Correct usage of the Adverb & Time and Action:

Time and Action:

1. For an action which begins at a point of time in the past, is taking place in the present, and is likely to continue in future, the present perfect continuous (have/has + been + ing form) is used. The prepositions since and 'for' are associated with this tense. 'Since' indicates point of time and 'for' period of time.

Example:
It has been raining since morning.
We have been waiting for you for two hours.

    

2. To show the sequence of two past actions, the earlier action has to be expressed in past perfect (had + past participle) and the subsequent action in simple past. The two actions are often joined by 'when....already', 'after' or 'before' etc.

Example:
I had known it before he told me.

He reached home after we had slept.

An unfulfilled post conditional action should be expressed as follows:

'If you had come earlier, you would have met him.'
                            Or
'Had you come earlier, you would have met him.'

'If we had walked faster, we would not have missed the bus,'
                                Or
'Had we walked faster, we would not have missed the bus.'

In the above examples, you may have noticed that past perfect (had + past participle) has been used in the 'if - past' while 'would + have + past participle' has been used in the main part of the sentence.

4. A probable future conditional action has to be expressed as:

'If you study well, I will buy you a bicycle.'
'If it does not rain, we shall go shopping.'

     Here the 'if - part' contains simple present and the main part consists of shall/will/can/may + bare infinitive.

5. Usually in a sentence if the main clause is put in the past tense, the subordinate clause will also be put in the past tense : as,

He said that he could not attend college owing to illness.

In spite of this there are certain exceptions violating this understanding of tense. Notice the following:

even if a main clause is in the past tense, its subordinate clause need not be put in the past tense whenever:

a universal truth is to be expressed.
'than' is a component of the subordinate clause.

Example:   
Our teacher said that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. (not : rose ; set)
He believed you more than he believes everyone else.


     Correct usage of the Adverb

a. Adverbs should be placed in a sentence so as to make it quite clear which word or words they are intended to modify. So, usually adverbs are used next to the word or words they modify.

Example:
She is a very beautiful girl.

b. The adverbs 'ever, never, scarcely, ever,' are often misplaced.

Example:

1. She is the most remarkable lady I ever remember to have met.
2. She is the most remarkable lady I remember to have ever met.

c. Adjectives should not be used for Adverbs.

Example:

1. She completed the work quicker than I expected.
2. She completed the work more quickly than I expected.

1. You will pay dear for your mistakes.
2. You will pay dearly for your mistakes.

                                                         
   

     Note: 'First' being itself an adverb, does not need the 'ly' that is frequently added.

d. 'Else' should be followed by 'but.'

Example:

1. That is nothing else than love.
2. That is nothing else but love.

e. Except colloquially, 'so' as an adverb of degree must not be used without a correlative.

Example:

1. She appears so weak.
2. She appears very weak.

1. The weather is so uncertain.
2. The weather is very uncertain.

1. He feels so lonely.
2. He feels very lonely.

     f. The adverb 'too' means 'more than enough' and should not be used instead of 'very' or 'much'.

Example:
The news is very good to be true.
The news is too good to be true.

This task is very much for anyone to complete in an hour.
This task is too much for anyone to complete in an hour.

g. 'of course' is often loosely used for 'certainly, undoubtedly'. But it should actually be used to denote a natural or an inevitable consequence.

Example:
Do you work hard? Of course I do.
Certainly, I do.

h. As a general rule, 'only' should be placed immediately before the word it is intended to modify.

Example:
I scold him only when he deserves it.
He solved only two problems.
Only Ajith passed the exam.
   
      Note: In spoken English, 'only' is usually put before the verb; the required meaning is obtained by stressing the word which the  'only' modifies.

Example:
I only scold him when he deserves it.
He only solved two problems.
Ajith only passed the exam.

i. Two negatives nullify each other's effect. So, two negatives should not be used in the same sentence unless we wish to make an affirmation.

Example:

1. They have not received none.
2. They have not received any.

1. No one scarcely believes in god men nowadays.
2. Scarcely anyone believes in god men nowadays.

1. She couldn't find it nowhere.
2. She couldn't find it anywhere.

1. We haven't got no instructions for doing the work.
2. We haven't got any instructions for doing the work.

     j. 'Ever' should not be misused for 'never.'

Example:

1. We seldom or ever go to the movies.
2. We seldom or never go to the movies.

1. This method is seldom or ever used to solve the problem.
2. This method is seldom or never used to solve the problem.

Note: 'Seldom or never' and 'seldom if ever' are both correct; but 'seldom or ever' is incorrect.

k. 'Never' should not be used for 'not'

Example:

1. Godse was never born in India.
2. Godse was not born in India.

1. I had a meeting with them, but they never referred to the matter.
2. I had a meeting with them, but they did not ever refer to the matter.

     l.'That' should not be used instead of 'so' as an adverb.

Example:

1. I was that tired that I immediately slept.
2. I was so tired that I immediately slept.

m. With Present Participles used as Adjectives, the adverb 'very' is used; with Past Participles, the adverb 'much' is used.

Example:

1. That is much intoxicating.
2. That is very intoxicating.

1. She was very inconvenienced.
2. She was much inconvenienced.

Note: A few Past Participles take 'very' before them.

Example:

1. They are much pleased to hear this.
2. They are very pleased to hear this.

1. We felt much happy.
2. We felt very happy

      n. 'Quite' should not be used in the sense of 'very' or 'to a considerable degree'.

Example:

1. We are quite sorry to hear the problems you are facing.
2. We are very sorry to hear the problems you are facing.

Additional information for correct usage of Adverbs:

1. The adverbs 'scarcely' and 'hardly' must be followed by 'when', not 'than'.

Example:
Scarcely had we known him when he met with an accident. (not : than).
The match had hardly begun when it began to rain (not : than).

2. Unlike 'scarcely and hardly', 'no sooner' is followed by 'than', not 'when'. In this, the first action is put in the past perfect (had + past participle) and the second in the simple past.

Example:   
No sooner had the train started than we got into it (not : when).
He had no sooner left the room than he was asked to return (not : when).

     3. 'Very' has to be used with adjectives and adverbs in the positive degree, and with present participle (i.e., - ing forms) used as adjectives (e.g. interesting).

Example:   
1. He spoke in a very polite manner. (not much)
-in positive degree

2. It is a very interesting story (not much)
-with present participle

Whereas 'much' has to go with adjectives and adverbs in the comparative degree, and with past participles.

Example:
1. Today he is much better than (he was) yesterday (not very).
-in comparative degree

2. We are much worried about your health (not very).
-with past participles