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As we have seen already in the section on Adverb, Adverb is a word which gives an additional detail about the meaning of a verb or an adjective or another adverb.
In many sentences, the adverb need not be a word. An adverb may be a phrase as in the following sentences.
Just as the work of an adjective is done by ‘a group of words’ called Adjective-phrase, so the work of an adverb can be done by ‘a group of words’ which is called ‘ADVERB-PHRASE’.
Examples:
• Clinton ran quickly.
In this sentence, the adverb ‘quickly’ gives another detail about the verb ‘ran’.
• Clinton ran with great speed.
In this sentence, the same meaning has been conveyed by using ‘a group of words’-‘with great speed’.
In this same manner, the meaning of an adverb can be conveyed by using different a group of words.
That group of words is called ADVERB-PHRASE.
In the following sentences, the first sentence and the second sentence in a pair convey the same meaning but using adverb in the first sentence and adverb-phrase in the second sentence.
• He answered rudely.
• He answered in a rude manner.
• He does his work carelessly.
• He does his work without care.
• No such diseases were known then.
• No such diseases were known in those days.
• The mango fell here.
• The mango fell on this spot.
• This product is available everywhere.
• This product is available in all places.
• You can find the pencil there.
• You can find the pencil in that place.
• He has gone abroad.
• He has gone to a foreign nation.
• We constructed this house only recently.
• We constructed this house only few months back.
An Adverb phrase is a group of words that does the work of an adverb.
Here few adverbs with their corresponding adverb-phrases have been given for you reference.
• Bravely…in a brave manner
• Bravely…With bravery
• Unwisely…In an unwise manner
• Unwisely…without wisdom
• Swiftly…in a swift manner
• Swiftly…with swiftness
• Beautifully…in a beautiful manner
• Formerly…in the former times
• Formerly… once upon a time
• Soon…at an early date
• There…at that place
• Away…to another place
• Loudly…in a loud noise
Few more examples:
In the following sentences, the Adverb-Phrases have been colored blue.
• Did he behave well?
• Did he behave in a good manner?
• Go away.
• Go from here.
• Gently fell the rain.
• In a gentle manner fell the rain.
• The dying man replied feebly.
• The dying man replied in a feeble manner.
• Let us cease from work henceforth.
• Let us cease from work from this moment.
• The bodies were mangled terribly.
• The bodies were mangled in terrible manner.
• It was here he died.
• It was on this spot where he died.
• He seems to have acted promptly.
• He seems to have acted with great promptitude.