expressions which:• add to the meaning of verbs e.g.

He drives fast. verb

word

•modify the meaning of words belonging to other word classes, e.g.

The rice is almost ready.

and

may be:

• words (adverbs), e.g. angrily

•clauses, e.g. because it was hot

•phrases, e.g. in the afternoon

• How? He went out angrily.

• When? He went out in the afternoon.

• Why? He went out because it was hot.

• Where? He went out to the shops.

• For how long? He went out for a long time.

modify the verb by specifying:

location

manner how; what with;

cause how; why; what for; who for

accompaniment who with; what with

role as what; into what

matter what about

angle who says

place where

time when

probes

forever (duration)

kindly (manner)

nowhere (place)

now (time)

usually (frequency)

almost degree (degree)

why? (interrogative adverb)

Obviously, (sentence adverb)

• He walked very carefully.

• They made him chairman last year.

• She studied at a large university.

• She died of pneumonia.

• etc

(how)

(when)

(where)

(why)

• Manner (how): as softly as he could.• Place (where): where the boat landed.• Time (when): as soon as I came.• Frequency (how often): as often as he could.• Duration (how long): as long as he was there.• Reason (why): because he wanted to.• Result (so what): so she left.

He spoke

adverbs can be formed from adjectives, e.g.

adjective

adverb

regular neat neatly

gentle gently

irregular

fast fast

good well

positive

comparative

superlative

-er; -est soon sooner soonest

more; mostless; least

firmly more firmly;less firmly

most firmly;least firmly

It was really awfulrather wonderfulextremely lovelytoo sadso exciting

modify the meaning of an adjective in some way, e.g.

• My students spell atrociously!• They must be good spellers. I can’t

spell that.

A small cat was taking her kittens for a walk when a large aggressive cat approached them.

• “Woof! Woof!” shouted the small cat, and the large cat ran away.

• “See how important it is to speak another language fluently,” the cat said to her kittens.

• Where can you __________ find happiness?

• In a dictionary.

Bill’s dad sent him to buy 3 kilos of mangoes, but he only had two kilos when he got home.

The dad phoned the shop and said, • “I sent my son for 3 kilos of mangoes, but he

only brought home 2. Did you weigh the fruit _________?”

• “Yes, we did” replied the shop clerk. But have you weighed your son?”

• Why do you __________ answer a question with a question?

• Why not?

• I didn’t come here for you to insult me.

• Really? Where do you ________ go?

Grammar with Laughter 1999, George Woolard,

Language Teaching Publications, Hove, England

Fax: 44-1-273-775-361

Rediscover Grammar by David Crystal London: Longman. (nd.) pp.150-155

• complete summary sheet (p.8)

• complete Unit 6 (p.28ff)

errors in expressing adverbial meanings commonly involve prepositions:

• wrong preposition, e.g. He lay down on the treeAt the afternoon I do some drawing.

• omission of necessary preposition, e.g.We walked the zoo five hours She came my house to play.

• addition of unnecessary preposition, e.g.We brought the things to thereAt the next day I told my friends the news.

at

they left before two o’clock

after

To relate two elements in a sentence e.g.

on

the book was under the table

by

meaning simple complex

place at, on, in, by

direction towards, along

away from

time at, on, during

cause for, to, on account of

support for, with

possession

with, of

Position of pre-positions in the sentence

• I’m sorry for him.

• He lay on the beach

• He left it behind the clock

•It’s all been paid for

•She’s nice to be with.

but

She’s nice to be with.

It’s nice to be with her

The object of the proposition takes the objective case form – unless it is the Subject of the sentence

Subject

non-Subject only the pronouns change form in

the objective case

some problem prepositions

differentto?

from?

e.g. This book is different - to yours? from yours?

Consider the verb differ:

This book differs from yours

This book is different from yoursso

Prepositional phrases adjectival usage – qualifying the noun:

The man with long hair;

adverbial usage – modifying the verb:

The announcement came at six o’clock.

Phrasal verbs

Turn on the light.

(Turn it on)

Turn off the light.

(Turn it off)

Win over the others.

(Win them over)

Stand up.

Sit down.

Do you give in?

transitive: intransitive:

3 kinds of phrasal verb:

i) verb + adverb, e.g. look out (=retrieve)e.g. I’ll look out a good reference book for you

ii) verb + preposition, e.g. look for (=seek)

e.g. He looked for a new hat.

iii) verb + adverb + preposition,

e.g. look out for (=watch for the presence of)

e.g. I’ll look out for you at the concert.

Phrasal verbs

testing for phrasal verbs

If the adverb or preposition is not attached to the verb then it can be put first, e.g.

1. I’ll see Jim here Here I’ll see Jim.

therefore the verb in 2 issee off

- a phrasal verb

2. I’ll see Jim off Off I’ll see Jim

• go for an expedition

• go on an expedition

• hand over homework

• hand in homework?

• divorce with

• divorce from

• get up the bus

• get on the bus

• Can I go toilet? (omission)

• Close the light / tap (substituting for phrasal verb)

• Raise up your hand (insertion)

• We were near to the police station

• The man put off the fire (wrong prep.)

• complete summary sheet (p.8)

• complete Unit 8 (p.32ff)

Rediscover Grammar by David Crystal London: Longman. (nd.) pp.164-171

• Mr Tan, can you explain to the court why you pushed one of your friends __________ a steamroller?

• I needed a new flatmate, your honour.

• Haven’t I seen your face somewhere else before?

• No, I don’t think so. My face has always been __________ my ears.

• You’ve written a cheque for $500.

• Yes, I’m sending it my sister her birthday.

• But you haven’t signed it.

• I know. It’s a surprise and I don’t want her to know who sent it.

• I went to the doctor about my bad memory.

• What did he do about it?

• He made me pay ____ advance.

Stan. Singapore English Stan. Int. English

to consider about something to consider something

to cope up with something to cope with something

to demand for something to demand something

to discuss /on about something to discuss something

to emphasise on something to emphasise something

to list out items to list items

to lower down the volume to lower the volume

to mention about something to mention something

to page for someone to page someone

to regret for something to regret something

to request for something to request something

to sell something away to sell something

to tolerate with someone to tolerate someone

verb + preposition verb + 0

to demand something to make a demand for something

to discuss something to have a discussion about something

to emphasise something to put emphasis on something

to list items to make out a list

to lower the volume to put the volume down lower

to mention something to make mention about something

to regret something to express regret about something

to request something to make a request for something

to tolerate someone to be tolerant with/of someone

verb + 0 noun + preposition