Adverb Phrases and Adverbial phrases

ADVERB AND ADVERBIAL PHRASE

COMPASSION

START

A PHRASE

ADVERB PHRASE

• It´s a group of words that does not have a subject and verb showing time.

• It´s a group of words that often modifies a main clause in the sentence.

Adverb phrases commonly include:

• Present participles.

Before traveling abroad, I had seldom seen poverty.

• Past participles.

People will often help others when given the chance.

NEGATIVE Adverb phrases :

• Contains the words not and never before the participle.

• After not eating all day, we were very hungry.

REDUCING ADVERB CLAUSES WITH BE

• We can reduce an adverb clause into an adverb phrase only if the subject is both sentences refers to the same thing or person.

• To reduce an adverb clause into an adverb phrase omit the subject pronoun and the form of be.
• If the original form has commas, keep them in the reduced sentence.

1. Roger and Maggie drove while the children were sleeping.

1. While they were driving, they were attacked by bandits. (adverb clause)

• An Adverb phrase can come first or second in a sentences. If comes first we usually palce a comma after it.

• While driving, they were attacked by bandits. (adverb phrase)

CHANGING ADVERB CLAUSES OF TIME

• Adverbs clause of time beginning with after, before, since, and while can be reduced into an adverb phrase only if the clause has no form of be.

• To reduce it into a phrase omit the subject pronoun and change the verb to into ing- form.
• Keep the original subordinating conjunction and punctuation.

1. After they visited Arabia, the Greens drove south. (Adverb clause)

• After visiting Arabia, the Greens drove south.

(Adverb phrase)

CHANGING ADVERB CLAUSES with past-TIME verbs

• In a sentence with a simple past or past perfect verb, you can also change the clause to a phrase by changing the verb to its -ing form and keeping the subordinating conjunction and the original punctuation.

• To change an adverb clause with a simple past or past perfect verb to an adverb phrase, change the verb to having + past participles.
• Keep the original punctuation.

1. After they opened the door, they saw the blood.

• After opening the door, they saw the blood.

1. After they had opened the door, they saw the blood.

• Having opened the door, they saw the blood.

REPLACING WHEN WITH ON OR UPON IN ADVERB PHRASE

• Upon realizing what had happened, they pulled to the side of the road.
• On realizing what had happened, they pulled to the side of the road.

• We don´t use when in adverb phrases if the meaning is: at the time something occurred.
• If when has this meaning in an adverb clause, replace it with on or upon + -ing when you reduce the clause to an adverb phrase.

• When they realized what had happened, they pulled to the side of the road.

DEFINITION OF ADVERBIAL PHRASE

• An adverb phrase without a subordinating conjunction is called an adverbial phrase.
• We sometimes omit the subordinating conjunction in a phrase. When we do this, the adverb phrase changes to an adverbial phrase.

• While sitting on the porch, I thought about my future.

(Adverb Phrase)

• Sitting on the porch, I thought about my future.

(Adverbial Phrase)

CHANGING ADVERB CLAUSES OF REASON

• You can change because/since/as + a form of be to being in an adverbial phrase.
• You can change a present perfect or past perfect verb in an adverb clause to having (been) + past participle in an adverbial phrase.

• Adverb clause of reason can be changed to adverbial phrases.
• To change an adverb clause of reason to an adverbial phrase, omit the subordinating conjunctions because, since, or as at the beginning of a clause.
• These conjunctions must be omitted.

• Since they were angry, they decided to do something about the problem.
• Because they had been moved by the situation, people became organ donors.

1. Because the children were sleeping in the car, they were not aware of what was happening.

• Sleeping in the car, they were not aware of what was happening.

• Being angry, they decided to do something about the problem.
• Having been moved by the situation, people became organ donors.

CHANGING passive clauses

• Sometimes you can omit the subordinating conjunction without changing the meaning.
• In these cases you need to form an adverb phrase, delete the subject, and change the form of be to being

• You can change a clause containing passive verb to an adverbial phrase with the past participle only.

• Since I was given two options, I chose the harder of the two.

• Given two options, I chose the harder of the two.

• If you omit the subordinating conjunction into an adverbial phrase without changing the meaning of the sentence, delete the subject and any auxiliaries in a passive sentence.

• Before I was told the nature of the problem, I had no idea what to do.
• Before being told the nature of the problem, I had no idea what to do.

EXERCISES

1. While I was going to work, I saw something unusual.

While going to work, I saw something unusual. Adverb Phrase

Going to work, I saw something unusual. Adverbial Phrase

2. He sliced his fingers while he was chopping vegetables.

While chopping vegetables, he sliced his fingers. Adverb Phrase

Chopping vegetables, he sliced his fingers. Adverbial Phrase

3. After we PLAYED basketball for two hours, they went home.

After playing basketball for two hours, they went home. Adverb Phrase

After playing basketball for two hours, they went home. Can not be shortened into an Adverbial Phrase

4. While I was reading your essay, I noticed a lot of mistakes.

While reading your essay, I noticed a lot of mistakes. Adverb Phrase

Reading your essay, I noticed a lot of mistakes. Adverbial Phrase

6. While she was returning from work, she got stuck in traffic.

While returning from work, she got stuck in traffic. Adverb Phrase

Returning from work, she got stuck in traffic. Adverbial Phrase

7. He started to play video games after he finished his homework.

After finishing his homework, he started to play video games. Adverb Phrase

Finishing his homework, he started to play video games. Adverbial Phrase

5. Since i moved here, I have met many great people.

Since moving here, I have met many great people. Adverb Phrase

Since moving here, I have met many great people. Can not be shortened into an Adverbial Phrase