There are 9 parts of speech or word classes in English language:
– nouns
– pronouns
– determiners
– verbs
– prepositions
– adjectives
– adverbs
– conjunctions
– interjections

We use adverbs to explain or describe:
– verbs,
– adjectives,
– other adverbs.

John speaks loudly.
– speak = verb
– loudly = adverb
– Adverb ‘loudly’ describes the verb ‘speaks.’

Mary lives there.
– lives = verb
– there = adverb
– Adverb ‘there’ describes the verb ‘lives.’

I saw John yesterday.
– saw = verb
– yesterday = adverb
– Adverb ‘yesterday’ describes the verb ‘saw.’

Jane is really beautiful.
– beautiful = adjective
– really = adverb
– Adverb ‘really’ describes the adjective ‘beautiful.’

She drives incredibly slowly.
– drives = verb
– slowly = adverb
– incredibly = adverb
– Adverb ‘slowly’ describes the verb ‘drives.’
– Adverb ‘incredibly’ describes the adverb ‘slowly.’

An adverb of place tells us:
– where something happens
– where something is done

Adverbs of place answer the questions of ‘where?‘

Please sit here.
– here = adverb of place (explains where the listener needs to sit)

Let’s go inside.
– inside = adverb of place (explains where the listener needs to go)

John went downstairs.
– downstairs = adverb of place (explains where John went)

How to Use Adverbs of Place

(1) Main verb + Adverb of Place

Main verbs
– base form (walk, eat)
– past simple form (walked, ate)
– past participle form (walked, eaten)
– -s form (walks, eats)
– -ing form (walking, eating)

Susan lives there.
I want to go there.
John is waiting outside.
Let’s go outside.
They lived abroad for 5 years.
We will go abroad next week.

(2) Verb be + Adverb of Place

Verb be
– be
– am/is/are
– was/were
– been
– being

Susan is here.
John was there yesterday.
John is outside.
They have been there since this morning.
I was abroad last week.
I will be abroad next week.

(3) We usually DO NOT use adverbs of place with prepositions.

I want to go home.
I want to go to home. (wrong)

John is inside.
John is at inside. (wrong)

Jane is downstairs.
Jane is on downstairs. (wrong)

Adverb of Place List

These are some examples of adverbs or place
– home
– here
– there
– inside
– outside
– indoors
– outdoors
– up
– upstairs
– down
– downstairs
– east
– west
– north
– south
– above
– below
– abroad, overseas
– across
– anywhere
– elsewhere
– everywhere
– nowhere
– somewhere
– away
– back
– behind
– backward, backwards
– downward, downwards
– forward, forwards
– upward, upwards
– onward, onwards
– homeward, homewards

An adverb of time tells us:
– when something happens
– when something is done

Adverbs of time answer the questions of ‘when?‘

John arrived yesterday.
– yesterday = adverb of time (explains when John arrived)

I need to talk to John now.
– now = adverb of time (explains when the speaker needs to talk to John)

Jane and I will meet again next week.
– next week = adverb of time (explains when the speaker and Jane will meet again)

How to Use Adverbs of Time

(1) We usually use adverbs of time at the end of sentences.

They are having a discussion now.
I met John yesterday.
We will go to the beach tomorrow.

(2) We usually DO NOT use adverbs of time with prepositions at/on/in.

They are having a discussion now.
They are having a discussion at now. (wrong)

I met John yesterday.
I met John on yesterday. (wrong)

We will go to the beach tomorrow morning.
We will go to the beach in tomorrow morning. (wrong)

Adverb of Time List

These are some examples of adverbs or time

– now
– today
– this morning/afternoon/evening
– tonight
– yesterday
– the day before yesterday
– three days ago
– tomorrow
– the day after tomorrow
– three days from now
– this week/month/year
– last week/month/year
– two weeks/months/years ago
– two weeks/months/years from now
– later
– recently
– yesterday morning/afternoon/morning
– tomorrow morning/afternoon/morning