副词是英语中用法比较灵活的一类词,主要用来修饰动词、形容词或另一类副词。不同的副词在句子中的位置是不同的。以下就笔者所见作一小结。
1.时间副词(now,then,recently,soon, just now,right away,etc.)可以放在整个句子或从句之前或后,并通常放在句末。其中 then,recently可以放在动词之前;still常放在动词之前或系动词、助动词、情态动词之后;而yet常放于句末,并且句子常用否定形式。例如:
I'll then turn to my classmates for help.
When all the students finished the morning exercise,he was still asleep.
We haven't finished the work yet.
2.地点副词(here,there,down,anywhere,everywhere,inside,etc.)和方式副词(well,quickly,kindly,etc.)常放在宾语之后,或不及物动词之后。其中here,there,up,down等副词与不及物动词go,come,stand,walk, lie等词连用时,副词可置于句首。如句子主语是名词或名词短语时,句子需用完全倒装语序。例如:
There stands the tower.
Down came the rain.
We looked for the lost wallet here and there,but in vain.
3.程度副词(very,quite,almost,fairly, nearly,just,extremely,hardly,etc.)常放在被修饰词之前,但当very修饰动词时,常与 much连用并置于句末。例如:
I like her very much.
With one false movement,he nearly loses the whole game.
4.频度副词(ever,never,often,always, seldom,sometimes,etc.)常放在动词之前,或系动词、助动词、情态动词之后。其中some- times也常置于句首。例如:
I have never been to America.
Sometimes he phones me,and sometimes he writes to me.
5.关于副词only的位置。only可以修饰名词、代词、动词、形容词、副词等,通常放在被修饰词之前。但是,当only放在动词之前时,句子可能有几种含义,这就得靠上下文的意思来正确理解。例如:
It was only an coincidence.
They only have coffee in the morning.(可以理解为:他们早上只喝咖啡。或:他们只在早上喝咖啡。)
注:(1)当程度副词与频度副词同时在句子中出现时,程度副词通常前置修饰频度副词。例如:
He hardly ever leaves his house all the day.
The president of our university is nearly always occupied.
(2)当时间、地点、程度与方式副词同时在句子中出现时,常把程度副词放在最前面,方式副词放在地点副词之前,时间副词放在最后。但是,句中动词是动态动词(go,come, leave,arrive, etc.)时,则常把地点副词放在方式副词之前。例如:
They performed pretty well in the city hall last night.
She went home quickly.
(3)可作定语的副词(如here,there,back, ahead,abroad,below,above,yesterday,before, etc.)通常放在被修饰名词之后。例如:
We will see a beautiful picture about the country in the years ahead.
The atmosphere here is seriously polluted.