Clause elements: Adverbials

The ghost story in Maria’s book consists of sentences. Sentences are built of clauses, that in turn consist of clause elements. Here is a clause with four clause elements: Right now, you are watching a movie One clause element is what or who the clause is about. The subject. This clause element describes what is happening, the predicate.

Yet another clause element is the thing or person that the subject does something with – the object. And here is another clause element, that says something about... time. Right now It tells us when you are watching the movie. It’s an adverbial.

There are many kinds of adverbial, that can tell us different things. Like the time, place or the way in which something is happening. You could say that they answer questions that might be asked about an event: Where? When? How?

Why? Here are three clauses without any adverbial: Maria is reading ghost stories. Everybody is listening. But someone turns up... They describe a situation, but we know nothing about, for example when or where it’s taking place.

Adverbials add information, extend the clause. Like this: Maria is reading ghost stories in her room. Everybody is listening carefully, because it is exciting. But tonight, someone turns up... You can find adverbials by asking questions: When?

tonight Where? In her room Why? Because it is exciting How? Carefully Adverbials are often divided into groups, categories, based on what they are telling us. The most important ones are the adverbials of place, time, manner, and cause. ...but there are many more.

Some adverbials don’t add anything about the event described in the clause. Instead they say something about the whole clause or sentence. These are called: Sentence adverbials. ... Sentence adverbials are usually divided into two basic types. One type explains the connection between various parts of the text, such as: At first On the contrary As a result These are called: Linking adverbials They are often used at the beginning of the clause or sentence.

Here are some more examples: Initially, Maria wanted to scare Lingo. To do this she read some ghost stories. However, someone else gave Maria a scare... Here they are. ... This kind of adverbial can, for example put various bits of text in a particular order: Initially Or show that one sentence depends on another sentence: to do this Or introduce some new, contrasting information: However You could say that linking adverbials organise the information, structure it. ...

The second basic type of sentence adverbial expresses your attitude or opinion about what you’re saying. Obviously, apparently, probably, maybe, unfortunately These are called: modal adverbials They can express how believable, or possible something is: Clearly, fortunately Clearly Maria was afraid of ghosts. Or show your attitude to what’s being said: Fortunately it wasn’t a real ghost. Still today you can sometimes hear the ghost knocking on people’s doors to be let in... ... Hohoo…!

Uh! I’ll.. just..