁽¹²⁾ __________ (am / I / always) at this time of day.
⁽¹³⁾ __________ (I / probably / leaving / will / be) early tomorrow.
I'm afraid ⁽¹⁴⁾ __________ (probably / I / be / won't) able to come to the party.
Helen is away a lot. ⁽¹⁵⁾ __________ (is / hardly ever / she) at home.
⁽¹⁶⁾ __________ (we / still / are / living) in the same place. We haven't moved.
If we hadn't taken the same train, ⁽¹⁷⁾ __________ (never / met / we / would / have) each other.
Tanya ⁽¹⁸⁾ __________ (says / always) that she'll phone me, but ⁽¹⁹⁾ __________ (does / she / never).

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