Adverbs of Place

An adverb of place helps us understand where an action occurs by describing its location, direction, or movement in space. These adverbs answer the question “where?” about an action and typically appear after the main verb they’re modifying.

Basic Usage Examples#

Simple sentences showing adverbs of place in action:

• The butterfly flew upward.
• Stand aside, please.
• The children ran outside.

Understanding Adverbs vs. Prepositions#

One tricky aspect of adverbs of place is that many can also function as prepositions. The key to telling them apart lies in what follows the word:

• When used as an adverb, the word stands alone:
  • Please stay behind.
  • The cat jumped up.
• When used as a preposition, the word connects to a noun:
  • Please stay behind the line.
  • The cat jumped up the tree.

Placement in Sentences#

These adverbs generally follow the main verb or appear at the end of the clause they modify:

• The squirrel scampered away.
• She wandered aimlessly through the garden, looking everywhere for her lost ring.
• The autumn leaves drifted downward.

Split Adverbs#

Sometimes, adverbs can be placed between parts of a verb phrase, creating what’s known as a split infinitive:

• Standard form: The bird started to fly swiftly upward
• Split form: The bird started to swiftly fly upward

While traditionally considered incorrect by some grammarians, split infinitives are now widely accepted in modern English. The choice often depends on the emphasis desired and the natural flow of the sentence.

Common Adverbs of Place#

Distance Words (-where)#

These adverbs describe location without specific details:

• The missing puzzle piece must be somewhere.
• We searched everywhere for the lost puppy.
• The old map led nowhere.

Directional Words (-ward/s)#

These describe movement toward a specific direction:

• The geese flew southward for winter.
• The children skipped homeward after school.
• The boat drifted seaward with the tide.

Here and There#

These common adverbs show location relative to the speaker:

• With movement verbs:
  • “Here” indicates movement toward the speaker
  • “There” indicates movement away from the speaker

Examples:

• Bring the documents here to my desk.
• Place the package there on the shelf.

Common Combined Phrases#

We often combine basic place adverbs with other words:

• The balloon floated up above.
• Look down below at the valley.
• Stand over here by the window.

Practice Exercises#

Exercise 1: Complete the Sentences#

Use one adverb from this list:

inward    above    nearby    offshore    ahead

1. Dark clouds gathered _____ as the storm approached.
2. The fishing boats anchored _____ during the storm.
3. The flower petals curled _____ as evening fell.
4. We could hear music from _____ as we walked.
5. The tour guide walked _____, leading the group.

Exercise 2: Select the Best Option#

Choose the most appropriate word:

1. The mountain climbers ventured (upwards/sideways) toward the peak.
2. Birds nested (abroad/overhead) in the tall trees.
3. The rabbit hopped (near/inside) its burrow when it sensed danger.
4. Can you move (somewhere/aside) so I can pass?
5. The dolphins swam (away/abroad) from the boat.

Exercise 3: Rearrange for Effect#

Rewrite these sentences with the adverb in different positions:

1. The autumn leaves settled (gently) (downward).
2. The moon shone (brightly) (overhead).
3. The stream flowed (peacefully) (onward).
4. Birds soared (gracefully) (skyward).

Exercise 4: Identify Function#

Determine if the highlighted word functions as an adverb or preposition:

1. The cat climbed up.
2. The cat climbed up the curtains.
3. Let’s walk around.
4. Let’s walk around the park.
5. The child peeked beneath.

Exercise 5: Split Infinitive Practice#

Identify which sentences use split infinitives and rewrite them in standard form:

1. The eagle began to gracefully soar upward.
2. She wanted to quickly run inside.
3. They chose to carefully walk forward.
4. He decided to suddenly move backward.
5. We planned to quietly sneak away.