224 Part IV: The Grammar You Need to Know – and How to Teach It
When the adverb shows how strong or weak an idea is (these are called
adverbs of degree or intensifiers), you put the adverb before the word it
refers to. For example:
How warm is it? It’s fairly warm.
However, enough goes after the word it refers to:
It’s warm enough.
Adverbs of time can be used in different positions in a sentence. It’s easier for
students to go by the rule of thumb that you should put them at the begin-
ning or end of a clause (part of a sentence with its own subject and verb):
This afternoon I’m free/ I’m free this afternoon.
Adverbs of frequency go between the subject and the verb as a general rule: I
always speak to her.
When the main verb is ‘to be’, in one form or another, the word order is differ-
ent because the adverb goes after the verb: I am usually busy.
In some tenses there’s a main verb and auxiliary verb. You fit the adverb
between the main verb and auxiliary verb, even if the main verb is a form of
‘to be’: They were always talking. I have often been here.
Although you can use adverbs in other positions within a sentence, you
should aim to give your students a model that allows them to get it right most
of the time. They’ll notice other possibilities in time.
Connecting with Conjunctions
You use a conjunction to join two sentences or even two words together.
Some of the more common conjunctions are: but, and, or/nor, for, yet, so,
because, while, since.
Conjunctions can be just one word, but sometimes they’re two words. For
example: ‘so that’ – and even three, such as ‘in order that’.
Differentiating conjunctions
The family of conjunctions is composed of three members:
