When Is Adverb A Phrase: 7 Facts Read it First

In this article, we will be finding out when is adverb a phrase with the aid of various examples, explanations and important facts about phrases and adverbs.

Phrases are formed when two or more words are put together. However, phrases do not convey to us complete meaning and do not make any sense on their own as they are just a part of a sentence. Adverbs are words that give us additional pieces of information about adjectives, verbs and other adverbs as well. Let us see if adverbs can be phrases.

Given below are a few sentences where adverbs are functioning as phrases.

• 1. My mother’s sister lives right next to our house.
• 2. This type of cloth is available almost in all places.
• 3. Once upon a time, we used to live in this palatial house.
• 4. Pihu completed the test paper very quickly.
• 5. Very rarely do we go out for dinner and movies.

Let us understand and analyze the adverbs functioning as phrases in each of the above sentences.

1. My mother’s sister lives right next to our house.

 ‘Right next to our house’ is the adverb phrase in this sentence. ‘Right next to our house’ is a phrase as it is a group of words that contains no meaning on its own and it is an adverb phrase as it is telling us where my mother’s sister lives.

2. This type of cloth is available almost in all places.

‘Almost in all places’ is the phrase in this sentence. It answers to the question ‘Where is this type of cloth available?’ by modifying the verb ‘available’ and thus it is an adverb phrase.

3. Once upon a time, we used to live in this palatial house.

‘Once upon a time’ is the phrase in this sentence. It answers to the question ‘When we used to live in this palatial house?’ by modifying the verb ‘used to live’ and thus it is an adverb phrase.

4. Pihu completed the test paper very quickly.

‘Very quickly’ is the phrase in this sentence. It answers to the question ‘how Pihu completed the test paper?’ by giving us extra information about the verb ‘completed’ and hence it is an adverb phrase.

5. Very rarely do we go out for dinner and movies.

‘Very rarely’ is the phrase in this sentence. It answers to the question ‘at what frequency do we go out for dinner and movies?’ by modifying the verb ‘go’ and thus it is an adverb phrase.

Can an adverb be a phrase?

Well, it is a definite yes as an adverb can be a phrase.

Example 1: Sudharshan solved the problem wisely.

Example 2: Sudharshan solved the problem in a wise manner.

In the first example, ‘wisely’ is an adverb as it is telling us how Sudharshan solved the problem. ‘Wisely’ is called as an adverb because it is made up of just one word.

However in the second example, ‘in a wise manner’ is a phrase as it consists of more than one word and it describes the action word ‘solved’ by telling how Sudharshan solved the problem. Thus, ‘in a wise manner’ too is functioning as an adverb, but since it consists of more than one word we call it an adverb phrase.

How can an adverb be a phrase?

An adverb can be a phrase as action words (verbs), adjectives and other adverbs can also be modified or described by more than two words, that is, by a group of words (phrases) in a sentence.

Example: We used to play at the corner of the road.

The phrase in the above sentence is ‘at the corner of the road’ and it tells us where the action of playing happened. It can be regarded as an adverb phrase as it tells us more about the verb ‘used to play’ by answering the question ‘Where do we used to play?’

Thus an adverb can be a phrase when the action (verb) is being described in two or more than two words.

When can an adverb be a phrase?

An adverb can be a phrase when a group of words together does the function of an adverb by modifying or giving additional information about the verbs, other adverbs or adjectives in any sentence.

Some of the combinations when an adverb can be a phrase (an adverb phrase) are as follows.

1. preposition + article + noun

Example: The function is arranged in a hall.

‘In a hall’ (preposition + article + noun) is the adverb phrase as it tells us where the function is arranged.

2. preposition + pronoun + noun

Example: Sheela prefers to attend the online class from her room.

‘From her room’ (preposition + pronoun + noun) is the adverb phrase as it tells us from where Sheela prefers to attend her online class.

3. adverb + preposition + noun/ pronoun

Example: My daughter ran quickly to me.

‘Quickly to me’ (adverb + preposition + pronoun) is the adverb phrase as it tells us how did my daughter run.

Where can an adverb be a phrase?

An adverb can be a phrase at the beginning, middle or end of a sentence as long it modifies the action in the sentence.

Example: Almost every year, we visit our parents who are living in India.

‘Almost every year’ is the adverb phrase in this sentence because it is performing the function of an adverb by telling when (at what frequency) we visit out parents living in India. Here in this sentence, adverb is a phrase and it is located in the beginning of the sentence.

Example: We shall go to the next room and discuss about this.

‘To the next room’ is the adverb phrase in this sentence because it is performing the function of an adverb by telling where we should go to discuss about this. Here in this sentence, adverb is a phrase and it is located in the middle of the sentence.

Example: It is raining heavily so ride your car very carefully.

‘Very carefully’ is the adverb phrase in this sentence because it is performing the function of an adverb by telling how you should ride the car. Here in this sentence, adverb is a phrase and it is located in the end of the sentence.

Thus, an adverb phrase can be present anywhere in the sentence.

Adverb as a phrase examples

Do go through the following examples where adverbs are in the form of phrases.

• 1. The match was cancelled due to the heavy rain.
• 2. Abraham will come to India by the end of this month.
• 3. During the break, all the children will be allowed to have snacks and play.
• 4. In the weekend, that place is very crowded that you can’t park anywhere around there.
• 5. They used to live down the lane.
• 6. The Central Park is in the middle of the city.
• 7. On the way to the school, we saw Mr. Singha and his wife.
• 8. Very often, Ramya catches cold.
• 9. Though the topic was new, Varsha answered all the questions very clearly and patiently.

Adverb as a phrase examples with detailed explanations

We will now identify and analyze the adverb phrases in each and every sentence.

1. The match was cancelled due to the heavy rain.

‘Due to the heavy rain’ is the adverb phrase utilized in this sentence to tell us more about the verb ‘cancelled’ by answering the question ‘why was the match cancelled?’

2. Abraham will come to India by the end of this month.

‘By the end of this month’ is the adverb phrase utilized in this sentence to convey us more information about the verb ‘come’ by answering the question ‘When will Abraham come to India?’

3. During the break, all the children will be allowed to have snacks and play.

‘During the break’ is the phrase in this sentence. It answers the question ‘when will the children be allowed to have snacks and play?’ by modifying the verb ‘allowed’ and thus it is an adverb phrase.

4. In the weekend, that place is very crowded that you can’t park anywhere around there.

‘In the weekend’ and ‘anywhere around there’ are the adverb phrases utilized in this sentence to describe the verbs ‘is’ and ‘can’t park’ by answering the questions ‘when is that place crowded?’ and ‘where can you not park?’ respectively.

5. They used to live down the lane.

‘Down the lane’ is the phrase in this sentence. It answers the question ‘where did they live?’ by modifying the verb ‘used to live’ and thus it is an adverb phrase.

6. The Central Park is in the middle of the city.

‘The middle of’ is the phrase in this sentence. It answers the question ‘where is the Central Park?’ by modifying the verb ‘is’ and thus it is an adverb phrase.

7. On the way to the school, we saw Mr. Singha and his wife.

‘On the way to the school’ is the adverb phrase utilized in this sentence to modify the action word ‘saw’ by answering the question ‘where did we see Mr. Singha and his wife?’

8. Very often, Ramya catches cold.

‘Very often’ is the adverb phrase utilized in this sentence to modify the action word ‘catches’ by answering the question ‘at what frequency does Ramya catch cold?’

9. Though the topic was new, Varsha answered all the questions very clearly and patiently.

‘Very clearly and patiently’ is the phrase in this sentence. It answers the question ‘how did Varsha answer all the questions?’ by modifying the verb ‘answered’ and thus it is an adverb phrase.

Difference between adverb and phrase

An adverb is a word (a part of speech) that is utilized when an action word (verb), an adjective or yet another adverb has to be modified or described.

A phrase consists of more than one word (two or more than two words) that forms a part of a sentence. A phrase can function as a noun (noun phrase) when it names a person or an object, as an adjective (adjective phrase) when it modifies a naming word (noun), as an adverb (adverb phrase) when it describes an action, another adverb or an adjective.

An adverb can only function as an adverb, while a phrase can function as a noun, adverb or an adjective based on the function it does.

Example: The host of the party looked stunning.

‘The host of the party’ is a noun phrase as it is naming a person.

Example: Sinha, who lives next door, is a very kind man.

‘Who lives next door’ is an adjective phrase as it is describing the noun ‘Sinha’.

Conclusion

Hence, from this article we got a basic understanding of what a phrase is and when it can become an adverb and also when an adverb can become a phrase thus becoming an adverb phrase.