Classroom Thoughts

James answered immediately. (adverb)

James answered in English. (prepositional phrase)

James answered this morning. (noun phrase)

James answered in English because he had a foreign visitor.(adverbial clause)

 

Types of adverbials that form sentence elements

Adverbials are typically divided into four classes:
adverbial complements (i.e. obligatory adverbial) are adverbials that render a sentence ungrammatical and meaningless if removed.

John put the flowers in a vase.

adjuncts: these are part of the core meaning of the sentence, but if omitted still leave a meaningful sentence.

John helped me with my homework.

conjuncts: these link two sentences together.

John helped so I was, therefore, able to do my homework.

disjuncts: these make comments on the meaning of the rest of the sentence.

Surprisingly, he passed all of his exams.

Distinguishing an adverbial from an adjunct

All verb- or sentence-modifying adjuncts are adverbials, but some adverbials are not adjuncts.

• If the removal of an adverbial does not leave a well-formed sentence, then it is not an adjunct
• If the adverbial modifies within a sentence element, and is not a sentence element in its own right, it is not an adjunct.
• If the adverbial is not grammatically tied to the sentence it is not an adjunct, e.g.

Mr Reninson; however, voted against the proposal. (adverbial conjunct not adjunct)

Activity:
http://www.pearsonschoolsandfecolleges.co.uk/Secondary/EnglishAndMedia/11-14/GrammarMattersToo/Samples/SampleGrammarActivityWorksheetsfromtheTeacherResourceFile/GM_Too_TRF_p36_sample.pdf