Fronted adverbials
I can move an adverbial to the front of a sentence and put a comma after it.
For grown-ups: this lesson in words
Years 4 to 6 · English
Fronted adverbials: I can move an adverbial to the front of a sentence and put a comma after it.
The children flew their kites on the windy hill. Where did they fly them?
"On the windy hill" tells us where. It is an adverbial.
An adverbial tells us when, where or how something happens.
Picture: The sentence "The children flew their kites on the windy hill.", with "on the windy hill" marked as an adverbial.
Now watch the adverbial move to the front of the sentence.
On the windy hill, the children flew their kites.
It is now a fronted adverbial. A comma goes straight after it.
The meaning stays the same. Only the start has changed.
Picture: The sentence "On the windy hill, the children flew their kites.", with "On the windy hill" moved to the front with a comma after it.
Adverbials answer three questions: when, where or how?
"Last night" and "Every morning" tell us when.
"Under the bed" tells us where.
"With a loud cheer" tells us how.
Picture: Sorting into 3 groups: When?, Where?, How?. When?: Last night (moon), Every morning (sun). Where?: Under the bed (bed). How?: With a loud cheer (party popper).
Your turn: Under the bridge, the ducks slept. What does the underlined part tell us?
Picture: The sentence "Under the bridge, the ducks slept.", with "Under", "the" and "bridge" underlined.
Choose one:
- when
- where
- how
Answer
The answer: where
Where. "Under the bridge" tells us where the ducks slept.
Words to know
- adverbial:
- Words that tell us when, where or how something happens.
- fronted:
- Moved to the front of the sentence.
- comma:
- The small mark , that goes after a fronted adverbial.
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