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It is impossible to establish fixed rules for the correct placing of verb modifiers in English sentences. Certain patterns of order, however, occur with great frequency and my be taken as guides.
1. With important exceptions which will be treated below, most verb modifiers follow the verb. If the verb is transitive, they also follow its objects (direct and indirect).
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Complement
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Subject
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Verb
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Object
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Verb Modifier
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He
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went
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home.
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I
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ate
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supper
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at home.
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Come
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here.
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She
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spoke
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softly.
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He
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answered
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me
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promptly.
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Roberto
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teaches
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Spanish
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five nights a week.
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Maria
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swims
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daily.
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He
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left
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last night.
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They
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visited
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us
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two years ago.
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We
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turned
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left.
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2. When two or more modifiers follow a verb (and its objects) there is a tendency to arrange them in order according to type. The most common order pattern is:
Place
Manner
Frequency
Time
Purpose (or reason)
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SUBJECT
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VERB
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OBJECT
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PLACE
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MANNER/ MEANS
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FREQUENCY
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TIME
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REASON OR PURPOSE
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We
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drink
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coffee
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in the snack bar
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every morning
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at 9:20.
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I
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drive
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my car
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extra carefully
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when its wet.
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He
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walks
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to work
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all the time
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to save money.
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We
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get
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our pay
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by check
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every month.
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I
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will travel
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to Mexico
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this weekend
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for a change.
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That students
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writes
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(to) his parents
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in English
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for practice.
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I
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see
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her
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at the symphony
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occasionally.
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I
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will ask
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him
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again
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tonight
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to be sure.
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They
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drove
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to Laredo
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in their new car
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every weekend
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last month.
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Put out
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the lights
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in the rest rooms
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when you leave.
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We
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are going
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to their house
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next Wednesday night
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for dinner.
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3. Although phrase and clause modifiers usually follow the verb and its objects (if any) there is a large class of single word adverbs of frequency, time, or manner that may either precede or follow. The most import of these are:
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Frequency
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Time
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Manner
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often
sometimes
occasionally
regularly
repeatedly
frequently
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eventually
finally
already
recently
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quickly
slowly
gradually
gladly
hurriedly
patiently
promptly
carefully
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Generally speaking, such adverbs receive more stress when spoken before the verb and are therefore more emphatic in that position. There is also a tendency, when several verb modifiers are used, to place the single adverbs before the verb rather than after it. In this way the complement is less crowded and the whole sentence is more balanced.
Example:
- He returned my book promptly.
- He promptly returns the books to the library when they are due.
- He’s called me several times recently.
- We recently visited them at they new home in Dallas.
4. The frequency adverbs usually, always, seldom, never and ever; and the duration adverb still, pattern regularly before the main verb (except be).
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Subject
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Adverb
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Verb
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Complement
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I
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never
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see
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you at the club these days.
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He
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always
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drinks
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his coffee black.
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We
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usually
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go
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downtown on Saturday.
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They
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seldom
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write
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to us any more.
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She
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still
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intends
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to make the trip.
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Note: Ever does not occur in affirmative statements. It is used only in negative statements, or in affirmative or negative questions.
Example:
- Don’t ever say that again!
- Have you ever been to New York?
- Haven’t you ever heard her sign?
Notice the pattern with forms of the question word DO
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Form of Do
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Subject
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Modifier
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Verb
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Complement
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Did
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he
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frequently
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go
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to town?
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Does
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John
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usually
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sleep
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late on Sunday?
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Do
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students
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often
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ask
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questions?
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In general with the forms of BE the frequency adverb immediately follows the verb in the statement pattern.
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Subject
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Verb
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Complement
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He
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is
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always late to class.
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We
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are
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usually in the Park.
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Julio
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is
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often sick.
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They
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are
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never at home.
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In the question, the frequency adverb patterns as follows:
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Complement
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Subject
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Verb
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Modifier
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He
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is
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always
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late to class.
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Complement
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Subject
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Verb
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Modifier
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Is
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he
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always
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late to class?
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In general the frequency adverb immediately follows the auxiliary or modal as in the following examples:
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Subject
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Aux. or modal
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Modifier
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Verb
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Complement
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He
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can
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never
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remember
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her name.
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Lt. Smith
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has
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always
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been
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friendly.
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I
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have
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seldom
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asked
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a favor.
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You
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should
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occasionally
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visit
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him.
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Note: In the question the frequency adverb patterns as follows.
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Subject
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Aux. or modal
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Modifier
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Verb
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Complement
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He
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has
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always
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been
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present.
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He
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should
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always
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be
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present.
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Note to 3 & 4 above: If the frequency adverb is itself modified by another adverb, this modifier directly precedes the frequency adverb.
Examples:
- He is almost always late.
- She has hardly ever been away from home.
5. Adverb clauses of time, place, manner and reason or purpose usually follow the verb.
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Subject
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Verb
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Adverbial Complement (clause)
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Time
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He
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left
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when the party was over.
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Place
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They
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lived
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where the climate was warm.
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Manner
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The teacher
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spoke
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as though she knew her subject.
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Reason
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The student
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apologized
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because he was late.
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Purpose
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We
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saved up
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so that we could buy a car.
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