adverbial phrase

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "adverbial phrase" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in grammar to refer to a group of words that function as an adverb, modifying a verb, adjective, or another adverb. Example: "In the sentence 'She sings beautifully,' the phrase 'beautifully' is an adverbial phrase that describes how she sings."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

1. Give me, quickly if you please, an example of an adverbial phrase.

The Guardian - Books

Rather, "in Christ" is an adverbial phrase that modifies the verb "shall be made" or perhaps the whole clause, "shall all be made alive". Thus, this passage says that all shall be made alive.

Yale University

After an introductory adverb or adverbial phrase the verb generally took second place as in modern German: Nū bydde iċ ān thing "Now I ask [literally, "ask I"] one thing"; Thȳ ilcan gēare gesette Aelfrēd cyning Lundenburg "In that same year Alfred the king occupied London".

Encyclopedia Britannica

An idiom like "Make yourself at home" is rather tricky if you stop to think about it: the imperative verb "make" is followed by a second-person reflexive pronoun ("yourself") and an adverbial phrase ("at home"), but it's difficult to break the phrase into its components.

The New York Times - Magazine

He notes that some of these double-word modifiers grow out of adverbial phrases: in "technology at the cutting edge," the adverbial phrase is swung around in front of the noun to become cutting-edge technology; in the same way, "you can track changes in real time" becomes real-time data.

The New York Times - Magazine

As for non-predicative V-DE constructions, they are those cases in which the de-part has an overt adverbial phrase alone, as shown in 46.

Lingua Sinica

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

Most adverbial phrases do not need hyphens.

The Guardian

Think carefully about adverbial phrases such as "radically questioned".

The Guardian

Or you could just say "bookings" Advent calendar adverbs Most adverbial phrases do not need hyphens.

The Guardian

I found one project backed by Salus Mundi a little disturbing New Perspectives on Historical Latin Syntax Constituent Syntax" Adverbial Phrases, Adverbs, Mood, Tense.

Forbes

various genetic and geographical groupings, there is similarity between the formal expression of imperfective aspect, especially progressive aspect, and various locative adverbial phrases" (1992 98).

Johns Hopkins University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When identifying an "adverbial phrase", ensure it clearly modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb to avoid ambiguity in sentence structure.

Common error

Avoid confusing prepositional phrases with "adverbial phrases". A prepositional phrase always begins with a preposition and typically modifies a noun or pronoun, while an adverbial phrase modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb.

Linguistic Context

The "adverbial phrase" functions as a grammatical term used to identify a group of words that collectively modify a verb, adjective, another adverb, or a prepositional phrase. As Ludwig AI confirms, it’s used to describe phrases that act as adverbs within a sentence.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

30%

Academia

30%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The "adverbial phrase" is a grammatical term used to describe a group of words functioning as an adverb, modifying verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and primarily used in academic, scientific, and news contexts. While not as common as simpler grammatical terms, understanding "adverbial phrases" is crucial for analyzing sentence structure and improving writing precision. Common errors include confusing them with prepositional phrases. Related terms include "adverb phrase", "adverbial modifier", and "adverbial clause".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

adverb phrase

Omits the word "ial" while retaining the core meaning.

phrase functioning as an adverb

Rephrases the definition of an adverbial phrase.

adverbial modifier

Focuses on the modifying function of the phrase.

adverbial element

Focuses on the element performing an adverbial function.

adverbial construction

Refers to the broader grammatical construct.

adverbial clause

Specifies a clause rather than a phrase, implying a more complex structure.

expression acting as an adverb

Highlights the action and adverbial role.

circumstantial adjunct

Uses terminology from Systemic Functional Linguistics.

adjunct of circumstance

A more technical term for an adverbial modifying the verb.

modifier of a verb

Describes the function without using the grammatical term.

FAQs

How to use "adverbial phrase" in a sentence?

You can use "adverbial phrase" in a sentence like this: "In the sentence 'She sings beautifully', the phrase 'beautifully' is an "adverbial phrase" that describes how she sings."

What's the difference between an "adverbial phrase" and an adverbial clause?

An "adverbial phrase" is a group of words that functions as an adverb, while an "adverbial clause" is a group of words containing a subject and a verb that functions as an adverb. An adverbial clause provides more detail and complexity.

What are some examples of "adverbial phrases"?

Examples of "adverbial phrases" include "with great enthusiasm", "in a hurry", and "very quickly". They all modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.

Can a prepositional phrase also function as an "adverbial phrase"?

Yes, a prepositional phrase can function as an "adverbial phrase" if it modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. For example, in the sentence "He ran to the store", the prepositional phrase "to the store" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying the verb "ran".