VIII. The Adverbial Modifier

Words in this function modify verbs, adjectives and adverbs, specifying the circumstances of a happening.

Adverbial modifiers may be expressed by an adverb, a noun with a preposition, an infinitive, an ing-iorm with a conjunction or a preposition, a participle with a conjunction, an adjective with a conjunction and an absolute construction.

According to their meaning, adverbial modifiers are sub- divided into:

1) adverbial modifiers of place and direction,

e.g. He found himself in a lonely street.

The procession moved slowly towards the embankment. He'll be here tomorrow.

2) Adverbial modifiers of time,

e.g. I'll give you a telephone call tonight. Bring him back on Sunday. He kept silent a long time before answering. When tired, he has his supper in his room.

3) adverbial modifiers of frequency,

e.g. He seldom spoke with such frankness. She has music lessons twice a week.

4) adverbial modifiers of degree,

e.g. He came back home pretty late last night. The night was very still. He knows his subject perfectly.

5) adverbial modifiers of manner,

e.g. She was crying bitterly. He came here by taxi. He opened the door with difficulty. They walked very fast. The bus passed us without stopping.

6) adverbial modifiers of attending circumstances,

e.g. It is very romantic to take a walk by moonlight. I don't feel like going out in this weather. She looked up at him, her face smiling happily. He lived all by himself in an old house on the river, with all

his family gone and forgotten. I looked round the room, the sense of being watched acute

again.

7) adverbial modifiers of description,

e.g. Fay's eyes continually moved in his Father's direction, as

though seeking his approval. The shop was freshly painted, with a large green awning to

protect the window. He stood there very quietly, his hand outstretched.

8) adverbial modifiers of purpose,

e.g. I did my best to prevent her from making a mistake.

9) adverbial modifiers of cause,

e.g. Our flight was delayed owing to the storm.

10) adverbial modifiers of comparison,

e.g. She sat still like a statue. He was as ugly as a monkey.

I've got a more difficult problem to solve than find a new house.

11) adverbial modifiers of consequence,

e.g. He had to read only the first ten pages to know what the

book was about.

He was clever enough to understand it. I was too tired to go for a walk.

12) adverbial modifiers of concession,

e.g. When he returned his wife was still at the table, though pre- paring to go.

Whatever the reason, she should have come. Though tired, he agreed to show us the garden.

13) adverbial modifiers of condition,

e.g. He said he would do it if necessary.

But for the rain, I'd have gone off an hour ago. To look at her, you wouldn't believe she was a famous ac- tress.

14) adverbial modifiers of exception,

e.g. He had no choice but to obey the orders.

IX. The Attribute

Words in this function modify nouns (and sometimes pro- nouns) giving them some kind of characteristic.

Attributes may be expressed by an adjective, a pronoun, a noun in the genitive or common case, a noun with a preposition, an infinitive, an ing-form, a participle and, occasionally, an ad- verb.

Depending on the closeness of the syntactic ties between the attribute and its noun, we distinguish close and loose attributes. Close attributes form a tight sense unit with their nouns. Loose attributes are less tightly connected with their nouns. Adding more information to or explaining what is being said in the sen- tence, they are regarded as a more independent member of the sentence and, hence, often separated by a comma from the rest of the sentence.