Adverb of Place - A Complete Guide

An adverb of place is a type of adverb used to talk about the place or direction where an action is happening and answer the question, "where?". Adverbs of place can go anywhere in a sentence; that is, they can be used at the beginning, in the middle or at the end of the sentence. 

Continue to read the full article to learn adverb of place definition, types, rules and example sentences. 

This article covers:

• Adverb of Place - Definition and Meaning 

• Adverb of Place Examples 

• Adverb of Place Examples in Sentences 

• How to Recognize Adverb of Place?

• Adverb of Place List 

• FAQs - Adverbs of Place

Adverb of Place - Definition and Meaning

What does an adverb of place mean? The word 'adverb' in the phrase "adverb of place" means a word or phrase that modifies [adds or limits the meaning of] a verb, an adjective or another adverb. On the other hand, the word 'place' in the phrase "adverb of place" refers to the place or direction where an action takes place.

So, what is an adverb of place in English grammar? By definition, adverbs of place are the words that are used in sentences to describe a location, place, distance, direction or the setting in which an action occurs. The main function of adverbs of place is to answer the query "where?" In a sentence, they can be used at the beginning, in the middle or at the end position.

Examples of Adverbs of Place

Look carefully at the following sentences which carry adverbs of place. Here are a few examples of adverbs of place in the beginning, middle and end of a sentence:

a. Here, comes the king.

b. I am likely to get away early.

c. Are you planning to go outside?

List of Adverbs of Place

Have a look at the following list of adverbs of place and learn to use them in your conversations and write-ups.

• Somewhere
• Here
• There
• Everywhere
• Nowhere
• Northwards
• Eastwards
• Southwards
• Westwards
• Backwards
• Towards
• Forward
• Nearby
• Miles apart
• Up
• Down
• Away
• Around
• Out
• In
• Below
• Behind
• North
• Southeast
• Northeast
• West
• East
• Homeward
• Someplace
• Abroad
• Upstairs
• Downstairs
• Anywhere

How to Recognize an Adverb of Place?

Identifying an adverb of place is not that difficult. Here are 3 steps to identify adverbs of place easily:

Step 1: Find out the adverb used in a sentence: Before you try looking for an adverb of place, you need to find out the adverb used in the sentence.

Step 2: Recall the definition of the adverb of place: An adverb of place always refers to a place, location, direction or setting.

Step 3: Mark the adverb which tells you where the action is happing as an adverb of place.

Let's take the sentence "John was standing there." as an example. To identify the adverb of place in this sentence, we first follow the step 1; that is, we need to look for the adverb used in this sentence. The adverb in the sentence is "there", as it adds to the meaning of the verb "standing", informing you of the place where John was standing and answering the question "where".

Then we follow the step 2; that is, we recall the definition of adverb of place whereby we find that an adverb of place refers to a place, direction or location.

We then follow the step 3; that is, we mark the word "there" as an adverb of place, because it tells us about the place where John was standing.

Types of Adverbs of Place

Adverbs of place can show a direction, location, distance or relationship. Based on what they are used for, adverbs of place are put in three types. Here are the three main types or categories of adverbs of place:

1. Adverbs of place for direction: Directional adverbs or adverbs of direction tell us about the path where something or someone will move. 

Examples of adverbs of place for direction:

a. She moved forward to welcome her guests.

b. He climbed upward.

c. He stepped backward.

2. Adverbs of place for location: Adverbs of place for location tell us about the location where something or someone is.

Examples of adverbs of place for location:

a. Look behind.

b. Examples are given below.

3. Adverbs of place for distance:  Adverbs of place for distance tell us how far or near something or someone is.

Examples of place for distance:

a. My shop is nearby.

b. A gun shot 3 rounds of fire near.

Rules for Adverbs of Place

These simple rules for adverbs of place will help you to use them the right way:

Rule 1: Adverbs of place are usually placed in end position.

Examples:

a. Come here.

b. Go there.

c. He stood nearby.

Rule 2: Adverbs of place can also be put in front position for emphasis.

Examples: 

a. Here, comes the king.

b. Outside, there is a dog.

c. Inside, there's a woman.

Rule 3: Adverbs of place can also be used in the middle of a sentence.

Examples:

a. He moved away quickly.

b. You have to get away early.

c. John jumped up suddenly.

Adverbs of Place Exercises

The following exercises will help you to gain better understanding about how adverbs of place work.

Choose the suitable option to complete each sentence.

A. ..........., the bus.

(options)

a. Out

b. Westward

c. Lightly

d. Here

Answer: d. Here, comes the bus.

B. John stood..............

(options)

a. On

b. Underneath

c. Somewhere

d. There

Answer: d. John stood there.

C. Will you be starting your plants..............or in a greenhouse?

(options)

a. Round

b. Home

c. Outside

d. Around

Answer: c. Will you be starting your plants outside or in a greenhouse?

D. The ship sailed.................., encountering heavy weather along the way.

(options)

a. Up

b. Down

c. Northwards

d. Backwards

Answer: c. The ship sailed northwards, encountering heavy weather along the way.

E. When she saw me waiting, she ran ­­­­­­­­.............. .

(options)

a. Around

b. Away

c. Through

d. Forward

Answer: b. When she saw me waiting, she ran away.

FAQs- Adverbs of Place 

Define adverb of place.

An adverb of place is also called an adverb of location. An adverb of place shows where the action of the sentence happens.

Qns: Is there an adverb of place ?

Ans: Yes, there is an adverb of place.

Qns: Is here an adverb of place?

Ans: Yes , here is an adverb of place.

Qns: Is behind an adverb of place?

Ans: Yes, behind is an adverb of place .

Qns: Is upstairs an adverb of place ?

Ans: Yes , Upstairs is an adverb of place.

Qns: Is over an adverb of place?

Ans: Yes, over is an adverb of place.