Adverbs of Direction : Definition, Usage, List and Examples
In order to perfect your English language, you need to learn many aspects of grammar. Whether it is an adjective, adverb, determiner, or connector, you must learn the basics of all these to write or speak English flawlessly. Today, we are going to discuss the adverbs of direction, including when these are used and how to use them correctly in a sentence. Let’s start to explore the adverbs of direction.
Table of Content
- What Are Adverbs of Direction
- Adverbs vs. Prepositions of Direction
- How to Use Adverbs of Direction
- Adverbs of Direction vs. Adverbs of Place
- Common Adverbs of Direction
- Examples of Sentence with Adverbs of Direction
- Practice questions on Adverbs of Direction
- Frequently Asked Questions on Adverbs of Direction
What Are Adverbs of Direction
A word or group of words that modify verbs, adjectives, and even other adverbs is referred to as an adverb. It provides information on when, when, and how an action is conducted, as well as provides information about the kind or extent of the activity. The term “adverb of direction” refers to a category of adverbs that modify or modify the purpose of a sentence by informing us of the location at which something takes place.
Example:
- After reading the book, I put it on the table.
- The coffee shop is right next to my house.
Adverbs vs. Prepositions of Direction
Certain words may function either as prepositions or adverbs, depending on the context. If the term is being used to refer to something else, then it is functioning as a preposition. If there is no object attached to the clause, then it functions as an adverb.
Adverbs of direction that may also function as prepositions include on, off, over, down, behind, and in, amongst others. Although adverbs are words that describe how something is done, prepositions are words that illustrate how subjects relate to objects in a sentence.
Examples
| Word | Usage as Adverb | Usage as Preposition |
|---|---|---|
| on | July danced on continuously for hours. | Take my purse and put it on the chair. |
| off | Get off my bike! | The storm took the roofs off the buildings. |
How to Use Adverbs of Direction
After the primary verb or after the direct object of a transitive verb is where you should place adverbs that describe movement and direction. In either case, though, we are providing a description of the verb using the adverb.
Keep in mind that we do not place an adverb before the object and after the main verb.
Examples:
- You can put the keys there.
- After working for hours at the shop, we headed homeward.
- Please put the remote on the table.
- My friend’s house is nearby.
Adverbs of Direction vs. Adverbs of Place
The job of an adverb of place is always to point out the physical location at which the activity is being described by the verb. The adverb of direction is related to motion, and as such, it specifies the path that the movement will take; in contrast, the adverb of place is associated with the position that an item will reach when it reaches its ultimate goal at a certain point in time.
Note: Adverbs of place can be directional.
Common Adverbs of Direction
- Abroad
- Anywhere
- Away
- Across
- Ahead
- Back
- Backward
- Beyond
- Down
- Downwards
- Eastwards
- Everywhere
- Here
- Home
- In
- Indoors
- Inside
- Nowhere
- Outside
- Outdoors
- Overseas
- There
- West
- Yonder
- Somewhere
Adverbs with Suffixes _ward or _wards
Here are some of the adverbs of direction that can be used with the suffix _ward or _wards
- backward/forwards
- northwards/southwards/eastwards/westwards
- homewards
- inwards
- onwards
- Outwards
- downwards
Adverbs with the Suffix _side
Here are the two adverbs of direction that are commonly used in a sentence: Outside, inside, and upside.
The meanings of “outside” and “inside” are polar opposites. Outside indicates not within a certain location. The term “upside” refers to a direction that leads to the uppermost part of anything. These adverbs are considered to be adverbs of direction if they are used in conjunction with the correct verbs that imply movement towards an outside location or movement inside of a structure.
- We stayed inside/outside. (adverb of place)
- They all take the chairs outside. (adverb of movement)
- I will carry the bag inside. (adverb of direction and movement)
Adverbs with the Suffix _stairs
The most commonly used adverbs of direction with the suffix- stairs are Downstairs and Upstairs
The Downstairs is totally opposite the Downstairs. When referring to a building, the term “downstairs” indicates the direction toward a building’s lower level, whereas “upstairs” indicates the direction toward a structure’s upper floor. The following are some examples:
- Bring the bag of chips downstairs.
- Go and play with your brother upstairs.
Examples of Sentence with Adverbs of Direction
- We all can go somewhere to celebrate your win.
- You can come here and watch the game with me.
- Ram has been working there for five years now.
- Is your friend’s house nearby?
- You should study upstairs so nobody can disturb you.
- After relaxing for a few hours in our rooms, we went downstairs to eat something.
Conclusion: Adverbs of Direction
In the English language, the adverbs of erection give a real sense of place or location where the activity is being carried out. We hope that this guide will help you in getting a better grasp of the adverb’s direction now you have learned how to identify them and use them perfectly in a sentence.
Practice questions on Adverbs of Direction
1. Please lock the doors when you go ___________.
- Out
- Westward
- Lightly
- Here
2. The dog is sleeping _______________ the couch.
- On
- Underneath
- Somewhere
- There
3. Will you be growing those plants ________________ or in a greenhouse?
- Round
- Home
- Outside
- Around
4. The cruise sailed ________________, facing heavy weather along the way.
- Up
- Down
- Northwards
- Backward
5. When he saw me waiting, he immediately ran __________________ me.
- Around
- Towards
- Through
- Forward
Answers
- Out
- On
- Outside
- Northwards
- Towards
Frequently Asked Questions on Adverbs of Direction
Always referring to the physical location at which the activity is described by the verb is being carried out is the job of an adverb of place. Place adverbs may express direction, distance, or the position of one thing with respect to another. They can even represent an object’s location in reference to itself.
The following are some examples of common adverbs (or adverbial phrases) of direction: above, anywhere, behind, below, downward, everywhere, forward, here, in, inside, left, near, outside, over there, sideways, below, and upward.
We often use adverbials that indicate direction or location at the conclusion of a sentence, such as:
This is the table we have our daily meals on.
We waited for hours, but there was no one around.
Here are some sentences with the adverbs of direction:
- After graduation, she went abroad.
- He had to run uphill for three hours.
- We should call everybody and play outdoors.
- We started to feel the cold weather when we started moving toward the valley.
- They all looked upwards as the jet plane flew by.
- We all should head west to get a better view of the mountain.
Adverbs of direction are words that describe the direction of an action or movement. They provide additional information about how something is done or where it is going. Here are some examples of adverbs of direction:
- Forward: He walked forward to greet the guests.
- Backward: She took a step backward to avoid the obstacle.
- Upward: The bird flew upward into the sky.
- Downward: The elevator descended downward to the basement.
- Sideways: She glanced sideways at the intriguing painting.
- Eastward: They traveled eastward to reach the coast.
- Northward: The migration of birds typically goes northward in the spring.
- Southward: The expedition moved southward in search of warmer weather.
- Inward: He looked inward for inspiration.
- Outward: The doors swung outward to reveal a beautiful garden.
These adverbs of direction help convey specific information about the movement or orientation of the action in a sentence.
An adverb of direction and place is an adverb that provides information about both the direction and location of an action or movement. These adverbs give context to where an action is happening and in which direction it is occurring. Here are some examples:
- Here: Come here.
- There: Look over there.
- Everywhere: The kids scattered everywhere.
- Nowhere: I can find my keys nowhere.
- Everyplace: They searched everyplace for the lost ring.
- Somewhere: I left my jacket somewhere.
- Away: He walked away from the crowd.
- Back: She stepped back from the edge.
- Forward: He moved forward to get a better view.
- Upstairs: She went upstairs to her room.
- Downstairs: The noise is coming from downstairs.
- Outside: They played outside in the yard.
These adverbs of direction and place help provide a clearer picture of the action’s location and movement within a sentence.
There are many different types of adverbs, and they can be categorized in various ways. However, there isn’t a strict classification of exactly seven adverb types. Adverbs can generally be classified into categories such as:
- Adverbs of manner: These describe how an action is performed. For example, “quickly,” “slowly,” “carefully.”
- Adverbs of frequency: These describe how often an action occurs. For example, “always,” “often,” “rarely.”
- Adverbs of time: These describe when an action occurs. For example, “today,” “now,” “soon.”
- Adverbs of place: These describe where an action occurs. For example, “here,” “there,” “everywhere.”
- Adverbs of degree: These describe the intensity or degree of an action. For example, “very,” “too,” “quite.”
- Adverbs of certainty: These express the level of certainty or probability of an action. For example, “definitely,” “probably,” “certainly.”
- Adverbs of frequency: These describe the order or sequence of actions. For example, “first,” “second,” “finally.”
These are some common categories of adverbs, but it’s important to note that adverbs can sometimes belong to multiple categories or have specific uses beyond these general classifications.
