EL P1 Formal Letter Adverbial Phrases

1 Name:____________________________ ( ) Date:________ Sec _________ 1. Adverbial Phrase An adverbial phrase is a group of words that functions as an adverb. You can use it to elaborate on your formal letter. Adverbial phrase of time An adverbial phrase of time states when something happens or how often. For example:  I'll do it in a minute.  After the game, the king and pawn go into the same box. (Italian Proverb)  Do not wait for the last judgment. It takes place every day. (Albert Camus) Adverbial Phrase of place An adverbial phrase of place states where something happens. For example:  I used to work in a fire-hydrant factory. You couldn't park anywhere near the place. (Steven Wright)  Opera is when a guy gets stabbed in the back and, instead of bleeding, he sings. (Ed Gardner) Adverbial Phrase of reason An adverbial phrase of reason states why something is done. For example:  He went to the island to find gold.  He plays up to impress his class mates.  We tell ourselves stories in order to live. (Author Joan Didion) The format of Adverbial Phrase An adverbial phrase of reason states why something is done. For example:  He went to the island to find gold.  He plays up to impress his class mates.  We tell ourselves stories in order to live. (Author Joan Didion) Here are three common formats for adverbial phrases:  Prepositional phrase. A prepositional phrase is headed by a preposition. (e.g., "in," "on," "near," "by," "with"). For example:  He was standing in the corner.  She is winning without trying.  Infinitive phrase. An infinitive phrase is headed by an infinitive verb. (e.g., "to play," "to jump"). For example:  She went to Florence to paint.  Fill in this form to join our club.  An adverb with an intensifier. An adverb with an intensifier. (e.g., "very," "extremely," "really") is also an adverbial phrase. For example:  He answered you very quickly.  She danced extremely beautifully. There are, of course, other formats. For example:  We arrived a day later than expected.  I paid him every week. If you have a group of words that is functioning as an adverb and that doesn't feature a subject and a verb (meaning it's not an adverbial clause), then you're looking at an adverbial phrase.

2 Why Should I Care about Adverbial Phrases? Here are four good reasons to think more carefully about adverbial phrases. (Reason 1) Be careful not to create a misplaced modifier. A misplaced modifier is a word (or group of words) that does not link clearly to what it is intended to modify. A misplaced modifier makes the meaning of a sentence ambiguous or wrong. Look at this example:  Jack, coax the monkey with the banana. (The shaded text is a misplaced modifier. It is meant to be an adverbial phrase modifying the verb "coax." It is supposed to tell Jack how to coax the monkey. However, the shaded text could feasibly be an adjective phrase describing the monkey, telling Jack which monkey to coax.)  Jack, use the ban