Representing when, where, how and why

ugs.gif (980 bytes) Representing where page 2 of 8

Using adverbs

Adverbs gloss.gif (923 bytes) such as here, there, somewhere and everywhere are commonly used to indicate where something takes place or where something is:

There are lots of wonderful actors here. (SCMP 28/8/92)

You were there at the time? (Bank of English)

I don't mind going somewhere and getting a bus or something.
(Bank of English)

He used to go everywhere with him. (Bank of English)

Generally there as an adverb indicating place does not occur before the verb. In other words, it is incorrect to say:

There is very green.

We need to say:

It is very green there.

Note that the adverb there does come before the verb in certain fixed expressions:

There you are then, love. Thirty pence. (Bank of English)

There you go again, trying to blame me for a failing in yourself.
(Bank of English)

There also comes before the verb when there is subject-verb inversion:

I turned to the right and there was the village. (Bank of English)
                                                                  verb          subject

There goes our only hope. (Bank of English)
               verb                  subject

For information about some of the problems that students have with the adverb there, see
06studpr.gif (552 bytes) Representing when, where, how and why: Students' problems (p 5).

04conten.gif (549 bytes) Introduction
 Using adverbs
04conten.gif (549 bytes) Using prepositional phrases: at
04conten.gif (549 bytes) Using prepositional phrases: on
04conten.gif (549 bytes) Using prepositional phrases: in
04conten.gif (549 bytes) Using prepositional phrases: at, on and in
04conten.gif (549 bytes) Using prepositional phrases: at and to
04conten.gif (549 bytes) Using prepositional phrases: between and among