Adverbs

Source: By and large, this page is taken from Blanpain (2006).

For many non-native writers, deciding on the position of adverbs is one of the trickiest issues. The rules below cover the most frequent problems.

a sentence adverb modifies an entire sentence: it can be placed at the start of a sentence (followed by a comma) or in the middle (between commas).

Books were getting cheaper all the time; furthermore, their quality was improving.
This software is one of the leading programms for data analysis. However, it does have several severe shortcomings.
When analysing the audio excerpts, however, the programme's algorithm comes up with completely different results.

an adverb that modifies one element in the sentence usually occurs directly before it.

X, who was particularly fussy about spelling, never failed to ...
The leading character is entirely convinced that his mistress will join him.
it is a relatively new phenomenon.

For adverbs of frequency (e.g. often), focusing adverbs (e.g even), adverbs of certainty (e.g. clearly), adverbs of degree (e.g. largely), which generally occur in mid-position, the following rules of thumb apply

Before the verb

The latest poem also shows his fading sense of the world around him.
This perhaps reflects this secondary analysis.
Proponents of this argument frequently assume that ...

After to be

He is clearly in favour of ...
Those readings are often the result of ...
He is generally interested ...

After the auxiliary verb

These metaphoric interpretations can also be applied to the first part of the poem
Therefore, he could perhaps be considered one of America's leading writers
For all the misery in the world, he may indeed be focusing on its more positive side.

Adverbs of manner can occur either in mid-position (before the main verb) or in end position.

mid-position - the adverb is not the main focus.

He carefully examines each paragraph.
If he remains objective, then these problems can successfully
Samples were randomly taken from the database. be answered.

end position - this gives the adverb greater weight.

After all, he writes competently and efficiently.
... and this contrasts sharply with his fellow countrymen
... who generally write their paragraphs poorly.

Adverbials expressing definite time indications can occur in sentence-initial position (followed by a comma) or at the end of a clause. If there is another adverbial (e.g. manner, place), the time indication comes last.

In recent years, a growing number of ...
The body of web advertising research has grown continuously during the last few years.

Finally, note that when determiners less, more or most are used with a past participle and express frequency (rather than degree), they need to be followed by an adverb.

*the most occurring problems
The most frequently occurring problems
the factors most closely associated with variation
the most frequently found pattern
studies that are more frequently mentioned
a much less commonly adopted approach