LoginAdverbs of Place
Discover the rules for using adverbs of place, like 'upstairs', 'downstairs', and 'abroad'. Detailed explanations and a quiz to test your knowledge.
What Are Adverbs of Place?
Adverbs of place (also called spatial adverbs) modify a verb to tell us where an action takes place. They provide information about the location or position of something.
Adverbs of Place: Form
While most adverbs of place are technically prepositional phrases that function as adverbials of place, some adverbs of place are flat adverbs (also called simple adverbs or bare adverbs) that consist of only one word, such as 'here', 'there', 'upstairs', 'downstairs', 'in', 'out' and so on.
I went upstairs and took a shower.
A flat adverb
He was standing by the stairs.
A prepositional phrase functioning as adverb
Adverb vs. Preposition of Place
Many adverbs of place have the same form as prepositions. When used as prepositions, they must be followed by a noun. For example:
The bird flew up and disappeared in the sky.
'Up' as an adverb of place
We walked slowly up the hill.
'Up' as a preposition of place
'Here' and 'There'
'Here' and 'there' are two of the most common adverbs of place, referring to a location relative to the speaker rather than as a fixed position. 'Here' expresses a place that is near the speaker, while 'there' indicates a location that is away from the speaker. Here are some examples:
Come on. I'm over here.
Australia? I've always wanted to go there.
Sometimes 'here' and 'there' are fronted and the subject and verb following them are inverted to form exclamatory sentences or create a stylistic effect. For example:
Here comes the bride!
There goes the plane!
Adverbial and Dummy 'There'
'There' as a dummy pronoun is usually followed by a verb and does not give further information about anything, just shows that a situation exists. On the other hand, adverbial 'there' is used as an adverb of place to indicate the location of somebody or something. Take a look at the examples:
She is there.
Adverbial
There are many small rooms in this hotel.
Here, 'there' is a dummy pronoun because it is followed by a verb.
Indefinite Adverbs of Place
Adverbs of place that end in the suffix -where indicate an indefinite location rather than a specific one. For example:
It's got to be around here somewhere.
She's looked everywhere but still couldn't find her keys.
Interrogative Adverbs of Place
Interrogative adverbs of place are used in questions to ask about position and placement. These adverbs include:
Whence does the Parliament derive this power?
Whereabouts do you live?
Wherein lies the difference between conservatism and liberalism?
Adverbs of Place: Position in Sentence
An adverb of place usually comes in the end position, which is after an intransitive main verb or after the direct object of a transitive verb. Usually, they appear at the end of a clause.
He walked in. (after the main verb)
We parked the car nearby. (after the object)
In formal style, you can use adverbial prepositional phrases at the beginning of a sentence to emphasize the location being described. For example:
Behind the bench, we sat and talked.
Under the willow tree, he first met her.
The adverbs 'here' and 'there' are also sometimes used at the beginning of a sentence to put emphasis on the location or direction of the place being described. For example:
Here we have a beautiful artefact from 1939.
There, in the middle of the woods, a wolf awaited his prey.
Adverbs of Place: Uses
Adverbs of place are used to describe location and distance.
Location
We can use adverbs of place to talk about the position of someone or something. For example:
My mother is cooking in the kitchen.
Let's go play outside.
Distance
Adverbs of place can also be used to show the distance or proximity of something, that is, how far or how close something is. For example:
The grocery store is nearby.
The mountains are far away.
Adverbs as Subject Complements
Some adverbs, particularly adverbs of place, can be used as predicative subject complements, appearing after a linking verb to show the location of the subject. For example:
Our seat is there.
Your books are upstairs.
Review
Adverbs of place, as their name suggests, are used to show where someone or something is. They usually come after the main verb or its complement to:
talk about position (location)
talk about distance
Quiz:
Which sentence contains an adverb of place?
The inside of the car smelled of cigarrete smoke.
I was born in the 1990s.
There was someone waiting for me.
The children played outside until dinner.
Sort the words to form a correct sentence.
Match each sentence with the correct form of adverb used in it.
Which sentence uses an adverb of place to indicate distance?
The book is under the table.
He's going to travel to Africa.
Let's go play outside.
The mountains are far away.
Complete each sentence with the appropriate adverb of place.
We have been waiting
for over an hour.
I'll go
you go.
They sailed
until the island disappeared from view.
did you leave the documents?
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