---
title: adverbial — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «adverbial» in the school dictionary: An adverbial is a word, phrase or clause that does the job of an adverb, telling us how, when, where or how often something happens: «in the morning», «after lunch», «with a smile». Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# adverbial

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** adverbial, clause, word, something, adverb, fronted adverbial · **What happens:** be, do, tell, happen, job, front · **To what, where:** word, job, us, adverbial, start, sentence · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«adverbial» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [adverbial in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/adverbial.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An adverbial is a word, phrase or clause that does the job of an adverb, telling us how, when, where or how often something happens: «in the morning», «after lunch», «with a smile».

<!-- fold The tree, 33 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:adverbial:m1:1
# text = An adverbial is a word, phrase or clause that does the job of an adverb, telling us how, when, where or how often something happens: «in the morning», «after lunch», «with a smile».
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	adverbial	adverbial	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	phrase	phrase	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	appos	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	clause	clause	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	_
10	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj	_	_
11	does	do	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	acl:relcl	_	_
12	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	job	job	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	_
14	of	of	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	adverb	adverb	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	18	punct	_	_
18	telling	tell	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	5	acl	_	_
19	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	18	iobj	_	_
20	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	18	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	22	punct	_	_
22	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	18	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	24	punct	_	_
24	where	where	ADV	WRB	PronType=Rel	18	advmod	_	_
25	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	29	cc	_	_
26	how	how	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	27	advmod	_	_
27	often	often	ADV	RB	_	29	advmod	_	_
28	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	29	nsubj	_	_
29	happens	happen	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	24	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	34	punct	_	_
31	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	34	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
32	in	in	ADP	IN	_	34	case	_	_
33	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	34	det	_	_
34	morning	morning	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	29	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
35	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	34	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
36	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	39	punct	_	_
37	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	39	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
38	after	after	ADP	IN	_	39	case	_	_
39	lunch	lunch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	29	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
40	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	39	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
41	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	45	punct	_	_
42	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	45	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
43	with	with	ADP	IN	_	45	case	_	_
44	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	45	det	_	_
45	smile	smile	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	29	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
46	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	45	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
47	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a adverbial | a word |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **do** | present | clause | the job of a adverb |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent job=Eventuality |
| 3 | **tell** *speech: assert* | gerund | a word *not said here* |  | us |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent we=Recipient |
| 4 | **happen** | present | something |  |  |  | after lunch; morning | with a smile; often *property* | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 5 | **job** |  | a adverb |  |  |  |  |  | nom job «act intransitive»: of=agent |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A fronted adverbial is an adverbial placed at the start of a sentence, usually followed by a comma: «Later that day, we went home.».

<!-- fold The tree, 24 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:adverbial:m2:1
# text = A fronted adverbial is an adverbial placed at the start of a sentence, usually followed by a comma: «Later that day, we went home.».
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	fronted	front	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	amod	_	_
3	adverbial	adverbial	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	adverbial	adverbial	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	placed	place	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	acl	_	_
8	at	at	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	start	start	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	_
11	of	of	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	sentence	sentence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
15	usually	usually	ADV	RB	_	16	advmod	_	_
16	followed	follow	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	13	acl:relcl	_	_
17	by	by	ADP	IN	_	19	case	_	_
18	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	19	det	_	_
19	comma	comma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	16	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	27	punct	_	_
21	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	27	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	Later	late	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	24	advmod	_	_
23	that	that	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	24	det	_	_
24	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	27	obl:unmarked	_	SpaceAfter=No
25	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	24	punct	_	_
26	we	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	27	nsubj	_	_
27	went	go	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	parataxis	_	_
28	home	home	ADV	RB	_	27	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
29	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	27	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	27	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
31	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **front** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **is a** | present | a fronted adverbial | a adverbial |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **place** | participle |  | a adverbial *not said here* |  | the start of a sentence |  |  | vn put-9.1-2 «NP V NP PP.destination»: agent=Agent at start=Destination |
| 4 | **follow** | participle |  | a sentence *not said here* |  |  |  | by a comma; usually *property* | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme by comma=Location |
| 5 | **go** *in a quote* | past | we |  |  |  | day | home *property* | vn disappearance-48.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 6 | **start** |  |  | a sentence |  |  |  |  | nom start «event transitive»: of=patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«After school» is an adverbial of time.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:adverbial:x1:1
# text = «After school» is an adverbial of time.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	After	after	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	school	school	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	adverbial	adverbial	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	of	of	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | school | a adverbial |  |  | time |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Start your sentence with a fronted adverbial.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:adverbial:x2:1
# text = Start your sentence with a fronted adverbial.
1	Start	start	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	your	your	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Person=2|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	3	nmod:poss	_	_
3	sentence	sentence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	fronted	front	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	amod	_	_
7	adverbial	adverbial	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **start** | imperative | you *not said here* | your sentence |  |  |  | with a fronted adverbial | vn begin-55.1-1-1 «NP V NP PP.subeventuality»: agent=Agent sentence=Eventuality with adverbial=Subeventuality |
| 2 | **front** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 3 | **sentence** |  | your |  |  |  |  |  | nom sentence «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«As quick as a flash, the fox ran off» begins with an adverbial.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:adverbial:x3:1
# text = «As quick as a flash, the fox ran off» begins with an adverbial.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	As	as	ADV	RB	_	3	advmod	_	_
3	quick	quick	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	13	parataxis	_	_
4	as	as	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	flash	flash	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	fox	fox	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	nsubj	_	_
10	ran	run	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
11	off	off	ADP	RP	_	10	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
13	begins	begin	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
14	with	with	ADP	IN	_	16	case	_	_
15	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	adverbial	adverbial	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	13	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	13	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **run off** *in a quote* | past | the fox |  |  |  |  |  | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **begin** | present |  |  |  |  |  | with a adverbial | tree rules |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Put a comma after a fronted adverbial.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:adverbial:x4:1
# text = Put a comma after a fronted adverbial.
1	Put	put	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
2	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
3	comma	comma	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obj	_	_
4	after	after	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	fronted	front	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	7	amod	_	_
7	adverbial	adverbial	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	1	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	1	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **put** | imperative | you *not said here* | a comma |  |  | after a fronted adverbial |  | vn invest-13.5.4-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent comma=Goal |
| 2 | **front** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«In the garden» is an adverbial of place.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:adverbial:x5:1
# text = «In the garden» is an adverbial of place.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	4	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	In	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	garden	garden	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	4	punct	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
7	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	adverbial	adverbial	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	of	of	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	place	place	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | the garden | a adverbial |  |  |  | of place | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«With great care, she lifted the egg» uses a fronted adverbial.

<!-- fold The tree, 11 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:adverbial:x6:1
# text = «With great care, she lifted the egg» uses a fronted adverbial.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	7	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	With	with	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
3	great	great	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	care	care	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	she	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	7	nsubj	_	_
7	lifted	lift	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	11	csubj	_	_
8	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
9	egg	egg	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	7	punct	_	_
11	uses	use	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
13	fronted	front	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	14	amod	_	_
14	adverbial	adverbial	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	11	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **lift** *in a quote* | past | she | the egg |  |  |  | with great care | vn put\_direction-9.4 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent egg=Theme |
| 2 | **use** | present |  | a fronted adverbial |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent adverbial=Patient |
| 3 | **front** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
An adverbial can be one word or a whole phrase.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:adverbial:x7:1
# text = An adverbial can be one word or a whole phrase.
1	An	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	adverbial	adverbial	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
4	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	cop	_	_
5	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
6	word	word	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	10	cc	_	_
8	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
9	whole	whole	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	amod	_	_
10	phrase	phrase	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | can | a adverbial | one word or a whole phrase |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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