Hong Kong students often make errors with the word order regarding the position of adverbs. Here are some general guidelines.

1. We put many common adverbs, especially adverbs of frequency, between the subject and the verb.
You certainly annoyed him with your remark.
He surprisingly raised no objection.
You never remember a thing I say.        
The postman frequently comes late.

2. When there is an auxiliary verb and a main verb, adverbs come between the two parts of the verb.
I have always wanted to fly in a helicopter.
I can never find my tin opener.
If you have already paid him, don’t pay him again!

3. Adverbs go after the verb ‘to be’.
He is always late!
You are never on time!                  

4. Other adverbs that are longer and less common come after the object.  There is no exact rule about which can come before the verb and which cannot.  Some can come in either position and this depends on the usage.
Our helper does the housework conscientiously.
He ate his noodles noisily.           
I like coffee very much.
I very much like coffee.

5. In the case of adverbial phrases, place comes first after the verb and time and manner come later. When there is more than one adverbial phrase, the particular goes before the general.
He ran out of the building in a panic.
She was born at 5am on the morning of 2nd March.
He very often left the office late.

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Put the words and phrases in the correct order.

1.	dancing/hardly ever/go/I
	I hardly ever go dancing. Check show answerCorrect!Sorry!Try again!
2.	entirely/your plan/I /approve/of
	I entirely approve of your plan. Check show answerCorrect!Sorry!Try again!
3.	the customer/an apology/angrily/demanded
	The customer angrily demanded an apology. Check show answerCorrect!Sorry!Try again!
4.	listlessly/at the television/the children/gazed
	The children gazed listlessly at the television. Check show answerCorrect!Sorry!Try again!
5.	kindly/would you/these boxes/carry/help me
	Would you kindly help me carry these boxes? Check show answerCorrect!Sorry!Try again!
6.	ignored/the teacher/disrespectfully/the children
	The children disrespectfully ignored the teacher. Check show answerCorrect!Sorry!Try again!
7.	I/brandy/sometimes/drink
	I sometimes drink brandy. Check show answerCorrect!Sorry!Try again!
8.	tirelessly/the walking group/up the mountain/climbed
	The walking group climbed tirelessly up the mountain. The walking group tirelessly climbed up the mountain. The walking group climbed up the mountain tirelessly. Check show answerCorrect!Sorry!Try again!

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Rewrite these sentences, adding the word in brackets in the correct place.

1.	I can hear my mobile phone. (never)
	I can never hear my mobile phone. Check show answerCorrect!Sorry!Try again!
2.	I have peeled the vegetables.  (already)
	I have already peeled the vegetables. Check show answerCorrect!Sorry!Try again!
3.	Her husband is older than she is.   (three years)
	Her husband is three years older than she is. Check show answerCorrect!Sorry!Try again!
4.	To complete the task on time, we’ll have to work.  (hard)
	To complete the task on time, we’ll have to work hard. Check show answerCorrect!Sorry!Try again!
5.	We do food shopping every Saturday. (almost)
	We do food shopping almost every Saturday. Check show answerCorrect!Sorry!Try again!
6.	He read the book.  (aloud)
	He read the book aloud. Check show answerCorrect!Sorry!Try again!
7.	She refuses to believe a word I say.  (stubbornly)
	She stubbornly refuses to believe a word I say. Check show answerCorrect!Sorry!Try again!
8.	I enjoyed the movie. (thoroughly)
	I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. Check show answerCorrect!Sorry!Try again!

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All the underlined words are in the wrong position. Put them in the correct position in the sentence.

1.	We both were shocked when we heard the news.
	We were both shocked when we heard the news. Check show answerCorrect!Sorry!Try again!
2.	I usually am very busy at weekends.
	I am usually very busy at weekends. Check show answerCorrect!Sorry!Try again!
3.	Susie has always to run to catch the bus.
	Susie always has to run to catch the bus. Check show answerCorrect!Sorry!Try again!
4.	Those keys probably are mine.
	Those keys are probably mine. Check show answerCorrect!Sorry!Try again!
5.	He does conscientiously his homework.
	He does his homework conscientiously. Check show answerCorrect!Sorry!Try again!
6.	You need badly a haircut.
	You badly need a haircut. Check show answerCorrect!Sorry!Try again!
7.	I go into a pub never.
	I never go into a pub. Check show answerCorrect!Sorry!Try again!
8.	Teenagers seldom are interested in history.
	Teenagers are seldom interested in history. Check show answerCorrect!Sorry!Try again!

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